Tank parameters?

Obviously water testing is still new to me even though I've been doing it myself twice a week for the last 3 months. I've never had any problems or worries with anything until this last week but I might just be overprotective considering my axolotls haven't shown any signs of stress (yet).

I'm using the 5-n-1 test strips to check nitrites, nitrates, hardness, alkalinity, and pH as well as an API liquid tester for ammonia. (i'm waiting until I run out of the test strips to get liquid testers for everything)

Lately the readings have looked like this even with weekly 30% water changes and cleaning poop out of the tank daily:

25gal with 1 adult
Nitrates: 20ppm
Nitrites: 0.5-1.0 ppm
pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Temp: 69

10gal with 2 tiny juvies (i'm doing 50% water changes weekly with this one)
Nitrates: 20ppm
Nitrites: 0.5-1.0ppm
pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0.25-0.5ppm
Temp: 69

Am I overreacting? My nitrites and ammonia has just always read 0 until this last week and I'm not sure when I should go into panic mode.

Side note: the 2 juvies were added into the 10gal on Thursday. I just didn't think the nitrates and ammonia would go up so fast

Unfortunately, test strips are notoriously unreliable you should really just rely on the liquid kits, honestly if you were really concerned you should double check your test strips with a liquid kit (i.e. get a liquid kit now, you could continue using the strips but it would really be better for all the babies if you were more sure with a liquid kit).
But to be more on point and assume the strips are accurate, your cycle could have hiccuped or even crashed. Do a water change and continue testing twice weekly or maybe every 2-3 days. The axies likely won't show signs of stress until it's too late so that's really not a reliable thing to look for either.

It looks like your tank is cycling. Were these uncycled tanks when you put your axies in? If so, this is normal, although I don't know why it took so long. If they were already cycled, something has disrupted the cycle. Was a water change made without dechlorinator? Any other changes that could have killed beneficial bacteria, such as antibiotic use?

Regardless, the recommended action is the same: do frequent water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrite down to acceptable levels. (I can't remember what he acceptable levels are and couldn't find it just now. Hopefully, someone else will speak up.) The cycle will finish eventually and then you can go back to once-a-week water changes.

It seems like the op knows already but ammonia and nitrites should be 0 and nitrates less than 40 and even though most people do weekly water changes (and quote the rule as weekly water changes) the rule should really be that you change as much water as often as necessary to keep the levels in these bounds.

For a cycled tank, yes, 0, 0, and under 40 ppm, but if it hasn't cycled yet (or is recovering from a crash), you are going to have some ammonia and nitrite. I can't remember what the "safe" limits are for axies. Also, ammonia is more toxic at higher pH, and 7.8 pH is on the high end.

Both tanks have been cycled before placing any axolotls in it, and the only change I've seen in the 10gal was adding the axolotls. No changes at all in the 25gal, so I don't know whats up with the ammonia + nitrite spikes.

I just did water changes on both the tanks, I'm going to retest tomorrow after work.
I think I'll just keep water changing until both are at 0.

Forgot to add: I add 1mL of seachem prime dechlorinator for every 10gal I replace.

Hopefully, it is just bad test strips, then. Weird. It is good that you are checking, since if it isn't bad test strips, you will take care of the problem before it becomes a major problem. :happy: