Hi..don't mean to butt in here but your tank will cycle weather it has LR in it or not. A new tank must form bacteria, this is the cycle..The bacteria will form and then level out. You will have die off on your rock, by placing rock in any new system some of the Live stuff won't survive, ie new water, different levels of SG, Phos, calsium, ammonia, ph, nitrite, nitrate.. etc. Unless it is identical to the system it came out of, and even then it will still cycle some what. You will have a cycle no getting around that..all that needs to be addressed is how big of a cycle you will have. Your clean up crew most likely won't survive, your chromis might if you keep up water changes and keep flow at maximum, keep nitrite and ammonia in check, don't change or clean filters. You should always cycle first then add inverts..at least a month, your tank has to age. Your sand will also send your tank into a cycle..I wish you luck and that guy at the LFS needs a good touge lashing, most will say anything to make a sale..he just threw your money out the window, think of it that way. I'm just glad he didn't sell her a more pricey fish. I once stopped a girl from purchasing 2 seahorses, the tank and all the goodies that go along with it...I am now banned from that store, it was worth it.
