Marco rock cooking/curing???

cemyth · 04/09/2012, 05:11 PM

I received my 100 lbs of Marco Rock friday and I have to say it is amazing - very porous.

I do have a few questions that I may already know the answer to but would like to make sure. Do I need to cook the rock to get the PO4 out and If so do I use RO/DI water or saltwater? Couldn’t find a real answer to this on the forum. Last question, when it is time to add it to the DT, would a few pounds of cured rock (let’s say 10 lbs) help with curing or will it cure over time on its own? Thanks!

DSC05760.jpg

kingevil · 04/09/2012, 05:26 PM

one of the many great things about marco rock is that it does not require curing, as it is pre-cured!

spluchino82 · 04/09/2012, 05:48 PM

Beautiful rock. Should look nice when it starts to age. Would love to see time laps pics!!

cemyth · 04/09/2012, 05:59 PM

Really pre-cured? I had read a few people having problems with po4 leaching from it a causing algae outbreaks. So should I just cleaning it off as best I can, but it in the DT and start cycling? Would cooking the rock to make sure there is no po4 hurt?

tmerf11 · 04/09/2012, 06:07 PM

I started with Marco rock and was definitely happy with the look like you, however, i did get P04 right off the bat and have been running GFO since I started up. I have no idea how long it takes to get all the P04 out, so I would say it would be wise to start a GFO reactor from the beginning. Or at least have some plan of action to deal with the phosphates.

Doc_Polit · 04/09/2012, 08:11 PM

Look into "cooking" with Lanthanum Chloride. No need to leach PO4 to start out your tank.

BTW, nice rock and scape.

kingevil · 04/09/2012, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cemyth

Really pre-cured? I had read a few people having problems with po4 leaching from it a causing algae outbreaks. So should I just cleaning it off as best I can, but it in the DT and start cycling? Would cooking the rock to make sure there is no po4 hurt?

Although marco rock can leach, it is not nearly as prone to do so as the rock from brs. In fact, i know people who have to cure their pukani for literally months. I believe it's somewhat rare for marco rock to leach that much.

cemyth · 04/10/2012, 09:33 AM

I have read that BRS rock leaches more then marco. What I am going to do is clean the rock in ro/di water to get off loose sand, place the rock in a Rubbermaid container with saltwater and test it for po4 over a week or two. If it leaches po4 then I will cook it if it doesn’t, into the DT it goes to start cycling. Lanthanum Chloride seems to be an interesting way to deal with po4. I will definitely look into that method if it leaches. Thanks everyone for the help.

04/09/2012, 05:11 PM	#1
cemyth Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Arizona Posts: 207	Marco rock cooking/curing??? I received my 100 lbs of Marco Rock friday and I have to say it is amazing - very porous. I do have a few questions that I may already know the answer to but would like to make sure. Do I need to cook the rock to get the PO4 out and If so do I use RO/DI water or saltwater? Couldn’t find a real answer to this on the forum. Last question, when it is time to add it to the DT, would a few pounds of cured rock (let’s say 10 lbs) help with curing or will it cure over time on its own? Thanks! DSC05760.jpg __________________ In The Works: 80G All Glass Reef Savvy Rimless, Neptune Apex Controller, 2x Mp40, Elite Aquatics Sump, Vertex Omega 150 Skimmer \| 20G Innovative Marine Nano, Neptune Apex Controller, Mp10, Bubble Ma

04/09/2012, 05:59 PM	#4
cemyth Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Arizona Posts: 207	Really pre-cured? I had read a few people having problems with po4 leaching from it a causing algae outbreaks. So should I just cleaning it off as best I can, but it in the DT and start cycling? Would cooking the rock to make sure there is no po4 hurt? __________________ In The Works: 80G All Glass Reef Savvy Rimless, Neptune Apex Controller, 2x Mp40, Elite Aquatics Sump, Vertex Omega 150 Skimmer \| 20G Innovative Marine Nano, Neptune Apex Controller, Mp10, Bubble Ma

04/09/2012, 06:07 PM	#5
tmerf11 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 115	I started with Marco rock and was definitely happy with the look like you, however, i did get P04 right off the bat and have been running GFO since I started up. I have no idea how long it takes to get all the P04 out, so I would say it would be wise to start a GFO reactor from the beginning. Or at least have some plan of action to deal with the phosphates. __________________ 120 Gallon, 40 gall sump (Birth: Jan 2012) Dimmable Sunpower 8x54, BRS GFO and Carbon Reactors, 2 Mp40s, Eheim1262 Return Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon

04/09/2012, 08:11 PM	#6
Doc_Polit Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Blackfalds, Alberta, Canada Posts: 139	Look into "cooking" with Lanthanum Chloride. No need to leach PO4 to start out your tank. BTW, nice rock and scape. __________________ "In one drop of water are found all the secrets of the oceans." Planning Stage ~~ 105+ Gallon (72"L); Bean Overflow; Looking to keep Softies, LPS, possibly Clams & Less Aggressive Specimens

04/10/2012, 09:33 AM	#8
cemyth Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Arizona Posts: 207	I have read that BRS rock leaches more then marco. What I am going to do is clean the rock in ro/di water to get off loose sand, place the rock in a Rubbermaid container with saltwater and test it for po4 over a week or two. If it leaches po4 then I will cook it if it doesn’t, into the DT it goes to start cycling. Lanthanum Chloride seems to be an interesting way to deal with po4. I will definitely look into that method if it leaches. Thanks everyone for the help. __________________ In The Works: 80G All Glass Reef Savvy Rimless, Neptune Apex Controller, 2x Mp40, Elite Aquatics Sump, Vertex Omega 150 Skimmer \| 20G Innovative Marine Nano, Neptune Apex Controller, Mp10, Bubble Ma

04/09/2012, 05:26 PM	#2
kingevil Moved On Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: phx/east valley Posts: 917	one of the many great things about marco rock is that it does not require curing, as it is pre-cured!

04/09/2012, 05:48 PM	#3
spluchino82 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 228	Beautiful rock. Should look nice when it starts to age. Would love to see time laps pics!!