# What type of rock is this?



## Emyr (20 Jan 2012)

I have seen this rock a fair bit, especially in ADA tanks and would really like some. Can someone tell me what type of rock it is? It is really nice and dark with white veins through it. I was wondering if it is ADA Ryuoh Stone.

Thanks.


----------



## Piece-of-fish (20 Jan 2012)

Yes you guessed it right. Also called mini landscape.


----------



## Emyr (20 Jan 2012)

I knew someone would say that its mini landscape rock, It is not though. I have a lot of mini landscape rock, also referred to by ADA as Seiryu Stone. Then there is also ADA Ryuoh stone which I think it might be? mini landscape rock is a light grey with white veins, this is much darker grey and stands out more. Maybe this isnt a perfect photo of it, will find another.

Maybe it is leopard stone, mentioned in this post, if it is, where could I get hold of some?

http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=350


----------



## Mark Evans (20 Jan 2012)

Emyr said:
			
		

> I knew someone would say that its mini landscape rock, It is not though. I have a lot of mini landscape rock, also referred to by ADA as Seiryu Stone. Then there is also ADA Ryuoh stone which I think it might be? mini landscape rock is a light grey with white veins, this is much darker grey and stands out more. Maybe this isnt a perfect photo of it, will find another.



No. It's definitely mini landscape rock AKA seryu stone.


----------



## Emyr (20 Jan 2012)

The photo is not a good one of it. Im going to order some ADA Ryuoh stone to see what its like.

Would still love to know where you can get that leopard stone from though.


----------



## J Butler (20 Jan 2012)

Hey Emyr,

Initially I was going to hop on the band wagon and cry Seiryu stone also, however I think you may be right with your Ryuoh hunch. Take a look at the following TFH article   
Aquascaping with Ryuoh-seki stones

A little more here:
Expressing a Sense of Depth Using Ryuoh Stones and Stem Plants

So I think the Seiryu and Ryuoh are pretty similar, it's just that Ryuoh are more angular in their shape.

As for the Leopard stone, George mentioned it was from Aquaessentials at the start of that topic, they call it Baltic stone however. It seems to vary quite a bit in grey hue though so if you were to get some, I'd specify the kind of colour you were looking for.
Baltic rock

Hope that helps.


----------



## Mark Evans (20 Jan 2012)

Guys, the 2 names are for the same stone. Thats all. 

It's the same rock.

Google both names, and you'll see what i mean.


----------



## Stu Worrall (20 Jan 2012)

TGM do market them as different stones though.  I've seen the different buckets and whilst similar they do look different?

heres from tgm website (they are different prices too)



> ADA Ryuoh Stone is a new layout/hardscape material from ADA. It is similar to ADA Seiryu stone in that it has a blue-silver colour and an interesting form, but Ryuoh has a bolder, stronger form than Seiryu: it has a more stoic and solid silhouette and character than Seiryu stone.
> 
> ADA Ryuoh Stone also has a lighter, more varied colour than Seiryu Stone



BUT, the stone in those pictures is really blue which goes against the whiter colour of the Ryouh?  all very confusing!


----------



## Emyr (20 Jan 2012)

Thanks Joe. I knew everyones first reaction would be "yeh its mini landscape rock"   ......  

Wanted more of a discussion, because I questioned it the same as you are now, it is a little confusing. 

It is obviously not the same rock otherwise they wouldn't bother calling them different things or setting them at different prices. 

I think what I might do it order a sample of each of the different stones otherwise I am going to be wondering which one to use and which is which etc, as I love rock anyway so will end up using it all at some point. I will then start another post with different types of aquascaping rocks, Could see that being quite helpful to people.

Thanks for the inputs.


----------



## SuperWen (21 Jan 2012)

Whatever the market name, ryuoh, seiryu, etc... As a geologist, it still "metamorphic grey limestone" to me


----------



## Romeo (11 Jun 2020)

W


SuperWen said:


> Whatever the market name, ryuoh, seiryu, etc... As a geologist, it still "metamorphic grey limestone" to me


When did carbonated limestone become metamorphic? If I am wrong, and then all the literature is wrong, but isn’t it a sedimentary rock?


----------



## dw1305 (11 Jun 2020)

Hi all, 





Romeo said:


> When did carbonated limestone become metamorphic?  If I am wrong, and then all the literature is wrong, but isn’t it a sedimentary rock?


No, you are right.  Limestone that has undergone metamorphosis is "marble".

I  think it maybe metamorphic and that would be because of the veins, if they are quartz, then silicon dioxide (SiO2) must have flowed (as a liquid) into the country rock under conditions of high temperature and pressure, which would make the limestone a "marble".  If the veins are calcite (crystalline CaCO3) then they would have formed at low temperatures and it would still be a limestone.

I've never seen the rock "in the flesh", but I think the veins look more like quartz, some-one will know.

cheers Darrel


----------



## Stu Worrall (11 Jun 2020)

Holy thread resurrection batman!


----------



## dw1305 (11 Jun 2020)

Hi all, 





dw1305 said:


> some-one will know.


Google did, a reputable forum says <"they are calcite">.

cheers Darrel


----------



## Tim Harrison (11 Jun 2020)

Metamorphism occurs over a wide range of temperatures and pressures. The least metamorphosed rocks form a continuum with diagenesis and at the highest grade metamorphism is terminated when the rock melts to form magma.

I've seen this continuum walking over limestone pavement, so it is possible that Seiryu and Ryuoh, or whatever you want to call it, has it's origins somewhere along this continuum too.

I think there might have been a discernible difference between Seiryu and Ryuoh a while back. Seiryu was from Japan but both are very similar either way. Seiryu hasn't been available for export from Japan in over a decade. Most imports of similar rock are apparently from China now.


----------



## zozo (11 Jun 2020)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolomite_(rock)



I remember a ukaps thread/scape (with a cave) that used this kind of rock, it was stones from the Carpathian Mountains (Ukraine I guess) It looks fairly similar to  ADA  Seiryu Stone... If I remember correctly it was referred to as Carpathian Manten stone but that was just a fancy fantasy name.

There is a Facebook group called "Ancient stone" from eastern Europe and they offer complete scapes with this stone for sale.

Thus not from Japan but from Europe... I guess doing an extensive search you still might find other sellers... This mountain range is divided over 6 more countries. Itali also has the Dolomites mountains...


----------



## Romeo (16 Jun 2020)

It’s a clastic sedimentary rock consisting of carbonated limestone and Calcite.

It’s not metamorphic at all.

On a side note, how many people treat it with muriatic acid to darken it and being out the veins?

I didn’t realise that’s what most sellers do - and then advertise it as dark Seiryu for a premium price.

Also, laugh at the arguments whether Seiryu and ryuoh are the same, different or whatever.  If Seiryu is in fact different, and no longer allowed to be exported, every retailer should be sued for false advertising...


----------



## Tim Harrison (17 Jun 2020)

Romeo said:


> It’s a clastic sedimentary rock consisting of carbonated limestone and Calcite.


I thought clastic rocks are composed of fragments or clasts of pre-existing minerals, rock, shell fragments, and bioclastic grains etc ?
Most, if not all, Seiryu/Ryuoh I have appears totally crystalline throughout and splits with a pretty uninspiring semi-conchoidal fracture.


----------

