Tanks with Marco rocks

[luv951]

Is a skimmer needed during the cure process?

Right now my plan is to get a kiddie pool, use freshwater, with vinegar for about half a day, then just fresh water. Heat the water, and do very frequent water changes.

The real question I have is, would a skimmer help at all if I do lots of water changes?

[mille239]

Originally posted by luv951
Is a skimmer needed during the cure process?

Right now my plan is to get a kiddie pool, use freshwater, with vinegar for about half a day, then just fresh water. Heat the water, and do very frequent water changes.

The real question I have is, would a skimmer help at all if I do lots of water changes?

Well a skimmer won't work at all if you are curing in just fresh water... I'd do the 1/2 day rinse with vinegar, then transfer over to saltwater with a skimmer for the rest of the curing process.

[Patroklos]

Hey guys,

I just thought I would give you an update on this vendor seeing as I had some very recent experiance with him.

I ordered my rock back at the end of July, primarily because of the excellent quality of his rock according to everying.. Marc didn't have any on hand but had an order enroute arriving in two weeks he was pre selling.

Well, those two weeks came and went and then it was two more weeks. Then two more weeks. Eventually he gave me an excuse (which I assume to be true), that Fiji had halted all rock shipments because of supposed over harvesting and reaching their export quota early. Sounds fine, except the shipment should have been enroute over a month earlier...

So, a momth goes by (its now October) and he then tells me that the issue was solved and the rock is again enroute, one of the last shipments off the island. For the next month he yammers on about how he can't get status because Fiji is so remote. Being in the Navy I know full well that Fiji is just a phone call away and has the same internet connection anyone does, but whatever.

Then at the end of October, nothing. He won't answer his phone, he won't answer his emails. His site hasn't been updated since October 15th. His auto email update for anytime status (which he rarely modifies) still says October 15th.

So, in other words I have not recieved my merchandise after four months, and I have not heard from Marc in over two. I consider him to be a theif, as he still has my money. I see a few of you know him from your reef club, would you care to poke him and let him know his reputation (buisness wise) is suffering?

[luv951]

ummm....to quote the great Farley:

"Don't I feel like a horse's patoot!"

Yah, I knew that, but sometimes you gotta ask the dumb questions and be given the dumb answers.

I am in no hurry at all, so I am going to try all FW and see what happens - worst case, I can always switch to SW later on down the line in the curing process.

Thanks, mille for not wording your answer to make me look to foolish :smile:

[spsgtr]

had the same problem with him... had to contact my CC company to resolve the dispute. once they contacted him he sent me an email and told me i should have resolved the dispute with him personally. I had to remind him that I sent him over 10 emails and tried phoning him for several weeks without a response. Other reputable rock dealers have told me that the next fiji shipment will arrive in the spring. try livestockusa.com.

[luv951]

I ordered from Bulk Reef Supply in September around the 17th. Had my rock within a week. I ordered 150 lbs and its beautiful. Asked for a mix of sizes with no rubble, and that is exactly what i got. The pic below is one of the 50 lb boxes.

When you can get the exact same product elsewhere from a known retailer that is responsive and easy to deal with, I can't understand why people still try Marco.

No offense meant to him or any of his friends. If I pay you for a product, I expect shipped in a timely manner, and if not, I expect to be communicated with as to why. He does neither of those things. Fail.

[defekt]

i ordered his florida base rock from his ebay listings a few weeks ago. ordered 2 40lb boxes and both weighed in at 48lbs through ups. i received the order in about 4 - 5 days from being ordered. i know its not his famous fiji but for $1.67 a lb (not including the extra) i am very pleased, and it also shows he is still active.

[krowleey]

he sounds like a crook to me. and will never see a dime from my pocket.

[Kannin]

He's not a crook. He just doesn't understand how important it is to communicate. I bought from him a year ago and was completely satisfied. Soon after... people started to complain about him. He shouldn't take orders, he can't fill.

He's a poor business person... not a crook. I hope he is reading these complaints... and learning from them.

[luv951]

Well put Kannin...but, if I am going to spend my money, and there are two companies offering the exact same product, it will go the one with the customer service.

The rocks I got were unbeleivable. The above pics do not do them justice. Bulk Reef Supply has a solid, well-earned reputation. Marco does not.

I agree that he does not sound malicious, but busy and like he does not care. Not a crook, but nowhere near acceptable customer service, either.

I would never wait as long as some have for rocks. I would have gone through my CC well before a couple of months and several emails. IMO, 3 unanswered emails from a company that has my money and has yet to deliver a product is 2 too many.