Cycling? Thought It Was Done

[stucolls]

Ok so I thought 7 days ago my main tank had cycled, today I did a small water change, my first in 7 days, and my ammonia had risen to 0.25 and nitrite 0 to 0.25 ??? is that to be expected after a week with no water changes, so am I actually cycled now???

cheers

Stu

 

[backtotropical]

Was it a fishless cycle? Have you continued to add ammonia? Do you have fish now?

 

[stucolls]

no it aws cycled with fish, and yes fish still in it, I didnt intend on doing a fish cycle but had too and only lost 2 or 3 fish in about 6 weeks

 

[-germ-]

StuColls, not more troubles......
Its certainly not cycled if you have an ammonia and or nitrite reading.
Have you added any fish recently?
It may be cycled to an extent, but obviously not enough for the bio-load that your fish create, water change, water change, water change etc.

 

[mark7616]

you have a 300w heater in a 20g hex why???

 

[Matty P]

That is way too big for your tank!! If that failed on you would be screwed!

For a 20g a 100W should be fine.

 

[stucolls]

I do yes have a 300W heater in a 20gal hex, simply becuase I have a massive 5ft tank standing in the garden which it is meant for but a day into setting it up my filter broke so I had to buy a new one and all I could afford was an elite stingray 15 (Which is not big enough for my tank but as its a hex I figured it could work) so I just used the heater I already had as im short of cash and cant get a new one.
I do understand I could be looking at fried fish if it buggers up though, I keep a good vigil over it lol

as for adding more fish, No I have not, however, I did discover a dead platy last night, my first death for a little while, it seemed she gave birth the other day and struggled since then, dieing possibly over the weekend and I only just found her, could this result in a small ammonia and nitrite rise???

cheers all