I am getting a 25 gal tank. I already have a 10 gal, I plan on transferring over the substrate and some of the filter media if possible, but I can only do that after the new tank is ready because I have fish in my 10 gal.
My plan to cycle it is to fill it with conditioned tap water, add Tetra SafeStart, then add ammonia, test how much ammonia is now in the tank, then test again in 12 hours to see if the ammonia level has lowered to at least near 0, and then continue adding ammonia and testing for ammonia and nitrate appearance/levels for at least a week to make sure it's really good to go. When it balances consistently to 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite with nitrates present it is cycled?
Then I would add either 4 Cory catfish or 3 Blue Danios (I will eventually have a proper school) to the tank and see how they do?