Quote Originally Posted by allan View Post

But then you stop dosing ammonia, and the bacterial circle of life falters and you're left with an out of wack filtration.
Out of whack how? Sure, some bacteria may die off, but you still have the nitrifying bacteria you need in the tank. Also, what about cycling with live rock? That's how a lot of people still cycle their tank and it's FAR less precise than ammonia or fish food but it's also tried and true. Also, how much food should you put in?