marco rocks

[rudyr03]

has anyone ever ordered online from them .....if so if you get some dry base rock for an already established tank do you have to cure that rock

[Nano Chris]

People on here seem to like marco rocks cheaper alternative to buying all lr, they usually wash them off to get any dust off, than put in their tank and seed with lr.

[sir_dudeguy]

It will cycle (or cure as you put it) on its own. There should not be any amonia/nitrite spikes from adding dry rock that had nothing on it before though. But in a few months, it would be the same as whatever live rock you've got with it.

[EdKruzel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10133919#post10133919 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sir_dudeguy
It will cycle (or cure as you put it) on its own.

Wrong, the cycling process is the decay of biological matter and the formation of the bacteria that handles this process (nitrosomas & nitrobacter). As stated, simply rinse to remove any rock dust and place in the tank.

[HBtank]

^^^

Absolutely wrong. I am kind of amazed people are advising this...

It is "dry" but has plenty of dried organic matter upon arrival. I had to remove dried sponges and many other thing that were large enough and washed it many times. Every thing I have seen has said to cycle it like any other rock due to this dried organic matter that WILL DECOMPOSE AND RELEASE AMMONIA.

I have been cycling my marco rubble for 3 weeks in a bucket and it is still reading VERY HIGH ammonia and nitrite, even with weekly 100% water changes

Marcos benefits are the awesome shape, cheap price, and ability to create any structure and take your time drilling it etc...

It DOES NOT have the benefit giving you the ability to add it right to your established tank, as I have come to find out. Please beware. If you want this, get fully cured live rock from your LFS, that is your only choice.

I love the stuff and will use it almost exclusively from now on, but it is hardly "clean rock"... Just imagine live rock left out to dry and everything that will be left behind. The organic matter does not just dissapear, especially when it is coated in a great natural preservative. Get it wet and it will decay rapidly.

[HBtank]

In fact, I intitally let it soak in fresh water for two weeks and it smelled worse than any live rock I have ever been around

You should have seen the scum ring it left on bucket. I did this for two weeks before even curing it, changing the water repeatedly and removing any debris that was loosened..

So that means it has been 5 weeks total, 2 in fresh and 3 weeks curing in a bucket with saltwater and powerheads. The PH's keep it at 80 degrees by themselves, so it's perfect.

I could have sped up the process with a larger container, skimmer etc.. but I am no hurry as this is for my sump/duplex/benthic build and making frags etc...

[drummereef]

I agree. The rock, even though it is base rock, will cycle just the same. There is trapped organic matter on the rock that will break down once introduced into the system. Even Marco's site says this. ;)

[Uncle Boo]

To give you an idea, here is a 120gal with about 40lbs of marco fiji and 25 lbs of marco tonga shelf right after I added it.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r15/Savure/Fish/DSCF0285.jpg

Its volume was a lot more per lb. than I expected. I made the mistake of not washing all the pieces and it made my skimmer go nuts with foam.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r15/Savure/Fish/DSCF0268.jpg

In my opinion this is great base rock, and I found some coraline growth on the tonga before I added any live rock.

[EdKruzel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10134423#post10134423 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HBtank
^^^

Absolutely wrong. I am kind of amazed people are advising this...

It is "dry" but has plenty of dried organic matter upon arrival. I had to remove dried sponges and many other thing that were large enough and washed it many times. Every thing I have seen has said to cycle it like any other rock due to this dried organic matter that WILL DECOMPOSE AND RELEASE AMMONIA.



This adds more to the equation, and I still stand by my statement; Wrong, the cycling process is the decay of biological matter and the formation of the bacteria that handles this process (nitrosomas & nitrobacter). As stated, simply rinse to remove any rock dust and place in the tank. The very first line I explain the process being decayed biological material. If the rock is coated with biological material as HBtank reports, then of course there is a cycle process, and I wouldn't consider this "base rock" (which is simply dried limestone) but probably left over shipments of LR that weren't sent out in a timely manner. It is overstock and why you receive it at such a low price.