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Yeah true, i'm also thinking that maybe ive underestimated the influence of beneficial bacteria in the old substrate which i removed. Im being told different things regarding the fluval stratum, some have said it does others say it doesnt ? Additionally I also just realised that I forgot that I had also added fresh ADA Powersand (replaced the old one) before adding the fluval stratum. Cant find anything on ADA Powersand releasing ammonia but now I would assume it makes sense? Before the water change yesterday I tested the rest of the params and found 0 nitrites but superhigh nitrates (atleast 30ppm but i think its 50+ppm, hard to tell). Today ammonia is sitting at ~1ppm but yea going to do daily waterchanges until 0 ammonia present. Thanks!

Sorry to hear about your issue and hopefully you can just get on top of it with some time and large water changes (if needed). I would imagine it to be down to the plants as they will need time to 'establish' themselves before they get back to normal and parts may well be dying whilst the plants aren't absorbing as much yet. It sounds as though the bacteria should have been ok in the filter system but something may have happened there as well but there is no real way of knowing that! Just keep checking the ammonia and changing water if it needs it but I imagine it wil be fine in a week or so if it is just everything settling down to create a balanced cycle! I don't think it would be down to Fluval Stratum in any way? Simon