New tank syndrome

HI all,
I recently set up my 1.8m tank and used mature media from my 3 ft tank as well as adding bacteria drops. Left it for a week and then slowly added only the few fish from 3ft tank to my 1.8m. The tank has been running for 3 weeks now. Sadly I have noticed my fish gasping. I have already lost my angel who has survived through many tanks. He starting gasping, looked bloated and had bulging eyes with one that eventually had blood in it when he died( very horrible). All signs show towards ammonia poisoning from what I can see. I have being do lots of waters changes now.

My main question is I bought a 6 in 1 tetra test kit which shows all my parameters well with in limits but the only thing it doesnt test is ammonia. So is it possible to have high ammonia in a tank with very low nitrites and nitrates? Surely if my ammonia is high I should get a high nitrite reading as well?

 

I believe nitrite only raises after ammonia, someone even told me that ammonia is there long before nitrite shows up.
Some bacteria eats Ammonia to create nitrite and if that bacteria is not there your you ammonia levels will be high and your nitrite is still zero.

But the 6 in one tetra strips, I have tried that before and not very reliable at all.

 

What are the best test kits then for accuracy?

 

Yups anything with liquid drops, because the moisture in the air alone can make those strips ineffective plus often its past its sell by date.
I use the Seachem range now, and I have also used the tetra test drops kits and they seem to work.

I like the fact that Seachem gives a water sample with some of the kits for vailidation sold me.
Its got a little vile of water that has a No2 level and you can test it to insure your test is working and not expired.

It costs allot more then the 6 in 1, but you never really need to test all 6 things, GH KH reading on the 6 in 1 has never worked for me..
Sometimes the no3 and no2 levels worked for me .. but only sometimes and not a totally accurate readings.

drops much better and seacheam even better

 

Great thanks guys. I got my wires crossed and sadly though the strips were more accurate! Will invest in some drops tests from now on!