Using cocktail shrimp to get the cycle going

I'm going to be starting up a 36gal tank in the next few weeks or so and I'm trying to gather up as much information on what I need as far as equipment goes as well as procedures on cycling etc...

At the moment I'm planning on a FOWLR tank, probably starting up with some sand and about 20 lbs of cured LR, getting it up to hopefully 40 lbs in due course.

To get the tank cycle going, I've seen it being mentioned that a cocktail shrimp or two could be used? How does this work exactly. Once I have my tank setup and filled with water, do I just throw in the shrimp and let it decompose to create the ammonia? When do I remove the shrimp, or does it get consumed completely?

I would appreciate it if someone could give me a more detailed explanantion of how that works - or possibly point me to a website or article talking about cycling. I've gone through the sticky talking about SW cycling but haven't found any detailed info. anywhere.

Thanks!
Yash

Thanks for the info. atnixon. As another option, I read in a few places that instead of the shrimp. that I could use perfume and color free ammonia by itself? Basically involved adding 4-5 drops of the NH3 per 10 gallons on a daily basis until the NH3 levels peaked at 5 ppm and then to reduce the amount of NH3 added to about 2-3 drops daily until both NH3 and NO2 level came out to be at 0 ppm?

I've heard that this method is often quicker than the shrimp method? Has anyone else used this method to cycle? If so, what are the advantages/drawbacks of doing it this way?

If I choose to go with the pure ammonia method, can I still keep the LR in the tank or does that create a conflict or is the LR affected in any way?

Thanks again!
Yash

Thanks Jojo ... I absolutely want to do this the right way, including the least loss of life, be it fish or even the growth/critters on the LR. That's why I'm doing all the research I can now before I take the dive

Talking about supporting the bioload though, so in your opinion, doing the "shrimp cycle" versus the "ammonia cycle" there is no difference in the bioload that I will eventually be able to sustain? I realize that using the shrimp method, I probably will have to add livestock at a slower pace than the ammonia method, since the tank won't be able to support as much in one go. Is that correct?

Thanks!
Yash

Sort of as a followup question ... even using the "shrimp cycling" method, don't you need to let the ammonia top off at 5 ppm in any case? I'm all confused now!

THANKS! That makes sense and is sort of what I thought the cycle would end up being like. My only question is ... when you say ammonia has peaked, is there a certain ppm level that you would look for before removing the shrimp?