shrimp cycling in a bucket with lid, yea or nay?

[sikpupy]

Can I get a 30-50 gallon bucket, start the cycle in it and tranfer it later to the tank, via pump? I have a small 40g tank now and think I want to go to a 70. I want to start a cycle in a bucket, on the side, to get that going now while I make the stand and save for the skimmer and such. How long can I keep my mix in the bucket undisturbed before I have to circulate/move the water around? can I just get a cheap air pump and stone and drop it in?

Thanks.

[Sk8r]

WHat would be in this bucket? Just water alone won't cycle.
If you have sand in the bucket, and live rock, it will briefly re-cycle when the layering of the sand is disturbed while moving it to a tank.

[seapug]

Sk8r is right, you'll need to have rocks and sand in the bucket to get a cycle started. It'll need to be kept at the proper temperature and well circulated. Even then, you'll probably have another brief cycling period once you transfer everything to the final tank.