"Cycled" can mean many things depending ....
But like Tropica, I set up a new tank, add substrate & plants from Day 1, add some "cycled" media to the filter, add shrimp any time after day 3 (enough time for any surprises to have happened & me to have sorted them)
Result: plants grow, algae crew tidy up algae as it begins, shrimp have a chance to get established before I even think of adding fish, frequent water changes take care of any "unevenness" that may be occurring in the "Cycle"
(unlike Tropica I like to add a
Seachem Ammonia & pH Alert ... any ammonia detected & I perform a water change)
If it's a high tech tank,I run low levels of CO2 24/7 during the first weeks
If it's low tech, no CO2
Neither experience much algae or any livestock deaths
Fish are added once plants are established ... though if it's a "
rescape" fish go back in on Day 3
It works for me
Note that setting up a tank with predominantly 1-2-Grow differs somewhat from setting up a tank with potted plants, lately I mostly use a mix of both.
There are also some decent "cycling" products available on the market, Seachem Stabiility is the one my lfs uses - again it "works" just fine (in real life experiences).
If people like to wait weeks to months before adding plants or shrimp or livestock, that undoubtedly "works" just fine too
- I'm just way too impatient