dskidmore
Aquarium Advice Addict
Oh, and yes, you can test the cycle in the QT before you add fish. If you do bring over the live rock, there's a chance that will work. If you keep the QT bare, it will certainly not be cycled, even if you use water from the main aquarium and use an instant cycle product.
To test, or start a fishless cycle, add an overly generous helping of food, or use a more refined ammonia source to bring the ammonia level up to 4ppm, and see how long it takes to go down to 0. (Food will take a day to break down and spike ammonia levels. If you don't see ammonia levels increase the next day, add more food than you did the day before. A pure ammonia source should be testable right away.)
To test, or start a fishless cycle, add an overly generous helping of food, or use a more refined ammonia source to bring the ammonia level up to 4ppm, and see how long it takes to go down to 0. (Food will take a day to break down and spike ammonia levels. If you don't see ammonia levels increase the next day, add more food than you did the day before. A pure ammonia source should be testable right away.)