Can anyone answer this ? on dry Marco Rock?

[jdeb101]

I purchased some Marco Rock from Jays Aquatics a few years ago and never used it. It was the dry rock and pretty sure never was live. I will be using it in new tank and wondering if I will be ok with just giving it a good rinse in RO water?

TIA

 

[JohnK]

Can you post a pic of it? Marc used to have figi dry rock that did need time to cure due to dead matter stick in and on the rock. Marc's newer rock is mined and generally doesn't need curing. They are both nice, but it's pretty easy to tell one from the other at a glance.

 

[stingythingy45]

That should be fine.
One time I dropped a bunch of marco after hosing it off into my sump to become live, and had no issues.

 

[jdeb101]

Here's some pics:
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/t1mje8nidt8xoal/j7Wha2c9FX
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/ljdczf6229w4d0p/PWk1O6sE4g

 

[JohnK]

I'm pretty sure that's the newer, mined rock that should be OK to drop right in. I say that based on the color and shape. The old figi looked slightly more natural in shape, and the color would be less tan and more mixed white/grey/dead coralline.

 

[s_kelley]

That looks like the mined stuff like John said, it would look different it it was dried live rock

 

[jdeb101]

Ok, I thought so but wanted to check. Thanks guys!

 

[Marshall O]

I would still rinse it off though! I have always rinsed my dry rock off before adding. You will find you will have a little slurry where you rinse it, which would otherwise be in your tank. I would just use tap water though. No reason to use RO.

 

[Oceangirl2009]

I recently did this, I just rinsed and placed right in my display and it has been fine.

 

[jdeb101]

Thanks all! My nano's should come alive soon enough!

 

[jdeb101]

A fellow BRS member informed me that this rock has been known to leach Phosphates. I'm getting read to throw it in my work desktop pico tank and jw would I be alright? If it does leach phoshates is that something I can easily control running a phosphate pad?

 

[Marshall O]

If it is the mined dry rock as already thought to be, then no, you will not have any leaching issues.

 

[frank180reef]

Where is the rock mined from?

 

[lex_lutha111384]

Florida Keys

 

[JohnK]

The mined rock is ancient rock found in inland quary(s) in Fl. It should be clean and good to drop right in after a quick rinse.

Back in the day when it was still allowed to be imported Marc used to collect dry rock in figi, and that would have a good amount of dead matter stuck in and on it. This rock would need to be cooked to essentially rot out all of that dead crud. (not to be confused with rock that has been in an aquarium for a long time and phosphate has become bound to the actual rock surface that will leach out - this stuff requires an acid soak to dissolve the outer layer of the rock itself)

Going by the pics you posed earlier, your rock definately looks like the mined rock. Chances are whoever you talked to was thinking you had the old figi rock.

 

[jdeb101]

Great, thank you all and thanks John for the thorough explanation.