I don't know how you stand it -- the waiting
I did my aquarium all wrong -- ran it empty but for gravel for 3 days, then bought some cichlids for it -- then found this web site.
Should have started with the web site, as then I would have at least attempted a fishless cycle. But it's been a week and they haven't died yet!
I have seen a couple of your posts about weird bumps in ammonia levels, and they seem to all come after a water change. I have had some organic chemistry in the past, so I can guess as to what is happening.
You tested your tap water for ammonia -- negative. You are also dechlorinating the water before you add it. If your water has chloramine in it, this may be the ammonia source. Chloramine has nitrogen in it (the amine group), but I suspect is stably bound up, so it doesn't react as ammonia (NH4) when you test the tap water. However, I believe there is a good chance when you treat the water for chlorine/chloramine, you are releasing some of the nitrogenous compound, which then either makes ammonia or is in another form that cross reacts with your test.
The way to tell this is to take your tap water as if you were going to add it to your aquarium (in a bucket or whatever you use), add the dechlorination stuff, mix it well, wait a bit, then test THAT water for ammonia and see what you get.
I bet you may be able to safely add fishies, but don't sue me if I am wrong.
Whew. Long post.
