I'm torn - cured live rock or dry Marco rock

[Biff0rz]

So a few weeks ago I bought about 300lbs of cured live rock that came from an established system, fully cycled. I'm about to aquascape and I've been researching building my own formations with Marco dry rock + super glue. I really like arches and a small footprint scape. Im sort of torn, do I use the large pieces of rock I have and barely have a cycle or do I build a scape with arches and such that I know I'll like. What would you do?

 

[Biff0rz]

As an example, I'm confident I could build structures like this with Marco but definitely not with the live rock I have

 

[swiss1939]

Little of both. Use the Marco rock to create interesting scape with the live rock as main pieces. Should help prevent the worst of dry rock cycling issues and will bring the critters into the dry rock faster.

 

[melanotaenia]

Try to use at least 50% weight cured live rock and you should be in good shape.

 

[schuby]

A mix! Even one piece of live rock has huge long-term value to your tank.

 

[Oscar47f]

If you have the time and patience you could make your dry rock scape and cycle it separately while you start your aquarium with the cycled rock... then once cured you install your desired aqua scale and banish the unwanted to the sump or something

 

[xxkenny90xx]

As an example, I'm confident I could build structures like this with Marco but definitely not with the live rock I have

Your not going to make this with super glue.....

 

[xxkenny90xx]

A mix! Even one piece of live rock has huge long-term value to your tank.

This! Make your structure and then throw as much live rock in as you can/want

 

[Biff0rz]

Awesome, thanks everyone. I do have some good shapes to use out of the live so I'll do a good mix of both, great idea.

 

[Biff0rz]

Your not going to make this with super glue.....

You should do more research. I'll use epoxy as well just to be sure but it for sure can be done w just thin superglue and substrate.

 

[mrpizzaface]

As an example, I'm confident I could build structures like this with Marco but definitely not with the live rock I have

I don’t understand the appeal of a scape like this. I agree it looks great now, but if the idea is to grow large coral colonies on it, will you even be able to see the structure two years from now? Will you prune the colonies to still be able to see the structure?
Ideally the corals will obscure the rock and provide the visual interest right?
I would use the live rock, and try and come up with a simple aquascape. The grown out colonies will provide plenty of visual interest.

 

[Biff0rz]

I don’t understand the appeal of a scape like this. I agree it looks great now, but if the idea is to grow large coral colonies on it, will you even be able to see the structure two years from now? Will you prune the colonies to still be able to see the structure?
Ideally the corals will obscure the rock and provide the visual interest right?
I would use the live rock, and try and come up with a simple aquascape. The grown out colonies will provide plenty of visual interest.

I have three goals. 1 - bring the scape up higher as the tank is 30" deep. The could be done with just the live rock but would likely need to rest against the back wall for support. 2 - small footprint in the substrate, even with much growth you'll see that. 3 - with more space I'll have better flow for sps.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

You should do more research. I'll use epoxy as well just to be sure but it for sure can be done w just thin superglue and substrate.

I dont need to do research on this, I've been super gluing animals to rocks for 10 years. The picture you posted shows rocks that are branching out and would fail with superglue holding all that weight imo. The video you posted (sorry I didn't watch it, no patience for YouTube) shows a structure of piled up rocks that are supporting each other with (I assume) super glue keeping them together and doesn't have superglue holding any weight. Epoxy is definitely better and cement would be even better than that.

 

[Biff0rz]

I don’t understand the appeal of a scape like this. I agree it looks great now, but if the idea is to grow large coral colonies on it, will you even be able to see the structure two years from now? Will you prune the colonies to still be able to see the structure?
Ideally the corals will obscure the rock and provide the visual interest right?
I would use the live rock, and try and come up with a simple aquascape. The grown out colonies will provide plenty of visual interest.

Here's another example - even with a ton of growth I'll have a small footprint in the substrate

 

[Biff0rz]

I dont need to do research on this, I've been super gluing animals to rocks for 10 years. The picture you posted shows rocks that are branching out and would fail with superglue holding all that weight imo. The video you posted (sorry I didn't watch it, no patience for YouTube) shows a structure of piled up rocks that are supporting each other with (I assume) super glue keeping them together and doesn't have superglue holding any weight. Epoxy is definitely better and cement would be even better than that.

They make a lot of different structures on that channel, all the same way.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

They make a lot of different structures on that channel, all the same way.

It might hold a little weight (I have my doubts) but you'll spend alot of time working in your tank over the years and it will get bumped and I don't believe it will last. If your using dry rock I see no reason not to use a superior product (cement or epoxy like you said).

Anyways just do lots of reading on it and good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[mrpizzaface]

Here's another example - even with a ton of growth I'll have a small footprint in the substrate

I see what you are saying about the footprint. This scape seems way too tall to me. I wouldn’t want the scape to be taller than half the tank height. I am sure there are some good reasons for doing a scape like this, but they always seem like someone trying to make a new tank look good now, because down the road if all goes well you won’t see any of the structure.