[DrHank]

Melanie, if your test kits are 4 years old chances are that the reagents are all bad and that all your readings are off. One of your LFSs should be happy to test it for you. even if they charge a small amount it's probably worth it. I would recommend that you just go ahead and buy a new kit. Since you're planning on a FOWLR you don't necessarily need to buy the best. I've got a Red Sea test kit that is good enough for basic testing and could recommend that brand for your purpose. When you get into reef tanks more accuracy is needed and most of us buy Salifert.

It is possible (if your ammonia reading has always been the same) that it is zero and bad reagents are the cause. The same could hold true for Nitrite and nitrate. Wouldn't it be nice if your parameters were fine and your test kit was the problem! I hope that is the case.

One last word of caution, I would be very reluctant to add any locally collected specimens to your tank. I know some folks who have done it and introduced pathogens which have wiped out their tank. If you do decide to try that make sure that you quaranteen them for an extended period of time befor introducing them into your tank.