The assortment CaribSea supplies in the 15 to 25 gallon kit:

• 2 x Arches
• 1 x Ledge
• 1 x Donut
• 1 x Ultimate Branch Cluster
• 8 lb (3.63 kg) of Original LifeRock base rock

Every piece is individually hand made, so the exact form, size and colouring of each shape varies between kits. Product photos are representative rather than the specific pieces you will receive.

CaribSea markets the Dreamscapes range as having everything needed to aquascape an aquarium. Read that carefully against the box, because two things a first-time reefer often assumes are in it are not:

• Aquascaping cement or glue - not supplied with this size. CaribSea does include a jar of Rock Lock Aquascaping Cement with the larger 40 to 60 gallon kit, but not with the 15 to 25. If you want bonded joints rather than a dry-stacked scape, budget for reef-safe cement or cyanoacrylate gel separately.
• Sand or substrate - the kit is rock only. An aragonite sand bed such as CaribSea Arag-Alive Live Reef Sand is a separate purchase.

Salt mix, saltwater, filtration and lighting are likewise not part of this kit.

• Shapes chosen to work together - the arches, ledge and branch cluster are proportioned for a tank of this size, so you are not trying to fit a 30 cm arch into a 40 cm tank.
• Base rock included - 3.63 kg of Original LifeRock fills gaps, levels feature pieces and builds up the footing under the arches.
• No curing - dry aragonite rock infused with living spored bacteria. There is no die-off to rot out, no ammonia from the rock itself and no weeks in a curing bin.
• Real aragonitic base rock, not cement - nothing leaches out and there is no cement cure to manage before livestock goes in.
• Coralline-toned coating - the scape is purple from day one rather than bare white for its first year.
• Arches and a donut give open structure - swim-throughs and negative space, which is what stops a small reef looking like a pile of rubble.
• Hand crafted in the USA - not beach or reef collected, so nothing was removed from a wild reef to make it.

CaribSea sizes this kit for a 15 to 25 US gallon aquarium. In litres that is about 57 to 95 L, which covers most of the common Australian nano and small reef footprints.

The kit is sized by water volume rather than footprint, so check the length too. A branch cluster and two arches want somewhere to sit without crowding the glass, and a tank under about 50 cm long will feel tight with the full assortment in it.

The step up from the 15 to 25 kit is not just more rock. The larger kit adds a cave and a third ledge, and it is the only size that ships with cement.

CaribSea does not publish a total shipped weight for this kit. The 3.63 kg figure above is the loose base rock only, and the five shaped pieces are additional.

1. Lay all the pieces out on a towel before anything goes near the tank, so you can see what you have to work with.
2. Rinse lightly in clean fresh or saltwater. This washes off loose dust only - it is not a cleaning or curing step.
3. Dry-fit the scape in the empty tank. Start with the branch cluster or an arch as the single focal point, placed off the centre line rather than in the middle.
4. Use the loose base rock underneath, not on top. Its job is to level the feature pieces and give the arches a stable footing on the glass.
5. Leave a gap between the rock and the back and side glass. Roughly a hand's width keeps flow moving behind the scape and keeps a magnet cleaner able to pass.
6. Push firmly on every piece before you add water. Anything that rocks now will move later.
7. Add sand around the base afterwards, then fill slowly onto a plate or bag rather than directly onto the bed.

Suitable for: nano and small marine or reef aquariums between about 57 and 95 L; first reef builds, where choosing individual rock shapes is the hardest part; African cichlid tanks of a similar size, which want the same hard, alkaline water.

Not suitable for: planted freshwater aquariums, soft-water community tanks, blackwater and Amazonian setups, shrimp tanks and discus systems. CaribSea states that LifeRock raises pH and alkalinity and should only be used in marine, reef or African Cichlid tanks, and that is not something you can dial back. For a freshwater hardscape, use Dragon Stone Freshwater Rock instead.

• CaribSea Arag-Alive Live Reef Sand - the sand bed the kit does not include, with chemistry that matches the rock.
• CaribSea LifeRock Flatz - sliced shelves for adding frag platforms and levelling the arches.
• CaribSea LifeRock Original 40lb - extra base rock if your tank is at or above the top of the range.
• CaribSea Purple-Up - calcium and trace supplement aimed at growing real coralline over the factory colouring.

CaribSea does not publish a warranty term for its aquascaping rock. Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply regardless, and are not limited by anything the manufacturer does or does not offer.

Hand-made rock travels poorly and arches and branch clusters are the most fragile shapes in the range. Minor chipping is normal and does not affect how the rock performs. A clean break can generally be rejoined with reef-safe gel and disappears once the scape is built.

What exactly comes in the CaribSea LifeRock Dreamscapes 15 to 25 gallon kit?

Two arches, one ledge, one donut, one Ultimate Branch Cluster, and 8 lb (3.63 kg) of Original LifeRock base rock. Aquascaping cement, sand and substrate are not included with this size.

Does the kit include glue or cement?

Not this size. CaribSea includes a jar of Rock Lock Aquascaping Cement with the 40 to 60 gallon Dreamscapes kit only. For the 15 to 25 gallon kit you will need reef-safe cement or cyanoacrylate gel separately if you want to bond the joints.

Does the rock need curing before I use it?

No. CaribSea states that LifeRock does not need curing and recommends only rinsing lightly with clean fresh or saltwater to remove loose particles. It is dry rock, so there is no die-off and no ammonia produced by the rock itself.

Will this kit cycle my tank?

It will help start the cycle but not complete it. The rock contains living spored bacteria that activate in saltwater, which shortens the process. Test ammonia and nitrite and wait until both read zero before adding livestock.

Can I use it in a freshwater aquarium?

Only in an African cichlid tank. CaribSea states that LifeRock raises pH and alkalinity and should be used only in marine, reef or African Cichlid aquariums. It is the wrong rock for a planted, soft-water, shrimp or discus setup.

Is enough rock included, or do I need more?

For a tank at the lower end of the range the kit is designed to be sufficient on its own. Towards 95 L, and particularly if you want a dense, cave-heavy scape rather than an open one, most people add a box of base rock. CaribSea's own broader guidance works out to roughly 0.08 to 0.12 kg of rock per litre of display volume.