Did my tank ever actually cycle?

[VioletThePurple]

When I was a kid, my parents got me a 10-gallon tank. I don't remember if it was ever actually cycled. Then I upgraded to a 20 gallon. I don't think that was cycled, only the water in the old tank was transferred to the new tank. And everything else. The filter, decor, gravel, everything got transferred to the new tank, and the old tank was thrown out. I have problems with fish dying every six months. I don't remember if it was ever cycled. If it wasn't, wouldn't the fish die immediately? How would I know if the tank is cycled, because I don't know if my parents did?

 

[Slaphppy7]

You will know a tank is cycled when there is always 0 ammonia, 0 nitrIte, and "some" nitrAtes (<20PPM), using a liquid test kit

Heavily planted tanks may have 0 nitrAtes, as well

 

[Essjay]

You did what we now call a fish-in cycle. Cycling is the process of growing micro-organisms which deal with ammonia and nitrite. Ammonia must be added to the tank to feed these micro-organisms so they will multiply. This ammonia can come from a bottle before fish are added to the tank (fishless cycling) or by using the ammonia excreted by fish (fish-in cycling).
The reason we don't recommend fish-in cycling nowadays is that there's ammonia and then nitrite in the water while the micro-organisms grow enough of them and these can harm the fish. With fishless cycling fish are added after there are enough micro-organisms, so there's no ammonia or nitrite to harm the fish.

 

[Slaphppy7]

You did what we now call a fish-in cycle. Cycling is the process of growing micro-organisms which deal with ammonia and nitrite. Ammonia must be added to the tank to feed these micro-organisms so they will multiply. This ammonia can come from a bottle before fish are added to the tank (fishless cycling) or by using the ammonia excreted by fish (fish-in cycling).
The reason we don't recommend fish-in cycling nowadays is that there's ammonia and then nitrite in the water while the micro-organisms grow enough of them and these can harm the fish. With fishless cycling fish are added after there are enough micro-organisms, so there's no ammonia or nitrite to harm the fish.

Good info...all I would add is that with fish-in cycling, you can expect to do MULTIPLE water changes during the cycle to keep the fish safe from toxic ammonia levels...with fishless cycling, there's only one water change, when you are ready to add fish