Sorry - it wasn't a long, low cycle in my case. When I started both tanks and added Bio-Spira and fish within a few days, I was measuring the nitrogen cycle with 3 different test kits for weeks, to be sure (Red Sea, Salifert, and API), and never had a test result of even low levels of ammonia or nitrite - only some nitrates. If there was a cycle it was not measurable. I added twice the dosage of Bio-Spira as I had the same success with it in FW, with the FW version. A lot of genetic research (by Marineland at the time) went into isolating the correct bacteria, and the product delivers live bacteria that instantly start populating the tank. I'm a firm believer in Bio-Spira, with fully cured rock, because it works for me every time. It's not just an opinion of mine - it's based on fact. Many don't think the bacteria additives work, and most of them don't, but at least in my case the proof was in the results. I'll admit that I obviously couldn't be testing 24/7, but if there was a cycle it happened very quickly, and at very low levels, and was in balance quickly, with no negative effect on any livestock, fish or inverts. And I only added a few fish and inverts to start, to avoid too much bio-load at one time.