live sand/cycling question

[Ping]

Here's what I would do and I hope I am answering your question.

Purchase sugar fine sand ahead of time. Put it in some kind of container with water and a cup or sand from your tank. Put a small powerhead or airstone in the water and let it age for a week.

It will build up the bio-film and bacteria that we pay so much for when we buy live sand.

A Rubbermaid garbage can works great for this.

This will help with (not eliminate) the cycle and sandstorms.

The reason we get less of a sandstorm from finer grade sand, in the simplest terms, is that finer sand helps break down detritus / mulm faster and more completely.

http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/SandBed.php