as for cycling your tank, i too guess i had luck. After over a week i do not have any trace of ammonia or nitrite. Nitrates very low and PH about right. I added 25 lbs of uncured rock that didnt affect the ammonia. Right now i have 10 hermits, 5 Turbo Snails, 3 peppermint shrimp, 1 blue damsel, 1 bicolor cromis'. Everything is doing fine and i continue to check my water with continued success. I guess there are just some tanks that cycle better than others!!!!
Mark