Recommend a canary coral?

[Commodore Greenhorn]

I intend to stop by an LFS on my way home this afternoon to pick up a canary. My tank skipped cycle (which unsettles me) and I want to stick something inexpensive that's not too sensitive, not too hardy in there to see what happens.
I'm eventually going for soft/LPS, but it's really only rics and zoas that I find appealing on the softie side right now.
What say we? Thanks.

 

[bangbangkhan]

How do you know the cycle skipped? maybe it never started....were you checking the parameters often? did you use anything to jump-start the cycle?

I would wait on the corals as new tanks experience algae blooms in the beginning.

 

[moncapitane]

I have never seen a tank skip a cycle. How long has it been up? Did you use live rock/sand in your tank or what? It may not have even started yet.

 

[Commodore Greenhorn]

I believe the cycle skipped because I was unable to keep an ammonia reading over 24 hour periods while feeding the tank straight ammonia. Ammonia and nitrite have read zero since I quit feeding it the ammonia. I started with mostly dry rock and a few pieces of live. My guess is that the good stuff came on the softball-sized ball of macro I bought - I can't think of another explanation. I did start with "live" sand, but frankly I find it preposterous that the sand is responsible.
The three snails, few brittle and asterina stars, couple flatworms, and myriad tiny white critters skittering along the glass all seem to be getting on just fine. What does that say, if anything? Thanks.

 

[ErinCahir]

I think you should throw in a (table) shrimp and let it rot and retest. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Commodore Greenhorn]

Thanks, Erin. How would a table shrimp be different from dosing straight ammonia? I've only ever cycled tanks with my trusty ammonia bottle, so I really have no idea.

 

[ErinCahir]

It really isn't any different... the rotting shrimp releases ammonia just like (obviously) the straight ammonia does.

It would really just be a "test run"