I personaly do not cycle my tanks...i pull them down and do a full clean then fill em up and put any original fish back in.....have done for years

My filter requires charcoal...and does not require the charcoal changed every 7 days *L*...i know when it needs changing by the colour of the water...if it gets a yellowish tinge (tannins) last time that took 4-5 months

I dont do water changes often either....probably once a month

Probably not recommended but it works for me and my fish....my tanks are crystal clear and the fish healthy...

The only time it might be a problem to not cycle before adding fish is if your tank was overstocked in the first place