{"product_id":"dragon-stone-freshwater-rock-25lb-11kg","title":"Dragon Stone Freshwater Rock 25lb (11kg)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePitted clay stone that gives a scape texture without moving your water chemistry.\u003c\/strong\u003e CaribSea Dragon Stone Freshwater Rock is Ohko stone - a clay-based sedimentary rock whose weathered, pocketed surface is where the dragon-scale name comes from. It is supplied as a 25 lb (11.34 kg) box of assorted natural shapes and sizes, pre-cleaned, with no paints, dyes or plastic coatings. The important practical point is that it will not affect aquarium pH, so unlike limestone or seiryu it does not fight a soft-water planted tank.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eKey features\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDoes not affect pH\u003c\/strong\u003e - CaribSea states Dragon Stone will not alter aquarium pH, which makes it usable in soft-water planted and shrimp tanks where a buffering rock would not be.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDeeply pitted surface\u003c\/strong\u003e - the natural pockets and crevices hold moss and epiphyte plants without glue or thread, and give small fish and shrimp cover.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAll natural, pre-cleaned\u003c\/strong\u003e - no paints, dyes or plastic coatings, and cleaned before packing.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAssorted shapes and sizes in the box\u003c\/strong\u003e - a mix you can build a full layout from rather than a single grade.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDry rock, not live rock\u003c\/strong\u003e - there is nothing on it to die off, so there is no curing cycle and no ammonia spike to wait out.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEvery piece different\u003c\/strong\u003e - Ohko is quarried stone, so shape, size and colour vary from box to box and the photo is representative rather than exact.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow much do I need?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDragon Stone is sold by the box, not by the piece, and it is bought by eye rather than by formula. One 11.34 kg box is a sensible starting point for a 60 cm tank; larger layouts are usually built from two or more boxes so there is enough variety to choose from.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo things worth knowing before you order. CaribSea does not publish a piece count or a piece size range for the box, so the exact mix will vary. And buying slightly more than you think you need is normal practice in aquascaping - a layout is built by rejecting pieces as much as by placing them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003ePreparation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRinse the pieces under running water to clear quarry dust. Ohko is a clay stone and the pockets hold fine material.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoak the rock before placing it. CaribSea specifically instructs soaking Dragon Stone prior to placement, which lets it take up water and stops it shifting position later.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDry-build the layout outside the tank first, then transfer it. Ohko chips at the edges if you keep reworking it in place.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSet the largest pieces on the bare glass where you can, then bring the substrate up around them so nothing subsides.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRock type\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOhko stone (dragon stone), clay-based sedimentary rock\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eBox weight\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e25 lb (11.34 kg)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePiece sizes\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAssorted natural shapes and sizes; not graded\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eEffect on pH\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNone - CaribSea states it will not affect aquarium pH\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eTannins\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNone; this is stone, not wood\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePreparation\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRinse, then soak before placement\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCuring\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot required - dry inert rock, no die-off\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWater type\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFreshwater aquascaping\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eSupplier code\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCS00329\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSuitable for, and not suitable for\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSuitable for:\u003c\/strong\u003e nature-style and iwagumi-influenced planted layouts; shrimp tanks, where the pitted surface grows biofilm; soft-water community and blackwater tanks that a buffering rock would ruin; and paludariums and terrestrial vivarium backdrops.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNot suitable for:\u003c\/strong\u003e tanks that need a rock to raise hardness - a Rift Lake cichlid setup wants a buffering substrate such as \u003ca href=\"\/products\/eco-complete-cichlid-sand-20lb-9-072kg\"\u003eEco-Complete Cichlid Sand\u003c\/a\u003e rather than an inert stone. Ohko is also relatively soft, so it is a poor choice for large cichlids that rearrange their decor, and it is not a marine live rock substitute.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCare and maintenance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNothing routine. Algae on the surface can be brushed off with a soft toothbrush during a water change. The pockets trap detritus in a low-flow tank, so a turkey baster over the rockwork at water changes keeps it looking sharp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eGoes well with\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/mountain-stone-freshwater-rock-25lb-11kg\"\u003eCaribSea Mountain Stone Freshwater Rock\u003c\/a\u003e - the angular alternative in the same Exotica range, if you want harder lines than Ohko gives.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/eco-complete-planted-black-20lb-9-072kg\"\u003eCaribSea Eco-Complete Planted Black\u003c\/a\u003e - dark planted substrate that sets off the pale grey-brown of the stone.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/life-rock-dreamscapes-aquascaping-kit-15-25-gallon\"\u003eCaribSea Life Rock Dreamscapes Aquascaping Kit\u003c\/a\u003e - a pre-shaped alternative if you would rather not build a scape from loose rock.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWarranty and delivery\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCaribSea does not publish a warranty term for hardscape rock. Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply regardless and are not limited by that.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe box is 11.34 kg, so it carries real freight weight. Because rock is sold by weight and every piece is different, we cannot select for a particular shape or size on request.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes CaribSea Dragon Stone change pH or hardness?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. CaribSea states Dragon Stone will not affect aquarium pH. That is what separates it from seiryu and other limestone-based aquascaping rock, which do raise pH and carbonate hardness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDo I need to cure Dragon Stone before using it?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. This is dry inert rock with nothing living on it, so there is no die-off and no curing cycle. It does need rinsing and soaking before placement, which is a different thing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many pieces are in a box?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCaribSea does not publish a piece count or size range for the 25 lb box - it is packed as an assortment of natural shapes and sizes, so the mix varies from box to box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eIs Dragon Stone safe for shrimp?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. It is inert, pre-cleaned and free of paints, dyes and coatings, and the pitted surface grows the biofilm shrimp graze on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eCan I use Dragon Stone in a marine tank?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCaribSea sells it as freshwater rock and that is how we recommend using it. For a reef scape, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/south-seas-base-rock-40lb-18kg\"\u003eCaribSea South Seas Base Rock\u003c\/a\u003e is the aragonite-based product designed for the job.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"CaribSea","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55293346709795,"sku":"CS00329","price":106.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0972\/7236\/5347\/files\/exotica_dragon_stone_1140x760_eaa490c1-56d5-42ef-9e38-d0449d3cbdea.jpg?v=1791172278","url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/dragon-stone-freshwater-rock-25lb-11kg","provider":"Nicks AOT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}