# Seiryu rocks or black lava rocks? Ebay question HELP.



## manami (Feb 4, 2012)

Hello!

Im liking the rocks im seeing on other people's aquarium and I would like to add some rocks to my tank as well. But I keep reading here and there that some rocks (and maybe seiryu rocks?) can effect the PH and raise it up. Then I read that lava rocks are similar looking to seiryu rocks and don't cause the PH to rise up...is that true?

I saw at the petco website that they sell "black lava rocks" and I saw yesterday at petco some rocks that I think are lava rocks in black...are those safe to use for the fish? The lava rocks?
Should I get those instead of seiryu rocks?

I was thinking of buying Seiryu rocks on ebay. But I don't understand the description of the seiryu rocks. For example, I saw that they sell the rocks depending on the weight of the rocks. I saw one that weight for 5lb and some weight 10-15 and cost more. But are they sending you one stone that weight 10 lbs only? Or are they selling 10 lbs of many seiryu rocks? I'm confused because of this = /.

Please help me and thanks!


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Lava rock is inert BUT it will *SHRED *betta fins-do not put it in a betta tank. I've read that seiryu will effect pH and hardness but i don't know to what degree/severity. No comment on the sellers, have to read their description carefully or ask them to clarify. Most seiryu can also shred betta fins so I'd stay away from it.


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## manami (Feb 4, 2012)

Oh no. The rocks it's only for my 40g breeder community tank. No betta will live there.


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

Lava rocks will help contribute to denitrifcation and won't mess with your water chemistry. They are also good to tie plants to.


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## manami (Feb 4, 2012)

Ok. So...the lava rocks at petco real? I saw them and they had some really nice looking rocks. I'm thinking of getting some.

How much weight or how many lava rocks can I add without giving it too much weight? I'm already adding 60 lb of substrate and sand = /.

and I'm still looking for some malaysian driftwoods to get for my big tank.


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## Kaxen (Mar 3, 2013)

I have the red lava rock from Petco, it's a rock and not painted plastic. It's been doing fine in my community tank.


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

Lava rocks are porous and pretty light so you would probably get away with more than if use were using a super dense rock like granite. I would actually be more concerned with stacking the rocks. If you have any diggers they can cause an avalanche and end up cracking the aquarium and possibly injuring or killing themselves. 

Some people who keep rift lake cichlids actually put foam down under the substrate as a cushion from the sharp points and to displace the weight of the rocks. You don't have to go that far just try not to stack them too high.

My LFS sells lava rocks with holes carved into them so they act as caves. I like to make my own by stacking flat pieces of slate. Amazon has them but it looks like you have to buy 5 rocks.
http://www.amazon.com/Estes-Products-AES70113-5-Piece-Aquarium/dp/B001CQVMBC

I've never seen Malaysian driftwood for sale at Petco, but I have found some awesome pieces of mopani.


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## manami (Feb 4, 2012)

Kaxen: Ok! I bought two today. Not too small and not too big.

MikeG14: I only want to get four or six small rocks so that I can create little caves. I bought the first two rocks today and this is how it looks. I want to get at least two more so that there's two little caves. I'llplace the rocks in the middle or not too close to the tank walls. Plus I will have a total of 40lb of substrate and 20lb of black sand under those rocks that I can push them deeper to the substrate/sand so that there won't be accidents. 

The only fish I'll get that may like to dig under the sands are Panda Cories and MAYBE kuhli loaches (I'm still not decided about the loaches yet)


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