rabbut
I don't bite, all that often...
The first tank I had, got "fish-in cycled" as your's Ludwig, and, like yours, it appeared to work. I noticed after though, that many of the fish died earlyer than they should, loosing a year down to 6 months of expectred life if they went through the cycle... Since then I have "cloned" tanks or "fishless cycled" them, and the problems with shorter life-spans have gone away. 
This makes me recomend the latter methods over fish-in cycling when asked for ethical reasons, though your method can work well if you take actions to reduce risks. These actions can include stocking slowly, using old decor, dosing salt for the first few months and doing generous waterchanges fairly regularly 
If done right, and fish-in cycle will not kill fish and will appear to work, but IME, it would appear to shorten the lives of the fish involved 
Which method, when done correctly, is best? Well, that's one for personal opinions and dibates...
Re knowing your water stats. I would argue that most people still do not. They know, generaly, that ammonia and nitrite are toxic, thanks to their local dealer if they are good, and that they need to be kept low. They mostly don't know why, and just understand that this is to stop fish from being poisoned. What people don't realise is that any detectable level of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate is poisoning their fish, and the "maximum" level's are recomendations made by one or more people and their opinions... They generaly don't know why those levels have been chosen, or how these three poisons are affecting their fish. Add into this the faff of pH, GH and KH and most aquarists are stuck in the middle of a vast mine field...
We still haven't got into the magnesium, calsium, Phosphates, copper, DOC's e.t.c that marine fish keepers use either. Admitedly, i am still learning about the last five, and other chemicals, that are relivant in marine tanks
All the best
Rabbut
This makes me recomend the latter methods over fish-in cycling when asked for ethical reasons, though your method can work well if you take actions to reduce risks. These actions can include stocking slowly, using old decor, dosing salt for the first few months and doing generous waterchanges fairly regularly If done right, and fish-in cycle will not kill fish and will appear to work, but IME, it would appear to shorten the lives of the fish involved Which method, when done correctly, is best? Well, that's one for personal opinions and dibates...Re knowing your water stats. I would argue that most people still do not. They know, generaly, that ammonia and nitrite are toxic, thanks to their local dealer if they are good, and that they need to be kept low. They mostly don't know why, and just understand that this is to stop fish from being poisoned. What people don't realise is that any detectable level of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate is poisoning their fish, and the "maximum" level's are recomendations made by one or more people and their opinions... They generaly don't know why those levels have been chosen, or how these three poisons are affecting their fish. Add into this the faff of pH, GH and KH and most aquarists are stuck in the middle of a vast mine field...
We still haven't got into the magnesium, calsium, Phosphates, copper, DOC's e.t.c that marine fish keepers use either. Admitedly, i am still learning about the last five, and other chemicals, that are relivant in marine tanks All the best
Rabbut
(question,... not a statement).
).
