ammonia spike length

[wowreef]

I set up my 25g nanocube on June 29th. 20# ls and 40# LR (one piece in the front was cured)
I am now getting to the ammonia spike portion of the nitrogen cycle. reading of 8 ppm (API reef master test). It has been there for the last 3-4 days. Diatoms are showing up now. how long should this take in a small tank like this. I thought it would be a day or too and amnnow concerned I have a problem other than the cycling.
There are 2-3 bristle worms powering through the cycle and the aptaspia don't appear to be surviving this (not a concern).

all other parameters are good. temp is 77 to 80.
ph. around 8 to 8.2
of course the nitrates and nitrites are zero, as they should at this point.
Any information would be helpful/appreciated.

Daughter is pushing for a "nemo" fish and I'm trying to explain to her that we need to make his house safe first..(4 years old not quite understanding the wait, heck not sure we adults understand the waiting sometimes)
Thanks all.

 

[Anonymous]

it takes as long as it takes-each tank is different

imo, fwiw, you should be doing MASSIVE wc's now-all that ammonia will eventually lead to high phosphates which the rock/sand will soak up only to get released later on (as well as nitrates, another nuisance fauna/flora fuel)-the lower you can mitigate the spike to, the better off all the life in the rock will be, and the less 'diatoms'/nuisance algaes you'll have in the future

very high ammonia levels will also impede the development of all of the various good bacteria and other micro critterz