MarcoRocks

[memorysan]

I am planning on cycling my tank with MarcoRocks. Is this going to stink up my whole house in the process? I've read about bad smells when curing rock, and hope this process doesn't make very unpopular in my own house.

[seanb1]

marco rocks are dry dead rock, it wont stink at all.

if you want to speed up the process of getting your biological filter established on and in the rock youll need to buy some real live rock.

[memorysan]

I know that they are dry dead rock, but since they actually had life in them at one time (I have seen pictures of this rock with dead stuff still inside) I was thinking that them being put in water would cause rot and decay of the dead things and could, as a result, give off a foul oder.

Do you have experience with MarcoRocks and know that they don't smell, or are you going off the fact that they are dry and dead only?

[kayne_21]

Marco rocks will stink up the house. I know from experience! My tank smelled like nasty river water for at least a week.
You can run carbon to help with the smell though.

[Hop]

It really depends, but is possible. I've been cooking about 80 lbs and it really only smelled bad for about three days. Now I've either become used to the smell or it has subsided;)

Either way, there was some good advice by kayne_21 and carbon can help.

[seanb1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12311989#post12311989 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by memorysan
I know that they are dry dead rock, but since they actually had life in them at one time (I have seen pictures of this rock with dead stuff still inside) I was thinking that them being put in water would cause rot and decay of the dead things and could, as a result, give off a foul oder.

Do you have experience with MarcoRocks and know that they don't smell, or are you going off the fact that they are dry and dead only? no im just going by the 400, 000 other posts about marco rocks experience, if you took the time to research it yourself
instead of asking a question and then critisizing the answer you would have saved yourself alot of time.

i guess some people get a faint smell of organics that have been dead for 200 years and worry and complain of the smell.

if you think about it, any rock that has anything dead in it is going to start some sort of bacterial colony in the water.

i figured you would have known that, common sense would give you that answer.

obviously you wont get the smell and dieoff of real live rock, but in my opinion with marco rock as with any dry dead rock its not going to be that bad.

you asked if it was going to stink up your whole house, i said no.

[memorysan]

Add carbon aye, I'll look into getting some. Is this only for about a week...then take it out?

[Hop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12312387#post12312387 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by memorysan
Add carbon aye, I'll look into getting some. Is this only for about a week...then take it out?

You can run it as long as necessary. Really though after a couple days I suspect that it will smell just fine and the only real additional smell, although not that bad will be when you do the waterchanges and remove the shed from the bottom of the vessel;)

[jpa0741]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12312383#post12312383 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seanndenise1
no im just going by the 400, 000 other posts about marco rocks experience, if you took the time to research it yourself
instead of asking a question and then critisizing the answer you would have saved yourself alot of time.

i guess some people get a faint smell of organics that have been dead for 200 years and worry and complain of the smell.

if you think about it, any rock that has anything dead in it is going to start some sort of bacterial colony in the water.

i figured you would have known that, common sense would give you that answer.

obviously you wont get the smell and dieoff of real live rock, but in my opinion with marco rock as with any dry dead rock its not going to be that bad.

you asked if it was going to stink up your whole house, i said no.

Well if you are going by the 400, 000 other posts you would know that the answer is more then likely yes. Many have reported that marco rocks stinks very very bad.:p

[memorysan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12312383#post12312383 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seanndenise1
no im just going by the 400, 000 other posts about marco rocks experience, if you took the time to research it yourself
instead of asking a question and then critisizing the answer you would have saved yourself alot of time.

i guess some people get a faint smell of organics that have been dead for 200 years and worry and complain of the smell.

if you think about it, any rock that has anything dead in it is going to start some sort of bacterial colony in the water.

i figured you would have known that, common sense would give you that answer.

obviously you wont get the smell and dieoff of real live rock, but in my opinion with marco rock as with any dry dead rock its not going to be that bad.

you asked if it was going to stink up your whole house, i said no.

I guess I came across wrong...wasn't trying to criticize, merely asking if you had actually used MarcoRocks and smelled or not smelled it...wanted to know where you were coming from. I understand that rock without anything dead in it would have no smell, but since MarcoRocks have dead things in it, it could give off a smell. If you didn't know that there are still dead things in it, you would give you answer based on that...and a good answer. If you have actually used it, then you would know what it does or doesn't have in it and give an answer based on experience with the product.

With that said...you said there would be no smell, and people with experience with the product said there would be a smell...so I was right in asking if you had experience with it...wasn't I?

Yes, common sense tells me there would be bacteria growth, but when I did fresh water in the past bacteria growth during the cycle didn't equal bad smell in the house...hence the question.

Sorry for not taking more time to pour through a lot of other threads (search doesn't usually work for me) instead of just asking the question and getting quick answers. I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me.

[memorysan]

By the way are there really 400,000 other posts about MarcoRocks? I'll have to look into that and get some information...

[seanb1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12315511#post12315511 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by memorysan
By the way are there really 400,000 other posts about MarcoRocks? I'll have to look into that and get some information... no theres really not 400,000 just 286,000, LOL.

theres no problem on this end, you have to remember that for every question asked you will get 10 different answers.

something that reeks to one person wont to another, i took some sand out of a tank this summer and it kinda smelled to me, my girlfreind hurled in the yard from the smell, she couldnt get away from it fast enough.

its just my opinion that using dead marco rock, that the smell wont be bad. most posts you read about it smelling bad are from first time reefers that have never had the pleasure of smelling some real good rock curing, it smells pretty bad, kind of a mix between rotten eggs and a dead fish, best to be cured out doors if you ask me.

make sure you give us a rundown on the curing of the rock, im interested to see what your thoughts are.

[memorysan]

I'll post a start up thread once I get my stand in (been waiting about a month and a half for it now). All I've done so far is spray paint the back of the tank and make up some salt water in a couple of trash cans, ready to use once I can.

I'm trying to think of things that will take a long time, and get them knocked out early, so that I won't have to wait for them when I get it set up.

[justsomeguy]

I just added 100 pounds of marco rocks to my 90 gallon, but before that they were in rubbermaid tubs with powerheads. I scrubbed them with a brush and changed the water every other day for 1.5 weeks. (Overkill probably, but too much is better than not enough.)

25 pounds of "australian spaghetti" rock
25 pounds of "Tonga shelf" rock
50 pounds of "fiji premium" rock

The fiji stunk, kind of a sewer-ish smell. I wouldn't say the smell was overwhelming, but you could definitely smell it...the tonga and the AS rock didn't really smell at all...just my $.02...

[memorysan]

Thanks random guy, I ordered the signature Marco Rock which is Fiji...so I might get a smell out of it. Hope it's not too bad.

I'm a first time reefer (not actually a reefer, I'm a FOWLR....guy). so the smell might be stronger for me...the wife and kids won't be used to it either. Again, hope it's not to bad.

I was planning on using this rock to cycle, so curing it in a separate tub isn't the solution I was looking for. May try carbon for the first week to help with the smell.

[mrbigshot]

my austrailian didnt smell at all, i thought it was going to but it didnt. it takes a good soak and scrub to clean off most of the sediment that is on the rocks.

my rock wasnt enough to start a cycle in my 20h, i had to go the shrimp route and nearly puked when i got home from work 15hrs later. tank god for an old hob i had laying around so i could get the smell out of the house.

this is 15 lbs i got (a little more actually) and after shipping it was just over $2 a lb. shipping took 3 days to leave his place and another week to get here. a little slow but eh.

if i had a bigger tank i would buy a pack or 2 of the live figi from fosters and smith for $90 for a 45lb box plus frieght. its a better deal as you have to cure either anyway.

http://xs226.xs.to/xs226/08144/rock2707.jpg

[ruarox]

wow awful lot of cocky know it all people here recently people come here to learn by asking questions