Cycling help, appreciated!

Hi all! Wth several replies I'll do a group 'thanks' for all of you.
BioSpira it is. I would not have remembered the name of brands very well.

I got my first fish (goldfish) when I was 12. It was still alive when I was
27 (gifted to a friend when I was 23 and joined the Navy 24 years ago).
I've had fish tanks everyplace I've ever lived. Even in Sasebo Japan, we
had a cute toy unit (5g) with tetras. Now tht we are back stateside, my
stored 70gTall unit (a little thinner and a little taller than most other
70g's) will be here Thursday. It's inital home will be on the porch, filled
and just waiting patiently to make sure it doesnt leak G. I believe I
have a 30 and a 40g tank each in strorage as well.

My normal cycling method has been to use 1-2 fish of a sturdy type that I'll
keep, combined with the bottled 'biota'. Normally, with a really big tank
and careful checks, the starter fish do survive. Goldfish BTW are perfect
for this but unless you plan to keep the tank a goldfish tank, you have a
problem finding it a home. The LFS here *used* to let you buy one, cycle,
then return it for 1/2 the cost. These were just scruff feeder fish and
itty bitty enough they couldnt sell them til they got older and they were
happy with the deal. I refuse to get a fish just to throw it down the
toilet becase I can't find it a home. I may cycle the big tank with
guppies, then move them to the smaller tank.

Using bith the 'biota' and fsh, makes the process a bit faster and a bit
more fun as we have something in there at the start. I let the tank sit for
a week with the biota before i add the first 1-2 small fish, and then they
complete the cycle. The reminder of 'about a month' for fishless cycle,
turned the brainwaves back on. It takes 7-10 days less if you add fish at
the end of the first week. Also, smaller tanks oddly to me, take longer to
get a really *good* cycle than the 70gT tank.

I generally stick to simpler less expensive fish. Curious what you folks
have found workable for community tanks? I generally prefer lots of mid to
small sized ones in the 70g as opposed to just a few big ones.
xxcarol