Live sand & ammonia

[Tang23]

My plan, if it makes sense to all, is to cycle my tank beginning with household ammonia (I've successfully done it in the past). I will be adding live sand and dry live rock.
Will the ammonia kill the sand during this process?
Thanks
Ed

 

[Andy Sager]

As long as the ammonia doesn't have any additives added to it and the level does not exceed 5 ppm, the nitrifying microbes should survive. Since the recommended level for fishless cycling is 2 ppm, you should be fine if you follow that level. I'd make sure you have 0 nitrates in your source water before you add any ammonia so that you can be assured that the nitrate level you do get is coming from the microbes and not the water company.