I went away for a week back at the end of April and when I returned I tested my water and found that I had an amonia spike. I was alarmed to see that it was at 4. I have had my tank set up for over 2 years now and have only ever had my amonia at 0, nitrite at 0 and Nitrates at 10-20. My PH is 7.4. I have an API master test kit and have always found these to be very reliable in the past.

Nothing had changed in my tank prior to me going away aside from adding a large peice of bogwood that I bought from my LFS (but that was added 6 weeks previous to that) and which I had soaked in a water butt for 6 weeks previous to adding to my tank. I hadn't fed my fish for a week whilst I was away so didn't understand why this amonia rise had happened. I noticed my shrimp had all disappeared, I had 9 in the tank and haven't seen them since (aside from one dying the week after I returned).

So after finding my reading was up I did a large water change followed by one 2 days later. A week later I was still battling to get my amonia level under 1 and lost my 2 sterbai and 1 juli in one day. I am now left with 2 siamese fighters (one of each who live perfectly happy together with no agro), 3 rummy nose tetras and 4 neons. My LFS told me to add API Ammo Lock to the tank and keep doing regular water changes. This I have done for 2 weeks now and still my levels are up.

Todays reading is

Amonia 2
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

I know that I will still get a postive amonia reading when using Ammo Lock and that all of the amonia should have been converted. Even so, I would have hoped the levels would be going down by now. I've today noticed that my water is starting to look cloudy and don't know why. I'm just at a loss as to what is causing this? I cleaned my filters out early april and changed a peice of floss and wondered if I had been a little too thorough?

My main worry is that I go away again on holiday this friday for a week. I'm just dreading what I may find when I return and there is nobody to house my fish for me or even pop in and keep an eye on things. Can anyone give any advice/suggestions as to how to deal with this or just maybe point out something that I may have missed?

Thanks

Sussexgirl

Just a guess here...

Maybe your power went out while you were away and stayed off for a prolonged period of time. The bacteria in your filter had no food and died, and now your tank is re-cycling.

Like I said, just a guess.

mmmm
kepp doing very regualr water changes to dilute the ammonia and ensure that the water in the tank is well oxygenated. i.e. ensure the outlet of the pump is directed towards the surface to create a good ripple.

have the fish shown any signs of distress, heavy breathing? fins held close to body?

fish in the tank aren't looking any different to normal. One of the Neons doens't look in too good a state and I fear the end is near for him but aside from that there is no difference in their behaviour. But why the cloudiness? I just don't get it. Could it be anything to do with the Ammo Lock?

If it is a milky white clousiness, it is a bacterial bloom. I had the same thing when my tank recycled itself.

That's exactly what it looks like! Do I need to do anything? Do I just leave it?

I would just do some water changes and increase aeration in the tank.
Thats all you can do for now.