# Japanese style rock



## AQUAMX (Jan 24, 2005)

Hi 

Ive been keeping plants for some time now and would like to take the next step into aquascaping. I've been feeling very creative of late and feel it might be time to try something a little more serious. I've been reading Japanese garden books gaining ideas aswell as getting inspired from sites such as this.

The question id like to ask is what type of rock do artists such as Dave Chow use in their aquascapes? I initialy beleived i had found a similar rock at one of the larger garden centres near me. I enquired about the rocks labelled as 'bonsai garden rock' and found out it was infact japanese limestone from japan. It was beautiful in color(black-darkblue) and i thought id hit the right type.

Trouble is i was told it can alter my p.h levels. This would be fine in an african cichlid tank but will it affect the water in my planted display? Being in Australia there is many rock types sure, but as usual im having trouble finding the ones that seem only on the other side of the world.

Obviously using a limited number of feature rocks may not sound so bad, but id love someone with more knowledge on this to help me out. Or maybe i have the wrong type of rock completely?

Cheers and thank you in advance

Brad


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

Brad,

It could very well be the same stone. Often the stones the Japanese aquascapers use do alter the pH. Personally, I prefer to use slate if I can find it. It's nice and inert and can be easily broken into all sorts of cool pieces.


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

Amano himself uses that stone (limestone whatever) in some of his scapes. I think it iwas in a TAG article where he talked about it. He justified the use with the acidic substrate and frequent water changes to balance it out.


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## AQUAMX (Jan 24, 2005)

Thanks guys

I am using aquasoil in this tank so maybe i shall see if it does infact balance it out. Im aware, having used aquasoil a couple of times, that it softens the water a bit. I guess the substrate would most likely overcome the limestone.

I guess i shall see.

Would still love to hear from anyone who is actually doing, or perhaps done it as im scared of having to strip the tank once complete.

Thanks guys

Brad


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## erik Loza (Feb 6, 2006)

Can you not find some interesting rocks locally? Pretty much anything igneous won't alter pH. Couldn't tell you the last time I paid for a rock. Good luck...


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## AQUAMX (Jan 24, 2005)

There are a few types of rock local to me. Mostly clay types that are no good for plant tanks as they leech excess nutrients into the water column making the water to hard to manage without algea.

Despite this fact it is illegal to collect rock, wood etc in our state. Environmental reasons i guess here in Australia may differ to yours.

As im after a certain rock to obtain a certain look, i am not really satisfied using a cheap imitation that may look 'similar'. If japanese limestone is what the guys are using, then im more than happy to hand over a few dollars for a few pieces to obtain a professional result.

Cheers guys


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## gabeszone (Jan 22, 2006)

Most of the rocks they use in Japan come from China. All the rocks used in the ADA books are from China. I live in Japan if you would like I can send you some picture of Japanse rocks from the mountains also have lot of lava rocks.


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## AQUAMX (Jan 24, 2005)

That would be awesome if you could do that. Hopefully i can find something similar localy.

Much appreciated and thank you for your offer.

Brad


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## pritch33 (Apr 11, 2005)

hey Brad fancy bumping into you here 
not sure if it will alter your water but have you thought of granite not sure where to get some in its natural state but i think it would give the effect your looking for maybe try someone who does gravestone and monuments i know there are several near me and im sure they would have plenty of fragments from cutting pieces 
also blustone would give a nice look cheap to buy about 3-5 dollars just need to break it up a little 

Ray
ps hows your tanks going


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## AQUAMX (Jan 24, 2005)

Hi Ray hows it going.

Would you be able to pm me the locality of these places. Maybe sounds like the way to go. Kyril also told me to check out a similar place.

Do you think the bluestone would alter the p.h?

Thanks

Brad


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## pritch33 (Apr 11, 2005)

i would think blustone would be more stable than granit i will have a talk to the sales guys at work about the granit as we sell them sand blasting eqiupment for etching the granit 

Ray


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## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

Granite is about as inert as it gets.


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