# Unzan Stone UK?



## adamt4050 (30 May 2013)

Hi, does anyone know where or how to get ADA Unzan stone in the UK?​People have suggested black lava rock, but it doesn't have the same shape or texture even.​​_Thanks,_​_Adam_​


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## Stu Worrall (30 May 2013)

Nobody is stocking yet as far as I know as its hugely expensive to import


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## adamt4050 (30 May 2013)

oh that's a shame, any suggestions on a similar rock. Something i can plant HC on?


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## Yo-han (30 May 2013)

Some black lava rock has a similar structure, except for the holes, those are carved in there by hand.


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## adamt4050 (30 May 2013)

okay, i wasn't aware that the holes were carved in by hand. Ill have to see what i can do myself


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## Yo-han (30 May 2013)

Good luck! Posts some pictures when you are done


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## tim (30 May 2013)

Had a go at carving some lava rock, one sore thumb and a blunt chisel later gave up  very interested in how this goes mate.


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## Andy Thurston (30 May 2013)

Use a masonry drill to remove the bulk then finish off with chisel and wear goggles and a glove


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## adamt4050 (30 May 2013)

haha so am I Tim.
Thanks for the advice Big Clown, ill be sure to share my success or failure when im done.
hopefully getting some lava rock tomorrow, or sometime over the weekend ill keep you posted.


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## Andy Thurston (30 May 2013)

Put it in diy forum itll be interesting to see how well it works. Try small rock first careful with drill because iregular objects are hard to hold. The last thing you want is a rock spinning round in your hand


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## Stu Worrall (31 May 2013)

ive just been using a Stihl saw last week cutting some black lava in half for my nano


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## adamt4050 (1 Jun 2013)

any photos Stu? Unfortunatley i wasnt able to get hold of any lava rock that i liked. Any online shops you could sugguest?


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## Stu Worrall (1 Jun 2013)

not yet sorry as ive still to put it together but will pop up a journal when I do.  Ive really struggled with black lava as the best type is the stuff thats really gnarly and not just boring round stuff.  Ive not found any of this type online.

I got mine from a local quarry from a random basket of the stuff.  I kicked my self on that one as I saw it there and it was massive, like big twisted bits 100cm across but I had no money on me.  When I went back a landscape gardener had snaffled the lot and I got the few last stones that were left !


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## adamt4050 (1 Jun 2013)

okay ill keep my eyes peeled for that jounal. My experience online have resulted in some pretty boring rocks haha, but i thought id ask anyway.
oh no way, ill have to check my local quarry tomorrow and remember to bring some money with me


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## Piece-of-fish (2 Jun 2013)

+1 cheap black lava rock handcarved to your imagination. Done it before with great result with just a screwdriver. Even if you dont get a huge piece it is possible to combine several average ones.
Of course you can pay 10 times more for it to have a name UNZAN and a MANUAL 
A rock with a manual that is... A manual  for a rock.


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## adamt4050 (2 Jun 2013)

well i have often left rocks sat on my kitchen not knowing what to do with them. A manual explaining how to use a rock, how to turn it on and off would be really helpful haha


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## Stu Worrall (3 Jun 2013)

Lol! Do you really get a manual?


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## plantbrain (5 Jun 2013)

Actually a hole saw works well to make the general hole shape, then you can nip off the remaining without FRACTURING the rest of the piece.
 Say a 3-4-6-8 cm hole saw sizes, you drill into the lava and chose the longer shapes if you want to mimic the Unzan look. Smaller but deeper holes are nicer IME.


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## Piece-of-fish (5 Jun 2013)

stuworrall said:


> Lol! Do you really get a manual?


Yes, seen a picture from Jurij on facebook


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## stu_ (5 Jun 2013)

No self respecting bloke ever the reads the manual


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## plantbrain (6 Jun 2013)

A manual for lava rock? Damn...........unforgivable.


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## Stu Worrall (6 Jun 2013)

its says...

Pick up rock
Put in Tank (Ensure it is placed in position favoured by mr amano or lightning shall strike you down on the 13th day of the month)


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## Ian Holdich (6 Jun 2013)

And grate some moss on it, a bit like cheese.


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## plantbrain (7 Jun 2013)

Ian Holdich said:


> And grate some moss on it, a bit like cheese.


 

Okay, the cheese is what sold me


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## tim (6 Aug 2013)

I had some progress with splitting my chunk of lava rock today went back to the hammer method AND ( health and safety close eyes ) an old meat cleaver, this is what I've come up with so far,




If it progresses further ill surely stick up another journal  could still do with some carving/ shaping but so far so good.


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## adamt4050 (6 Aug 2013)

That looks great to me Tim. Haha i think you should wear a hard hat, hi vis jacket and chainmail gloves next time - just to keep the health and safety nuts at bay!

I do think with a little more sculpting it would look brilliant, especially if you had some HC or moss creeping over the rocks. Cant wait to see more.


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## tim (6 Aug 2013)

Ha ha thanks Adam, I have to be honest it hurt my bloody shoulder cutting through it all, I tried a chisel not good, hammer on its own turns to dust, hacksaw worked ok but too clean and time consuming, jigsaw various blades all now blunt lol strangely enough my old meat cleaver now feels sharper after chopping this up  if this ever does get planted I have an idea to try ( big ask) and rip off amanos sumida grasslands aquarium ish type scape keeping the scale with planting will be hard but plenty of mosses dwarf riccia etc may pull it off


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## Gill (7 Aug 2013)

Of topic, but there is a new sumida scape - looks stunning


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## Ady34 (7 Aug 2013)

tim said:


> I had some progress with splitting my chunk of lava rock today went back to the hammer method AND ( health and safety close eyes ) an old meat cleaver, this is what I've come up with so far,
> 
> 
> 
> If it progresses further ill surely stick up another journal  could still do with some carving/ shaping but so far so good.


 
Looks great Tim, works really well with the dark substrate. I particularly like the centre stack  
Need to journal it 
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## Samjpikey (7 Aug 2013)

Hey 
Where can you get big chunks of lava rock  like that ??
 Cheers 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Andy Thurston (7 Aug 2013)

Black Lava Rock - Freshwatershrimp


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## tim (7 Aug 2013)

Ady34 said:


> Looks great Tim, works really well with the dark substrate. I particularly like the centre stack
> Need to journal it
> Cheerio,
> Ady.


Thanks ady needs a lot of tweaking and a few more things collecting before it is journal worthy 


Samjpikey said:


> Hey
> Where can you get big chunks of lava rock  like that ??
> Cheers
> 
> ...


Hi Sam, these are only small biggest piece about 12cm high I found a large piece in lfs which I chopped up.


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## Gill (7 Aug 2013)

I would also suggest checking with reptile centres as they tend to get in larger peices


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## plantbrain (11 Aug 2013)

Any landscaping supply places also.


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