found out I do really need to clean up the tanks. The plants are to thick I could not get a picture that wasn't extremely dark.
Anyrate here is a graph of my startup parameters for a 20g long. Note the x axes in not evenly "ticked" and the last tick in several days long.
The tank was started with straight untreated tap water, has an aquarium gravel substrate, no filter, no circulation, no water changes.
The graph was started on the first day I added a fish.
The pH listed here is with the api pH kit not the high range kit. the high range kit tests at 8.4-8.8. this lower reading kit is just maxed out.
This reflects what I call the normal planted cycle. Little to no ammonia, nitrIte spikes with an immediate nitrate spike that lasted about 3 weeks.
Not the most orgainzed or prettiest tank but here is an overall shot a year or so later:
platties are from the original cycle trio.
silver hachetfish which are supposed to require a pH of 6-7. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Don't tell them. They seem just fine. :lol: