twentyleagues
2500 Club Member
Both possibly. Most transfers of sand are either avoided because of both reasons or thoroughly rinsed before transfer. Any good you do by cycling it now will most likely be undone during transfer, And its a pain.
Pre cycle rock?
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mikebusc
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So it looks like I have a problem with the LR I ordered from USLiveRock.com. I was sent only 20 lbs of my 120 lb. order. Contacted the owner and got a little run around and now the site is down. I got my CC company to give me a credit of the 500+ dollars I'm short so hopefully that credit stays after the investigation. I'm thinking about just ordering more Marco now. I was wondering how USLiveRock was making money since it cost them almost 90.00 to ship my LR direct with UPS. They'd be losing money if they shipped the other 100 lbs. I think maybe they're business model was flawed. I don't think it was a direct scam otherwise I wouldn't have received any rock. Any other suggestions besides Marco?
mfinn
likes zoanthids
I am not familiar with USLiveRock, so I can't say one way or the other.
I would use any other rock beside marco rock.
I used Real Reef ( it's a brand of man made rock) on my last 2 tanks. One about 9 years ago and the other 6 years ago and I've been very happy with it. Nice shapes. Comes with some bacteria already on it. ( at least mine did).
There also Tampa Bay rock.
mfinn
likes zoanthids
IDK, maybe just so white, so many broken pieces. A lot of it looks like the next piece.
twentyleagues
2500 Club Member
ehh a hammer, chisel, super glue and rock powder covers part of that. It is WHITE though.
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mikebusc
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So it seems my rock is cycled. Again I'm cycling in big vats to get a head start when I finally fill my tank. My question is now that it's cycled if I don't keep adding ammonium chloride (or another ammonia source) will the nitrifying bacteria die? I may not be ready until another month or so.
mfinn
likes zoanthids
I'd just toss in a few cubes of frozen fish food every few days.
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mikebusc
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Thanks for the reply. Reason because the bacteria will die if not? And I would need to cycle all over again?
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mikebusc
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I did wind up getting Real Reef rock and mixing with the USLiveRock and some Marco Coralline rock. I'm very happy with the Real Reef rock.
mfinn
likes zoanthids
Probably won't die completely, but will diminish.
Just add a little food for them.
twentyleagues
2500 Club Member
The food route is one way to go, or you can dose small amounts of ammonia weekly. I like ammonia dosing just for the simple fact that you dont have junk rotting in there. A little fish food like reef roids or a few pellets will help increase po4 but again youve got stuff rotting. There are additives that will increase po4 that are not going to add detritus to your rock also. Phosphate is needed for bacteria to grow and consume ammonia and nitrite. The ammonia feeds should have some po4 but I noticed a decrease in time of the bacteria growth when adding a phosphate source.
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It is pure aragonite… It is only white until it gets covered in life, like any other aragonite. Most “live rock” is aragonite.
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mikebusc
Active Member
Yes, I do have bottled ammonium chloride that I’ve used to initially cycle.
mfinn
likes zoanthids
either way will work.
Yes it will rot, but that's what makes the ammonia.
A couple cubes is nothing compared to years of adding food for fish.
Just whatever floats your boat.
mfinn
likes zoanthids
Yes, that is obvious. I never said it wasn't.
I simply said it's very white. I think it's very ugly.
Having set tanks up with it, I see how it looks and don't like it compared to other sources of rock.
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But it (and most "reef rock") is white. It is aragonite...you know dead coral and calcareous organisms. You don't have a lot of choices, so what is ugly? The structure of the rock? We don't typically use volcanic (igneous), metamorphic, or pre carboniferous sedimentary (limestone, sandstone and similar conglomerates with silica, iron oxides, etc.) in captive reefs. So most everything taken out of the tank and cleaned of life is "ugly" white, because it is aragonite.
You can't look in my tank (or any for that matter) that is anywhere close to mature and pick out the "marco" rocks by color and likely not by shape or structure. I can tell some of the fiji rock pieces by weight, but not really bo look either. I can pick out the tonga branch... well because it is branching coral (white when cleaned) etc.
Can you tell me in this photo what is "marco", "fiji" or "Jakarta"?
mfinn
likes zoanthids
You can argue your point all you want. It seems to be your thing.
I just simply said I don't like marco rock because of the shape and the very white color.
In my 40 years of being in the hobby, marco rock is IMO the most unattractive rock compared to all of the south pacific rock that used to be around in the hobby.
Some of it still is.
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Hi - no need for personal attacks or insults.
Kindly, as it is "my thing" is being bewildered by "opinion" that is not supported by the facts at hand.
In this case, your "reasoning" for not liking "Marco Rock" just makes very little sense given the reality that the predominate rock used in this hobby is all comprised of aragonite and "white"... Pretty much the same "white" because it is all the same stuff, coral skeleton and calciferous remains of sea life. As the prior post pointed out there is very little "other" rock used. So you can attack me and tell me that I argue or whatever, but your statement just doesn't make sense.
Honesty, what is the "shape" you refer to. It does not come in a "shape". Are you referring to the porous structure? If so how does that differ from rock from any of the other oceans or reefs that is porous? Do you just not like porous rock, in favor of something like Tonga Branch or some of the very dense Fiji rock (not all of it is that dense, just some collection areas).
Respectfully, I just posted a photo with (4) different types of rock in it, including south pacific rock from "back in the day" and you can't pick out the "marco rock" , because it is NOT "white" and does not have a "shape".
Honestly coming from somebody with "40 years of being in the hobby" that should know that most of our rock is the same "white" under the patina of life, sure seem like an odd hill to die on unless "arguing" is "your thing".
