Marco rocks

[azitaglio]

So I just pulled the trigger and ordered some Marco rocks for my new waterbox 100.3 tank I just have a couple things I?m not sure on, they state there is no need to cure the rocks because they are mined but I still plan on putting them in a brute container with saltwater and a pump and heater until my tank gets here. Will this eliminate the rock from leaching phosphate when I put it in my tank, has anyone had experience with these rocks before? I?m starting my new tank with fresh saltwater and about 45 pounds of live rock from a well established trusted system. I figured I?d put some of those rocks in with the Marco rocks as well in the brute container. Is there anything else I should do? Thanks and happy new year!


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[Donewiththisplace]

Yeah used them on my 29 mixed reef 2 years ago and just again 3 months ago on a 125.

I too asked about how to go about adding them to the tank..and I gotta say the advice was daunting. Dipping them in acid to remove any phosphates that may leach into the water, curing them for weeks and then finally re-seeding them. Enough to make you wanna quit before you even start. Although I appreciated the input, I combined it with other info from the internet and some good old fashioned common sense. Honestly I think alot of this hobby can be summed up by "keeping it simple". Im sure there is a good reason for alot of the things people do in this hobby... but I wonder how much of it is absolutely necessary or effective.

I didnt cure either one or give them the acid bath...just rinsed them well and added them with live sand. And with that i had no problems with phosphates and no problems with a massive algae problem that many eluded to. Fact is any start up of a new tank is gonna have algae problems, it's a part of the process until the tank gets established.

And that's exactly what i had. Most tanks are gonna get worse before they get better..just stick with monitoring and maintenance. Any issues will clear up. If you wanted to see the new rock with rock from an established tank...as long as your sure its pest free go for it. Wouldn't want to see you introduce something to the new rock and tank right from start up. Personally I wouldn't take that chance, and if your gonna be using live sand its kind of an unnecessary step.

All in all Marco rock is a great way to start..pest free, good variety of shapes and sizes to make a nice aquascape and very affordable.

Any questions lmk.

 

[azitaglio]

Thanks for the input I want to do that as well, only problem is the tank I?m transferring all my corals and fish from can?t be running for more than 2 weeks because I have no room for it in my house, that?s why I wanted to get a head start and run the Marco rocks in a brute container with some established live rock to hopefully get the phosphates to leach out then do water changes in the container than let it run again and then transfer into the new tank. I could probably run my old tank for 3 weeks after my new one gets set up. Hopefully by the time my tank comes my rocks have been sitting in the container for 2 weeks so that would be around 5 weeks in total running in the brute container with established pieces of live rock saltwater, heater, pump and a couple water changes


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[Donewiththisplace]

What im saying was that basically, I don't think any phosphates leached out of the rock. A lot of people are adamant that the rock are gonna leach phosphates and cause a massive algae problem...but that algae problem is gonna happen regardless. If you think about it...if there are any phosphates in a rock, are they only limited to the outer surface areas and capable of being stripped away with an acid bath? I would think its throughout the entire rock, so why am I stripping away rock unnecessarily. I feel sometimes we overthink our problems and more importantly the solutions, therefore making things more complicated then they have to be.


Id be concerned more with the ammonia cycle than phosphates. If your using live sand set the tank up, put the rock in and let it ride. Test every other day and watch for the cycle. Both of my tanks cycled in approximately 10 days. If you want to hurry it along, add Prime or some other bacteria booster to speed up the cycling process. After that, start a clean up crew and maintenance to keep things in check. Keep an eye on the parameters and react accordingly.

 

[Chefjpaul]

I've used marco in 3 of my last 4 tanks.

I did a 24 hour strong vinegar bath, let dry. Them built the scape.

Its a very clean product, that probably didn't need the acidity, but was just being cautious.


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[Donewiththisplace]

I feel it's a great product at a great price. There are other manufactured products that look natural right from the box..lets face it, Marco rocks look kinda unnatural at first. I mean that bright white color...But after a few months it ages and gets covered with algae and coralline.

And I feel that starting from dry rock leaves 0% chance of inheriting any type of pest. That alone is priceless. Seen a few friends start tanks with live rock that soon at aipthasia colonies.

 

[azitaglio]

I see what you?re saying, thanks. Do you think if I run the new Marco rocks in a brute container with saltwater, heater, powerhead with a piece of established live rock for a couple weeks then put it in my new tank that will already have the established live rock running in it for a few weeks will speed it up. I know speeding it up and rushing is the absolute worst thing to do in this hobby but I feel like with all that live rock I?m gonna have in it and the brand new saltwater it will almost be like doing a huge water change. I only have three fish I?m transferring and they?re all super hardy it?s the corals I?m worried about. I?m going bare bottom too btw no sand.


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[editour2]

I also started with Marco rock and added some live rock. I first rinsed all the rock and then placed it in a large receptacle with a heater and power head, (as you suggested). I had that rock in the container for about 2 months. You should do water changes as well. I did not place a piece of live rock into that container but rather waited until I placed the marco rock into the new tank. I then added the live rock to seed the marco rock. I think the marco rock still leached some phosphates into the new tank but rinsing and letting it sit obviously minimized the amount of leaching/phosphates.

 

[Donewiththisplace]

Honestly I think only 2 weeks with seeded rock in a brute container isn't gonna do much for it. It's just not enough time. It will be better than nothing...but definitely not as good as it should be.

You'd be better off just putting the rock in the new tank and using a bacteria booster to increase the amount of bacteria in the tank until the rock can grow its own. Live sand would help with this tremendously...but I see ur going bare bottom.

Especially if u gotta transfer corals over from the old tank...u want as much of a biological filter in place as possible.

 

[azitaglio]

I expect it?s going to leach phosphates and it is what it is at that point my phosphate aren?t the lowest right now in my current tank anyway and the corals look fine. Do you think it will be beneficial to place some live rock in the container of Marco rocks? I?d like to give it a head start if I could. I?m trying my best to be able to transfer my corals and fish in my new tank about a week after it gets wet.


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[azitaglio]

Well I?m not doing live sand I?m still gonna run the rocks in the containers until my tank comes it?s better than having them sit dry in a box. Once my tank comes I?ll just put them in there then and put the live rock in my sump for now. It doesn?t matter if my live rock is in my sump and Marco rock in my display right? If I could just use the Marco rocks for my scape and have the live rock in my sump for a few months tht would be perfect.


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[Donewiththisplace]

Yeah placing established rock in the container is fine...the longer it is the better.

No it doesn't matter where the rock is located..as long as it's in the same system