# Seiryu rock



## Fisher2007 (5 Sep 2019)

So still planning my new tank (hopefully 3 or 4 weeks away now!)

The plan is to go mainly wood (redmoor or manzanita) with a few pieces of rock to compliment.  I like the look of Seiryu rock but have never used it.  From what I've seen it can influence water parameters but most of what I've read suggests by a margin that is minimal - is that correct?

My tank will be approx. 220 litres and I plan to only use 5-10kgs ma

Thanks


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## NOWIS (5 Sep 2019)

Hi seiryu stone will have a large affect on kh/gh if you have soft water and or are using co2. not all seiryu stone is the same. Don’t use a ph controller to control your co2 and do weekly water changes and it should be fine.


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## Fisher2007 (5 Sep 2019)

Mmm, ok, thanks.  Not sure I want to have the messing around. Any similar looking rock that won't affect water parameters (or at least if it does it will be minimal)


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## alto (5 Sep 2019)

I use Seiryu stone with very soft tap water (KH 0-1, GH 1-2, pH 6 - 6.4) and even after almost 3 months of no water changes (just top ups for evaporation), tank parameters were KH 0-1, GH 1-2, pH 6
(I also had a wood hardscape tank that displayed similar parameters)

There were 40-50kg Seiryu stone in a 90x 45 x 55cm tank

I’m not the only person to have observed this apparent “non-effect” ..... when ADA Seiryu Stone hit the US market years back, there was much conjecture on US planted tank forums, most people assumed the stone MUST alter water parameters, the few that measured, reported little effect

It was also very common to acid wash the stone to bring out the contrast colours in the rock at the time; something I also do as the “Seiryu” stone locally available is filthy (I spray to remove loose debris, bleach to remove staining etc, spray, acid bath (I use 7-10% vinegar which requires overnight soaking but doesn’t release toxic fumes nor is subject to ‘strong acid’ disposal considerations)

Once in the aquarium, the stone quickly acquires a biofilm layer, and later some green algae (ranging from barely visible to definite green cast - especially notable on any white veins) ... both of these micro-layers will limit dissolution of the stone into the soft, acidic water (this process is much much slower in hard, alkaline water)

There are very soft limestone rocks, marine/reef sands etc that can impact water parameters significantly and quite quickly - though again this is a temperature, pH, & GH dependent process


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## Jayefc1 (7 Sep 2019)

I've used. Loy of sirya stone with no issues at all it's probably the most popular rock in the UK
Cheers
Jay


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## NOWIS (7 Sep 2019)

I have to try this stone again. Last time it raised  my kh from 3 to about 15 (api test) in a 700l aquarium with about 20kg of stone.
 It was the Japanese stone with minimal white lines on it but it fizzed like crazy with an acid test.
In Australia now I think most of the seiryu stone comes from China and some has a lot more white calcium deposits on it which would have a large affect on kh gh ph. 
But so many people use it with little affect there must be a large range of different stone

New aqua soil will generally counteract any kh rise
Im not to sure how biofilm would stop calcium carbonate dissolving from seiryu stone but I have heard a few people say this?


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## Tim Harrison (8 Sep 2019)

I don't think it makes much in the way of any significant difference. Essentially, they are all limestone, and folk will have had different experiences because some rocks will be harder than others depending on where they are from and local geology. The harder the rock the less prone it will be to dissolution. And maybe because of differing water chemistry; the more acid the water the greater the potential dissolution.

It's an interesting concept to think that biofilm and algae can perhaps limit dissolution but I'm not convinced. If anything I think microbial activity will be more likely to increase it. For instance, endoliths can feed on traces of minerals from rocks and may metabolise them directly or excrete acid to dissolve them first.


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## alto (9 Sep 2019)

Tim Harrison said:


> It's an interesting concept to think that biofilm and algae can perhaps limit dissolution but I'm not convinced.


When I rescaped my 3 month long no-water-changes tank, the Seiryu stone had a noticeable layer a few mm thick that seemed resistant to rinsing tap water, but loosened with a stiff bristled brush 
I ended up repeating the bleach and vinegar soaks as that was easier 

I had expected a _some_ KH/GH/pH effects from that amount of Seiryu stone (and no water changes)


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## Ady34 (14 Sep 2019)

Yep again I’m unsure as to the effect Seiryu has on water chemistry. I’m using lots currently and have used lots in the past in a soft water area with co2 injection and all the tank inhabitants seem unaffected. Large weekly water changes seem to negate any effects, however I don’t test as I don’t fully trust the accuracy of off the shelf test kits.


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