I suggest getting the API master test kit. The strips are highly inaccurate.
Planted tank cycle
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I’ve been looking into buying that but can’t find it cheaper than 50 euros which I can’t really afford right now. I have API ammonia test strips and Sera strips for now.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Freshwater master test kit Tests ammonia, pH, high range pH, nitrite and nitrate Fast, easy and effective
www.swelluk.com
How about this? ^
juno26 is in Spain not the UK 
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Freshwater master test kit Tests ammonia, pH, high range pH, nitrite and nitrate Fast, easy and effective
How about this? ^
Yeah as essjay said I’m in Spain so that would be costly to ship it here unfortunately
OK. Previously we were somewhat puzzled by the difference in GH between tap water and tank water. Can you test the tank GH again to see if that is still relevant, or maybe the earlier test was not accurate?
Adding a batch of beneficial bacteria should jump start your cycle, so I don't know why you'd have ammonia building up to such levels. I'm also worried that an ammonia level this high is toxic to both fish and bacteria. I would suggest doing a large water change to get your ammonia below 2. Then add the beneficial bacteria. The bacteria should drop your ammonia to zero. If not, I would try a different brand of "instant cycle" bacteria.
Personally, after I adding the bacteria on a few recent starts, I saw my ammonia drop overnight. After a few days, I added a couple of fish to produce sufficient ammonia to keep the bacteria from starving. The ammonia and nitrites never rose above zero, and the fish never looked distressed.
By the way, your plants are not really helping at this point, as they are still in "shock." They won't really adjust and grow for a few weeks. In fact, decaying leaves may be contributing to the rise in ammonia.
Personally, after I adding the bacteria on a few recent starts, I saw my ammonia drop overnight. After a few days, I added a couple of fish to produce sufficient ammonia to keep the bacteria from starving. The ammonia and nitrites never rose above zero, and the fish never looked distressed.
By the way, your plants are not really helping at this point, as they are still in "shock." They won't really adjust and grow for a few weeks. In fact, decaying leaves may be contributing to the rise in ammonia.
Just tested tank water and got GH >10d again. What could be causing this?
I don't know. But the tank is "greater than" 10, and the tap water is "less than" 16 so at least they are not in opposite directions!
It is more common for GH to increase in an aquarium which happens if there is calcareous substances present, such as rock, substrate, media composed of calcareous minerals like calcium. It is true that biolgical processes will tend to lower GH and pH, but these are in my experience minimal and the higher the initial GH/KH/pH the less likely this will occur. Do you have a soil-base substrate, or one of the enriched plant substrates? These sometimes affect the chemistry.
The pH, using previously-posted numbers, lowers from 8.4 to 7.2 but this is not quite as puzzling. It might however suggest they add something to the water to raise the pH (this is common in soft water areas in North America, not sure about Spain) and this will often dissipate out (soda ash for example).
Right. I thought 3ppm was a normal amount of ammonia to have at this stage of the cycle and it was a case of waiting for it to drop to 0. I’ll try what you have suggested and hopefully that will help.
I’m sure decaying leaves have contributed to the ammonia as I had a plant in there that went completely brown and died (long story, my fault that it died) I kept it in there for a while as an ammonia source though as I only had that and fish food.
All of the plants I have in there now seem to be doing well though and I’m definitely noticing growth.
The tap water is actually greater than 16.
Yeah I have H.E.L.P Advanced Shrimp Soil. I also have driftwood in the tank does that affect any of this?
My tank water has been fluctuating between 7.2 and 7.6. pH Is that normal? I have no idea about what they add in the water here to be honest.
I'm starting to thing my test strips are crazy or my water is cursed haha.
Yes on the tap >16, got somehow confused earlier.
The pH fluctuation is normal. Planted tanks usually have a diurnal fluctuation due to the CO2 being used by plants in the daylight (pH rises) and not being used during darkness (pH lowers). This occurs in most natural habitat waters and is not a problem for fish.
The wood being organic will tend to lower GH/pH/KH but this varies according to the initial levels and the amount of wood along with other organics. The soil...yes, this is certainly a factor and may be the actual one. The data on their website says it lowers pH and KH, and this probably would include the GH.
ADVANCED SOIL
The brand for aquarium fish [H.E.L.P] produced by Japan Pet Communications Co.Ltd. AquaCentR department.
I don't think there is any mystery now on the differences.
Yes on the tap >16, got somehow confused earlier.
The pH fluctuation is normal. Planted tanks usually have a diurnal fluctuation due to the CO2 being used by plants in the daylight (pH rises) and not being used during darkness (pH lowers). This occurs in most natural habitat waters and is not a problem for fish.
The wood being organic will tend to lower GH/pH/KH but this varies according to the initial levels and the amount of wood along with other organics. The soil...yes, this is certainly a factor and may be the actual one. The data on their website says it lowers pH and KH, and this probably would include the GH.
ADVANCED SOIL
The brand for aquarium fish [H.E.L.P] produced by Japan Pet Communications Co.Ltd. AquaCentR department.www.help-advancedsoil.biz
I don't think there is any mystery now on the differences.
Thank you so much for helping me with this! I was very confused but now I understand it better.
This is probably a dumb question but when I'm researching which fish are suitable for my tank, do I compare the water hardness that they like to my tap water or my tank water?
You are very welcome. And no question is ever dumb. I would say you are OK with the tank GH. This is moderately hard so most of the suitable fish species would not have much difficulty with a slightly higher GH. When you do the weekly water change, of 50-60% of the tank, check the GH and pH immediately before and then about an hour after the w/c just to see any difference.
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