[Ganrin]

Hi everyone, Im getting back into the aquarium hobby after a 6ish year break, and I have a few questions about getting resetup and what, if anything has changed in 6 years. I have a 75g tank that ill be picking up tomorrow, and I own a largish trickle filter, an old light fixture and some other odds and ends of equipment.

The plan has been to start the tank with a mix of aragmax/live sand, and some live rock, and use the trickle filter(yes I understand they are nitrate traps). Once the tank is cycled then to run it as a fish only with reef safe fish until such time as the lighting, and lack of rockwork can be corrected to switch over to a full reef, removing the bio balls from the filter at that time.

Equipment will be: 75g tank with overflow box to wet/dry tricklefilter-sump, DIY protien skimmer, 2 x 175w metalhalide lights (will need to rebuild canopy for 48" tank) current bulbs are old and the spectrum is shot, but I was planning to use them on the fish only set up as is until I can do a bulb replacement and maybe add some actinics.

Questions:
1. Would I be better off not using filter media at all, and if so would a 45lb box of live rock plus an inch or so of mixed aragamax/aragalive sand be enough bio filter (with skimmer) to handle the tank fish only until more rockwork could be added.

1a. I found Marcorocks tonight, he sells dry fiji rock, I cant see any reason why his rock wouldnt recolonize over time and become very clean live rock. Does anyone have any experience with his product or a strong feeling one way or the other on it, It looks to be a cheap way to put a high volume of rock in the tank quicker.

2. Will using the old halides while the tank is set up fish only be inviting issues for later? At this point they are noticeably dimmer and putting out more yellowish light than new bulbs would be, will this cause major algae issues?

[glampka]

In answer to your questions:
1. If I were doing it I would use the LR & at least 3 - 4 inches of sand. I would also start off not using the bioballs & would put LR rubble in the wet/dry. Also keep the bioload from the fish low.
2. There is no reason why you couldn't use this rock provided you have some regular LR in the tank as well to help colonize it. The "dead" rock will become live rock in about 60 - 90 days depending on how much live rock you have with it.
3. By not having the proper spectrum of light you will be opening yourself up to problems.

[robe25m]

I love and use marcorocks! I have a few boxes now that I will add LR too for my new 120gallon.

In my 30g tank I started with dry rock, took about 6 months to fully become live with everything growing wildly off it...I assume it goes bio-live much quicker..

[Ganrin]

Just received my Marco rocks, its incredible stuff. There are 2 large pieces that id guess are close to the largest chunks of fiji I've ever seen. (I am new back in the hobby but worked at a saltwater wholesaler, ive unpacked 40+boxes of live rock at a time in the past).

I only have one problem now, I think when I get a box of live rock I'm going to have to pick out some of the Marco to leave out of the tank or I wont have room for fish. The Marco really is close to 1.5lbs dry = to 1lb wet by volume. If I go with a full stack of Marco plus a 50lb box of Fiji live the tank will look like I have 125lbs of Fiji in it and wont give me much room for aquascaping.

[Scubamike]

What would be a good mix between Marco rocks and live rock? 60/40, 70/30? I'm going to be upgrading to a larger tank and the LR is one of the bigger expenses so this might be an option to help. I'm looking at a 90g tank and believe 90 to 100 lbs of live rock to be minimum.

[glampka]

Usually 50/50 is a good blend but 60/40 (Marco/live) would be ok as well. The less live rock you have the longer it takes to populate it.

[Ganrin]

I bought a 50lb box of Marco for my 75 and I'm going to have to leave some of it out when do my stack with live rock. My feeling is that 50lbs of Marco is filling close to the volume of 75-80lbs of similar live. The rock is siginificantly lighter when totally dried out.

[WILLIAM1]

I purchased a 150 lbs of rock from marcorocks when I set up my tank. It was a great deal and saved alot of money.
I have a 90 gallon and used most of the rock for aquascaping I also went to the LFS and picked up 25lbs of LR since I was cycling my tank I didnt need to cure the rock from marcos in any tubs or anything just set it up and cured it while cycling.
The rock arrived in great condition huge pieces no joke huge.
after months it was well colonized from the LR. 6 months almost fully covered in coraline algea.
Heres a couple of pics of the tank.
(THIS ROCK SHOULD BE CURED BEFORE ENTERING AN ESTABLISHED TANK LIKE MOST DEAD DRY ROCK)

Shot with E3100 at 2007-07-27

Shot with E3100 at 2007-07-27

Shot with E3100 at 2007-07-27

[Ganrin]

I received my RO/DI unit today, getting closer to actually having water in the tank.