You don't mention what you're using to feed the plants (some of them look live?) A new tank filled with tap water can be a place without food for plants!
They float ! But because of the current they tend to move alot, so we wedged one between 2 corners, the other one is stuck into the backwall with a nail, and the third just floats about a bit.
As for my cycle, still no ammonia drop, to get rid of the tannin wich color the water yelloish I did a 50% waterchange, when I tested the water again the ammonia readings where still max
, so I guess there was just to much in the water. Should go down faster now cause the plants should consume some of the ammonia. Also decided to do a 10% waterchange each other day from now on to prevent any algea from forming.
Before the waterchange it was like 10 mg/l (which is the same as ppm I think) after the waterchange the color was slightly lighter between 5 and 10. I got a sera testkit.
I'd do another WC, 30-50%. Then redose if you have to to get the ammonia level back up. Having levels of 8ppm can mean you're growing the wrong type of bacteria as Harlequins said.
ok I did another 30% waterchange, and the ammonia is now 5 or between 1-5, still very hard to read, the colors on the chart always look a bit diffrent.
After inspecting the tank I noticed a new inhabitant in the tank, a small snail walking across the floating wood. After inspecting the wood more closly I noticed it was coverd in white stuff, it looks like the stuff a spidersnest is made off but more slimey. Are these algea? or maybe some fungus or something? they only seem to be on the wood. The weird thing is that I didnt notice it before the water change, maybe I just didnt look close enough or could something in the water be the cause? see pics. Any advice would be welcome.