Holy Moly, the wait is killing me!

Waiting is like a box of choc..........oh wait, wrong movie. Seriously though, your patience will ensure an awesome tank. Go buy removable vinyl stickers of fish and put them on the outside of the tank. Problem solved. Yep, pure genius

 

I don't agree 100% with this. If you have live rock from other tanks up and running you can transfer, you can basically instantly cycle a new tank. I have done this multiple times, with multiple tanks. You would not want to do this with live rock you have shipped, as the die-off will definitely cause a cycle.

 

Agreed, I've done this with my last 2 tanks with live rock from the tank I was upgrading from. OP, a good bacteria supplement will help jump start the cycle as well

 

Dry rock is the way to go.
There is a saying in this hobby:
Nothing good happens fast.

 

Never had anything bad happen with cycling a tank with my own cured live rock. With advances in the hobby today you can cycle a tank quickly. Just because it took several weeks to cycle a tank in 1980 doesn't mean we have to wait that long for a proper cycle in 2014. I don't think any ill effects will come from cycling a tank with properly cured live rock and good bacteria additives. Just my opinion though.

 

I love having gone with dry rock, I feel like it was easier to customize it.

But the only thing I don't like is that I know it will take a while to establish the biodiversity that LR has to offer. I actually went yesterday and picked up a 1lb piece of cured LR to add to the tank, just to add a little biodiversity while the tank cycles.

 

In terms of a tank transfer, sure. If we're starting a new tank with store items and virgin sand, I'd be cycling.

 

This has been my experience as well, I've always used cured LR shipped to my door. Although it would did go through a cycle, it was nothing like starting from complete scratch with dry rock.

 

The waiting is why when I start my new tank with dry rock I'll be cycling it ahead of time in a plastic bin, powerhead and heater & bacteria additives...by the time the tank and stand are ready the rock will be done. I'm fairly patient but that would test my limits.

 

Did this with my last tank and worked great.