Seiryu Alkaline Effect

[FishOwner]

I just got some Seiryu stone (or at least I think it's Seiryu) from Petco to put into my tank. As I was learning how to use it, I came across a few articles saying it was very alkalizing. My water is already quite hard (kH and gH are high). Is there anything I can do? I keep neon tetras and cherry shrimp.

P.S. RO water is not really an option since the nearest place that sells it is a half-hour drive away.

Edit: The bag I got the stones in says the rocks won't change the pH much. The website says the same thing. Is this believable? Vinegar test gives off a lot of bubbling.

[charliebankston]

Seiryu Stone, a metamorphic rock, is a bit troublesome because it has a strong effect on the pH of aquariums. To be precise, it contains calcium carbonate, both of which impact the GH (Calcium/Magnesium concentration) and KH (carbonate concentration) of an aquarium. From- Buildyouraquarium.com

[charliebankston]

What’s the Difference between Ryuoh and Seiryu?

This question comes up a lot in forums. Because of the banned exportation of Seiryu stone from Japan, the Ryuoh stone has become the new frontrunner in the aquascaping world outside of Japan. Although Ryuoh stones have a lot more crevices and edges, the Seiryu stone is known for its blueish hue with pure white veins. People tend to mis-classify these because of the same characteristics but the bottom line is if the stone is not blue, it’s probably not a Seiryu stone. From-Redcherryshrimp.net

[charliebankston]

Specs for Ryuoh Stone

Ryuoh Stones are limestones that are believed to have come from Japan. They are a metamorphic type of rock, so they will raise your pH over time. Either get some*ADA Amazonia Aquasoil, driftwood, or hopefully have soft water to counteract this. Because of this, I wouldn’t recommend anything like Crystal Red Shrimp or more sensitive type of shrimp unless you are experienced in shrimp keeping.

Type:*Metamorphic Rock

pH: Likely to Rise

gH:*Likely to Rise

kH:*Likely to Rise

Shrimp Safe:*Red Cherry Shrimp, Ghost/Glass Shrimp, Amano Shrimp, Rili Shrimp


From-Redcherryshrimp.net

[FishOwner]

I ended up returning the Ryuoh stone (not blue) and got some Dragon (Ohko) stone instead. Looks very good on my new scape .

I have a ton of Anubias afzelli and nana, but no other plants. Do you know any good foreground plants that go with well Dragon Stone?