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10/06/2004
Last night as stated I added 30ml of 40g/l ammonia and got an ammonia test result of
8+ppm.
This morning 0900hrs about 16 hours after the addition I tested again. These are the results

Temp: 24C
pH: 8.4
Ammonia: 4ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
GH: 5dGH
Water: Clear

I am happy to see the Ammonia decreasing but thought I might have seen an increase in Nitrites. I'll wait and see.
The pH has also increased. I believe that pH can change due to temperature changes and this has happened. I thought the pH might've dropped.
Anybody know what is happening here?

1645hrs 10/06/2004
Did another water test
results
Temp: 24C (I'm assuming a bit here, the thermo strip has lost its spark and doesn't show anything even though the water feels warmish and the heater is not on... but still working)
pH: 8.4
Ammonia: 2ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
GH: 5dGH
Water: Clear


[span class="edited"][Edited by macbeth 2004-06-10 01:53][/span]

09/06/2004
Today I had to play around with the cannister filter to remove air build up making the filter run a bit to noisily, well my daughter complained about it in the middle of the night and slept in our bed. A double bed ain't big enough for 3 even if one of them is only 6, I want to get some sleep tonight so had to fix it.
At the same time I reduced the temp regulator on the heater to 25C, 28C is a bit warm.
All water parameters checked -:
Temp: 28C
pH: 8.0
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
GH: 5dGH
Water: Clear

As a result of a bit of thinking and advice in another post I added 30ml of a 40g/l ammonia solution.
I rechecked my ammonia level and ammonia is now around 8ppm.
I did this to ensure that new colony of bacteria started in the seeded cannister filter will have something to sustain it. I have the thought that if the ammonia reading drops to 0 and stays there for 2 days I will have a fully cycled tank. I will check the water parameters in 12 hours and give the results.

As an aside I also researched the Malawi Lake via the web and got some interesting background information about the water conditions in the wild and the normal habitat of the Mbuna cichlids. Hey may never need it but it was fun just searching.

08/06/2004
Water parameters... no change
Temp: 28C
pH: 8.0
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
GH: 4dGH
Water: Clear

07/06/04
Well last night I just couldn't wait any longer, I put the rocks into the oven on about 100C for 30 mins then at 150C for an hour, and heated up a nice quiche and chicken pie for dinner. After dinner the rocks had cooled to a warmish temp so I setup the tank with water.

Getting rocks to look right is a sod of a job, don't know if I like it today but it is done.

Did an immediate water check, the results were
Temp: N/K above cold but below 18C
pH: 7.4 ( a bit higher than expected)
Ammonia: 0ppm (as expected)
Nitrite : 0ppm (as expected)
GH: 2dGH
Water: partially cloudy

I reconnected the Ehiem 2217 filter which had been running in my big tank for a few days and noticed some bacterial growth in the lower chamber already. Probably left overs from the big clean and also put a stocking foot containing shell grit inside the top chamber but under the fine filter material.
I also put in an air bubble thingy, only a small one but it stirs up the surface a little as the bubble break the surface.
Finally I put in 25ml of Amtrite Down as per the recommended dose for 132 litres. I measured my tank and for the height I measured up to the water line.

Today some 20hrs later I rechecked the water parameters
The results
Temp: 28C
pH: 8.0
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
GH: 4dGH
Water: Clear

So it will be interesting to see if I get an Ammonia/Nitrite spike even though I have seeded the tank and used a semi seeded cannister filter.
I am somewhat surprised with the 8pH.
I checked the tap water and straight from the cold tap I got a nice 7pH. The initial reading was from the tank after filling. I wonder if the rocks increased the pH so quickly or was it because I used some water from the hot tap?
Probably, unless anyone else has a better idea.
I'll keep watching.

06/06/04
I've rinsed the white rock several times and left it overnight in water.
This morning I put it out into the sun while it shines to dry the rock. At this stage I cannot detect any bleach smell at all but for safety I'll leave it out to dry for a couple of days.
I'm thinking of putting the rock into the oven on low heat to really make sure all the bleach water has evaporated.

The naked tank setup still looks good this morning, that's a bonus.