Heater during cycle?

[Amador]

Hey all, is it necessary to use a heater during the cycling process if you are just using a piece of shrimp to get the cycle going? Does temperature have an effect on bacterial growth rates?

[Scuba_Dave]

It would be best to keep the tank at least 75 while cycling
Do you have LR in the tank? Cured, uncured?
If you have LR in there, then you should keep the tank at temp =78-80

[Amador]

No LR yet, just water and sand.

[dwagner11]

Personally, I think that having your setup the way you want it, temp. and all before you add fish, coral, etc. Is critical, even while cycling, if nothing else, it will give you a grace period to adjust certain perameters, like temp. Just don't cook your tank :)

[kraze3]

It will also get you in the habit of checking up on the parameters and temp. Can never get to good at checking everything!