# Seiryu Stone and increasing KH



## Dominik_K (22 Mar 2018)

Hi all together,

I would like to use Seiryu Stone (Mini Landscape) for the first tank in my next layout. It will be about 30 - 40 kg within a 128 liter tank. On several threads in many forums I read that this stone increases the water hardness (especially KH) by a lot (approx. 0,5 to 1,0 °dKH a day). 

This made me think about a solution, even if it comes with some expenses. Most fish I like do love soft water (green neons, harlequin rasboras and so on). Is there any harm in adding a kh reducing product to the tank on daily basis in little doses to compensate for that development? Or what's your solution for that?

Thank you very much for reading,

best regards
Dominik


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## Edvet (22 Mar 2018)

Waterchanges with RO water  sounds better to me,


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## PARAGUAY (22 Mar 2018)

Its a good question like there are numerous products mag and cal combined to raise GH in particular ,in very soft or RO water to remineralisebut maybe water changes as Ed says in this  situation   is easier and best.Many members have "rock hard water" with nice aquascapes so maybe one will come in on this


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## NOWIS (22 Mar 2018)

Lots of water changes and keep co2 low


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## Tim Harrison (22 Mar 2018)

I use Seiryu Stone in most of my scapes, and it doesn't effect the water chemistry that much at all. Okay my water is pretty hard to start with but either way it doesn't have any influence on the plants I like to grow.
I wouldn't worry about it - it's not important, just concentrate on growing plants, maintain good tank husbandry and keep up with the water changes..don't whatever you do reduce CO2, that way disaster lurks.
Tap water is fine, unless you're specifically going for wild caught fish; most fish are captive bred these days and are use to it.


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## Dominik_K (22 Mar 2018)

Thank you all for your responses. After all, I guess I will go the following route:

1. Within the first weeks I will measure the GH and KH a lot and check the effects of the seiryu stone.
2. I will buy a more powerful RO unit with at least 200 GPD, making water changes with more than 50 liters not a big deal  My current 100 GPD unit is a real pain. But I found an affordable RO Unit with 400 GPD for 120 € including shipping cost. I think that will work fine.
3. If the effect of the stones is dramatic, I will change my water twice a week to reduce the parameter swings for my life stock.

I think that's the best way. I try to avoid chemicals within the tank as good as possible 

Best regards
Dominik


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## NOWIS (22 Mar 2018)

I use basalt rock now it's very cheap! Doesn't affect water chemistry and looks very natural in most scapes once the plants grow in. If your going for an iwagumi scape it may not have enough detail and random shapes though. Just  another idea, good luck! 
Sorry about the (keep co2 low) comment. U would have to run lower light etc I just meant it has an affect on dissolving some rocks if u run high co2,


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## Dominik_K (22 Mar 2018)

Thank you very much for the tip. Unfortunatly I want to use Seiryu this time  But as I am a fan of frequent rescaping with a quarantine tank in my basement, there is no harm if the try will fail. After all the replies within this forum, I will keep a closer look at the waterparameters


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## Tim Harrison (22 Mar 2018)

Still don't think you need to worry  https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/collecting-your-own-rocks-aquarium-safe.52205/#post-513965


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## ceg4048 (23 Mar 2018)

I agree with Tim. 
Much ado about nothing.
The OP is encouraged to pay attention to the things that matter such as keeping the tank clean via large weekly water changes, ensuring good flow/distribution as well as efficient CO2 technique (if CO2 is being used). Worrying about minor effects of a proven hardscape material and going through all the trouble to eliminate it would be poor husbandry.

Fish and plants care much more about clean water and high quality nutrition and they readily adapt to variations in pH, KH and GH. Stress is induced and pathogen attacks are more likely when the water is dirty from build up of organic waste - a build up which happens very quickly in a CO2 injected planted tank.

Cheers,


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## Dominik_K (24 Mar 2018)

Hi @Tim Harrison and @ceg4048 ,

thanks for your reply. While I believe you, I will still keep an eye on that  It's just the "better be safe" attitude of mine. And good tank cleaning, large water changes (weekly) and efficent CO2 injection (inline diffusor) are the basics of my tanks. But everytime I try something new, I will try to learn as much about it as possible 

Thank you for emboldening me, I will be prepered for the worst, but after all, I think it is not that bad as you might read within the internet. Aquaristics is much like illness in that regard: If you google it, you will only find the worst cases that could happen


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## Mark Grigg (11 Apr 2018)

I'm at the opposite end, my GH is 4 and KH is 2, I'm just trying some buffer I had for a Malawi tank to see if it works and I could do with a small PH increase, however does anyone had a cheap way to get my GH and KH up other than expensive store products.

Cheers.


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## Andrew Butler (11 Apr 2018)

Mark Grigg said:


> I'm at the opposite end, my GH is 4 and KH is 2


you're not using RO at all now are you?


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## Tim Harrison (11 Apr 2018)

Mark Grigg said:


> I'm at the opposite end, my GH is 4 and KH is 2, I'm just trying some buffer I had for a Malawi tank to see if it works and I could do with a small PH increase, however does anyone had a cheap way to get my GH and KH up other than expensive store products. Cheers.


This may help https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/struggling-to-get-above-0kh.43281/#post-464164


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## dw1305 (13 Apr 2018)

Hi all,





Mark Grigg said:


> however does anyone had a cheap way to get my GH and KH up other than expensive store products.


The "Oyster shell chick grit" @Tim Harrison references, it is about £3 for a kg. 

cheers Darrel


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## lucaz koh (21 Apr 2018)

Hmm, a little concerned now as I’ve gone with seiryu stone without checking my tap water parameters. Just checked on the yorkshire water website and I’ve got a GH of 14! 

Does ADA aqua soil Amazonia help with reducing GH? Or what can I do to make it softer? Looking at keeping cardinals and some orange Sakura shrimp. Thanks


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## Tim Harrison (21 Apr 2018)

I'm sure it'll be fine 
Amazonia will go some way to reducing water hardness and pH. But you really don't need to worry about either.
I've lived in hard water areas my entire life and it's never really prevented me from growing so called soft water plants or critters.
Cardinals for sale in LFS's are usually bred in the UK and so are acclimated to hard water.


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## lucaz koh (21 Apr 2018)

Tim Harrison said:


> I'm sure it'll be fine
> Amazonia will go some way to reducing water hardness and pH. But you really don't need to worry about either.
> I've lived in hard water areas my entire life and it's never really prevented me from growing so called soft water plants or critters.
> Cardinals for sale in LFS's are usually bred in the UK and so are acclimated to hard water.


Duly noted! Still awaiting my lights then I can start ordering plants. Hopefully I can get the tank running for 3-4 weeks before I go on holiday to Germany at the end of may


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## dw1305 (22 Apr 2018)

Hi all, 





lucaz koh said:


> Just checked on the yorkshire water website and I’ve got a GH of 14!


 The stone won't make the water any harder, limestone is only soluble in weak acids, so your hard water won't have any effect on it.

cheers Darrel


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