Water Change Question

[bigeyefish]

Been cycling for 6 weeks now 125 gallon w/30 gallon sump, 125 lbs LR, LS. Had a spike in Ammonia after 2 days, Nitrites went up, Nitrates went up. At about day 10 the #s looked like this:
SG 1.023
pH 8.6
Alk Normal
Amm .25
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 5-10
And nothing has changed since. So I decide to do a water change-25 gallons. I tested the change water (RO water from Wal Mart) before the change out and it looked like this:
SG 1.022
pH 8.4
Alk Normal
Amm .25
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
Did the water change and everything is exactly as the first readings. So two questions:
1- Is it typical to have an ammonia reading in water? (I'm referring to the water I mixed before doing the water change). I expected that # to be zero.
2- Seeing the Nitrates are still floating around 8.0 is it safe to assume that a 25 gallon change is way to low for my size tank?
Guess I'm still waiting for my fishies

 

[dogstar]

Some color chart type test kits will look like there is some amm. One of my amm. test is Aquarium Pharm. and the colors are hard to compare at lower levels..........I have found its best to look at the test under very bright light, like the tank lights or in the sun light......If nitrites are at a steady 0 for some time then most likely amm. is too....
IMO after a new cycle then could do up to 100 percent WC......nitrates are reduced by WC unless you have other removal systems and the percent of reduction can only be compared to the percent of total water removed and replace to the amout that was not changed......Im sure a math wizard would have a foumula but a math wiz, Im not....haha

 

[bigeyefish]

Thanks for your response! I think I'll do another water change and then head out to the LFS next weekend with some water for them to test. I'm using the Red Sea tests and zero is yellow, .25 is a light green so maybe I'm reading it wrong. I really would like to be wrong!