What Next.?

[alhoy]

Hello  I recently aquired a Fishxbox 64 ltr tank...
 
to this I have added a layer of john innes n0 3   covered with black gravel...
water has been in about a week..' used tap safe '
heater n filter  turned on    temp   24.5%
added filter start
planted.... weds, with some plants...added filter start
to day, added filter start   checked water stats
ph  6.....ph/high 7.4
4ppm ammonia
0 nitrite
0 nitrate...........tap water      ph   7.6         ph/high    8.2
.
considering   water change of 25-30 %
Hopefully heading in right direction...
 
 
thanks in advance 

 

[Essjay]

You don't need to do a water change, just wait until the ammonia level drops then add more as per the 'add and wait' fishless cycle instructions. fishless cycle
 
 
 
As for your pH, you quote the tank and tapwater reading - is that freshly run tapwater? If it is, run a glass of water, leave it to stand somewhere for 24 hours and test again. Water that has stood usually has a different pH from fresh water and it's the stood' water you need to compare your tank reading to.
As for which bottle of tester to use, start with the normal one and if the reading is at the highest colour, use the high range one as well. With pH off the top of the scale, the normal range one will show the highest colour no matter how high the pH really is. That's why the tapwater pH shows 7.6 on the normal test and 8.2 on the higher range one.
And if the high range one shows the lowest colour, it could be that pH or lower like your tank reading, so go by the normal range one.
 
 
 
I'm not sure if the John Innes will affect your pH as it does seem to have dropped very low in your tank. You'll need a plant expert to help with that, I'm afraid.