Stop co2 and flourish to help cycle?

[sammykokenos]

About 6 weeks I upgraded my 10G to a 29G. I used all of my old water from the 10G in the 29G. Anyway, I believe my 29 is cycling right now. My nitrate and phosphate levels are very high and there is algae on most of my plants.Should i stop using co2 and flourish til my tank is done cycling?

 

[StandbySetting]

It sounds like your plants aren't doing so well, is your CO2 injection coming from a pressurised cyclinder or a yeast fermentation reactor? How are you diffusing it. Algae is usually a sign of a nutrient deficiency, but eratic CO2 levels can trigger algae also. What are you nitrate an phosphate concentrations?

 

[sammykokenos]

co2 is from a cylinder. i have been running 1 bubble per second 24/7. levels are 10ppm phosphate and 80 ppm nitrate

 

[StevenF]

What flourish product are you using? Excel?

 

[sammykokenos]

What flourish product are you using? Excel?

Yeah excel

 

[StevenF]

What flourish product are you using? Excel?
Yeah excel

Excel is a synthetic chemical that plants can use instead of CO2. There is no benefit to using CO2 and excel together. Stop using both while your tank is cycling. Are you using ammonia to cycle the tank? If not see:
http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421488-cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first

When CO2 is used in a tank it is often with a macro and micro fertilizer. Plants need 15 elements to grow. CO2 accelerate plant growth and with than increase nutrient depletion of the water. When plants run short on one or more elements they stop growing and algae can take advantage of that and take over. The best way to use CO2 is to use a fertilizer while taking steps to insure all nutrient are present in amounts slightly more than the plants need (called the estimative index). The other approach is to not use CO2 and to adjust the lighting feeding, water replacement schedule to achieve a nutrient balance the algae doesn't like. Fertilizers may or may not be needed when not using CO2. Each tank is different and achieving the balance can be hard to achieve with or without CO2.