New Tank. Sand after or before cycle?

I'm going to start my 1st tank this weekend. I've read various post and I'm a bit confused.

I've read that some people put the dry sand in after the tank has cycled, reason being they don't want the die offs from the LR to be in the sand, and some just toss it in at the very beginning.

I plan on using dry sand and 50% base rock, and seeing those with 50% LR and a cup of sand from an established tank.

Do I put them in before the cycle or after? Thanks.

 

before the purpose of sand from the establised tank is to speed up the cycle if i was u i would also take some old filter media from the old established tank as well

u should put the mebia in ur filter for the time being until the tank cycles

 

it is a 20 gallon tank, i don't have any filters.. yet.

I was planning on getting a cup of sand from two different established tanks to mix it in with my dry aragonite sand, along with my live rocks. would that be best?

 

so u are cycling ur tank without any filtration at all

 

and u dont need a cup from each tank

if i was u it sounds like u want ur cycle to speed up if this is so i would ditch the dry sand and buy some like sand it is a little more but it speeds up ur cycle my tank cycled in 2 days

 

speed is not a problem, i can wait a month or however long it takes for it to cycle. i've been advised that a HOB is not needed for a 20 Gallon since I will have 15lbs of LR and 10lbs of base rock, which will eventually turn to LR, which will also seed the dry sand and turn it into Live sand.

 

u need some kind a filtration at least a hang on bio wheel filter if not ur tank will become a giant bowl of mold and fish poop

 

u understand what i am trying to tell u

the lr is bio filter

but u still need mecanica filtration ( hob, wet dry filter pad )

ps when buy a hob get the next size up that the pacage says the are rated for freash water tanks and salt needs a little stronger it should put u back only around 30 bucks

 

yeah get a good filter, put your rock and sand in and let nature take its course!

 

thanks Newreef, would this be good for a 20 Gallon?

Penguin 150 Bio-Wheel Filter - PENGUIN BIO WHEEL 150 | Petsolutions

it is rated for a 30 Gallon. Also, what about the filter pads trapping bacteria and all?