plants will prevent or eliminate the ammonia/nitrIte spikes with probably an initial nitrate spike.

Will it cycle the tank faster or slow? Who know and besides who cares.
Preventing the ammonia spike is all that matters and plants do that.

I cycle with a few live fish and don't add food for the first week. No ammonia spikes as all.


my .02

__________________
fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden