White powder substance all over tank

[Jen_D]

hello all,

I have been trying to find answers, but have come up with nothing. I am hoping someone here will be able to point me in the. right direction.

Long post:

3 weeks ago I went on a trip and my partner took over feeding my fish. What I came home to was nothing short of a nightmare. There was decaying uneaten food all over my aquarium. I cleaned it out and after everything settled down I noticed there was a white substance growing everywhere. It kind of looks like white dust. It was also floating in the water.
I had a few people recommend that it was probably a fungus and that I needed to do a total clean out of my aquarium. Gravel, live plants, and the actual tank. When I added the water back in everything looked great for a week. I have no other tank for my fish so the poor babies are also going through the nitrogen cycle. (I am dying inside about this)
I did another water change yesterday and this morning the white mystery dust is back! I have no idea what it is or how to treat it. I am really attached to my platies and do not what to loose them.

Tank specs:
Freshwater
5 gallon tank
pH: 7.2
Ammonia: 7.0 (I am assuming from the nitrogen cycle, but feel panicked about this level)
Nitrite: 2.0
Nitrate: 10
Fluval nano filter
API stress coat+
API stress zyme+

Any advice is greatly greatly appreciated

I am testing with the API Freshwater Kit

 

[Aiken Drum]

Yikes. Im not sure what your white powder is, but it could be some kind of slime mold or diatom. The solution would be a good cleaning and several water changes.

My immediate concern would be ammonia at 7 and nitrite at 2 are lethal levels. The nitrite will be causing the most damage currently and the ammonia will be doing long term damage. Are there any signs of sickness with your fish? You really need a near 100% water change, or several back to back 50% changes to get those levels down to near 0.

Looking at those levels, i also think your cycle has crashed. Im assuming prior to these issues the tank was established, properly cycled, and you had good water parameters? After getting your water parameters to more acceptable levels, keep testing and be prepared to do a fish in cycle.

 

[Jen_D]

I have had my tank a little longer than 2 years. My fish are still doing well and if not for the white stuff and alarming water parameters I wouldn't know anything was wrong. They are acting normal, eating normal, and their skin looks great. Everything has been great up until now. It was cycled and the water parameters have been good as well. I still feel like I am learning lots everyday and I love that.

I will start with the water changes and go from there. Thank you for your advice and giving me a place to start.