Ammonia spike

[Nigoodman]

Ive been doing a fish in cycle for a month or so now. I just went away for the weekend and had my neighbor feed the fish. As expected when i came back the ammonia had spiked. Ive done two 50 PWC since then but the ammonia is remaining high. Im also using ammo block every other day, and api tap conditioner during changes. The fish seem happy and fine but i am noticing some brown spots on one of my fake plants and on some of my decor? Am i doing anything wrong? What does all of this mean?







These are pictures of the brown spots. Any help/advice is appreciated thank you!

 

[Nigoodman]

Should i remove the fake plant with the spots? I need advice here guys please

 

[krazyK]

You don't necessarily have to remove the fake plants but washing off the brown would help. If anything, the brown just looks like brown diatoms which will go away eventually when the ammonia levels out or you could add some Purigen which helped for me.

 

[bud29]

The brown spots look like diatoms - they will run their course. They are mainly just eyesores, nothing harmful, and can be easily removed with an algae pad or brush.

What are your ammonia readings, specifically? Have you tested your tap water for ammonia?

 

[Nigoodman]

The brown spots look like diatoms - they will run their course. They are mainly just eyesores, nothing harmful, and can be easily removed with an algae pad or brush.

What are your ammonia readings, specifically? Have you tested your tap water for ammonia?

My tap water is ammonia free after testing it. My tank readinga went from .5 ppm tp 4ppm of ammonia. Ill be doing 50PWC twice daily to keep up with it. My nitrites are 0ppm and my nitrates are around 10 ppm.

 

[Rivercats]

As Bud said the diatoms are self limiting and will run their course once they have used the available silicates in your water. It's not recommended to use Purgen while cycling.
Also only running lights 6 hours daily max will help keep diatom growth down.

As for the ammonia your neighbor might have seriously overfed your tank along with the normal ammonia rise you get when your tanks cycling. Just keep doing WC's to get it down to .25ppm or lower.

 

[Nigoodman]

As Bud said the diatoms are self limiting and will run their course once they have used the available silicates in your water. It's not recommended to use Purgen while cycling.
Also only running lights 6 hours daily max will help keep diatom growth down.

As for the ammonia your neighbor might have seriously overfed your tank along with the normal ammonia rise you get when your tanks cycling. Just keep doing WC's to get it down to .25ppm or lower.

Thank you! Yes im running the lights minimally and continuing my water changes. The cloudiness of my water is normal and indicative that the cycle is moving through its stages correct?

 

[Rivercats]

Most likely the cloudy water is a bacterial bloom which is also quite normal and very common in newly set up tanks.