Will my tank cycle w/o LR?

[MedcinMn]

Will my new 24 Aquapod cycle without LR? It's been running only a couple days, with just a 2" sand bed, to which I added about 2 cups of live sand. I've got my LR coming this week, didn't know if this would cause me problems.

Thx,

Aaron

[reefwick]

No, you need LR. That's what houses the majority of the denitrifying bacteria. I'm not sure what you mean by "problems" but you won't cycle until you have some die-off from your LR.

[schiavonir]

As reefwick was saying, the cycle will be caused by die-off from the LR. If you buy it at an LFS and put it into your tank fairly quickly (maybe an hour or so in transit) then you should not experience a cycle. If it's being shipped to you then you will most likely cycle.

[piberoptikz]

It doesn't matter where and when you bought your Liverock, you still need to cycle. Eventhough you bought your liverock from a neighboring LFS. Otherwise, you're prone to a tank crash in the future where you have some expensive corals / fish thriving in your tank.

- Make sure you cycle the tank rather than be sorry later. You need liverock / livesand to cycle your tank and be patient. :)

[MedcinMn]

I failed to mention the rock I'm getting is coming from a healthy tank, established for a couple years. Also, for clarification purposes, I'm not going to put anything live (fish, corals, inverts, etc) in until I do complete a cycle.

I'm asking so I know what to expect from my water parameters.

[Cutiewitbooty]

throw a shrimp (from the seafood dept) in your tank, the decay from that will cycle your tank. But then again with your LR you might not see a cycle, i had LR from another persons tank that was established and i never saw a cycle.