Besides using fishes to cycle, planted tanks have a benefit by having the ability to have "silent cycling".
Here's a good link on what it is about
:
http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_silent_cycling.php
Good thing is that you don't have to have hardy fishes which you won't want in your tank and will have to "get rid" of them later, and you also won't have to risk your main fishes in the cycling process.
-Calvin