i tried using salt mix vs nsw to cycle tank n found that nsw produce better result.....my first tank was done with nsw n no cycling done. within 1 day of setting up, i dump fishes n corals in n yet in 3 mths, nothing in my tank died. my next tank was cycled with salt mixed. cycled for 1 mth n changed 50% of water b4 i dump in fishes n corals...fishes seem to get white spot easily n water perimeter seem to be unstable. now my 4ft i used nsw to cycle too. after 2 wks, i threw in a pbt n royal gramma. both r living happily till now esp the pbt, no white spot since day 1....