Cycle

You know I can't really answer that as I've never cycled a tank with a hitch hicker other than an occational worm etc. But it is also going to depend on where you got your LR. Since it is a new tank I'd personally just put the rock in the tank and get everything cycled with that rock right away as if you get rock down the road at a later date your going to have to cure it before placing it in the tank otherwise you can cause a mini cycle to occur.

Have you decided how your going to cycle? Prawn or straight ammonia? What size of a system did you end up purchasing?

If it is just a small rock with some 'shrooms or a coral attached I do a lugol solution dip and place directly in the tank. But then my tank has been established for a while and can handle a little die off from a small piece of rock.

If it is just rock that you've purchased what you do is get yourself like a rubbermaid container, fill it with salt water (this can even be water from water changes from your tank) and fill the container so the rock is covered. You'll need to also provide a power head to keep the water moving and a heater. Live rock is curred when your test results have your ammonia at 0 and your nitrite at 0 and your nitrate at whatever really. What you are doing is allowing for the stuff that has died off in transport to not cause an ammonia cycle in your tank. You should also change the water out in this tub daily so plan ahead. You'll go through quite a bit of salt. I have also sped this process up by adding a cup of Live Sand from my tank and placed it in the cup at the bottom so the bacteria get into the water column and help process the dead matter faster.

If you buy it locally take a tub with you and fill it with water from the rock tub, or cover it with wet newspaper/paper towel (the later for shorter distances) between your LPS and your house. This will minimize die off and you should be able to place it in your tank right away as long as the LPS has cured the rock first. But make sure you trust that LPS and they are reputable. Some will say the rock is cured, I've pulled out a test kit and tested for ammmonia and nitrite and have gotten readings and basically went "Oh really????"

If you ship it in from someplace like premium aquatics then you are going to have to cure as normal before placing in your tank.

No.. It can just cycle with your tank and will actually help cycle your tank.. Thats why we say get your tank, substrate and all your LR first. That way you don't have to go through that long process of curing your LR if you order it in.. Now if you get more live rock and haven't added any critters/fish/inverts etc you can just place the rock in your tank.. It will cycle again but with no creatures for it to affect there isn't a problem.

yea. but its better to cycle all at once cause then you will have mini cycle everytime you add more lr

okay just make sure you get fully cure rock as possible.