{"product_id":"life-rock-shelf-rock-40lb-18kg","title":"Life Rock Shelf Rock 40lb (18kg)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstant reef structure that skips the months-long cure.\u003c\/strong\u003e CaribSea Life Rock Shelf Rock is an 18 kg (40 lb) box of aragonite base rock, cast with the same micro and macro pore network as natural reef rock and infused with dormant nitrifying bacteria that reactivate the moment the rock goes into water. The surface carries a manufactured texture and colouring designed to read as coralline growth from day one - it is not living coralline algae, and no living organisms ship with the box. What you are buying is a head start on the look and the biology, not livestock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eKey features\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAragonite base, not cement\u003c\/strong\u003e - the same calcium carbonate structure as reef rock, so it buffers pH and carbonate hardness the way real reef rock does, rather than sitting inert like a resin imitation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpored bacteria built in\u003c\/strong\u003e - dormant nitrifying bacteria are infused through the rock and reanimate once wet and fed an ammonia source, which is why this rock cycles faster than bare dry rock.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlat shelf face\u003c\/strong\u003e - each piece has a distinct flat side for stacking ledges, ledged caves and open coral-mounting surfaces, rather than the random lumps of a mixed box.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNo hitchhikers, no pest algae\u003c\/strong\u003e - because nothing living ships in the box, you are not gambling on aiptasia, bristleworm blooms or mantis shrimp the way you can with wild live rock.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNo reef harvested\u003c\/strong\u003e - it is manufactured, not quarried from a wild reef, so building a big aquascape does not cost a reef somewhere else its rock.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePack size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e40 lb (18 kg) box\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePieces per box\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTypically 5 to 6 pieces\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePiece length\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eApproximately 20 to 36 cm (8 to 14 in) per piece\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eShape\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eShelf - one flat face per piece, for stacking and coral mounting\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eMaterial\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAragonite base rock with a manufactured coralline-mimicking surface texture\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eBiology at purchase\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDormant nitrifying bacteria infused through the rock; no living coralline, no hitchhikers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eEffect on water\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBuffers pH and carbonate hardness upward, as aragonite does\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWater type\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarine only\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eSupplier code\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCS0377\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhich South Seas or Life Rock piece do I need?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eProduct\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eShape\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eBest for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/life-rock-shelf-rock-40lb-18kg\"\u003eLife Rock Shelf Rock\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFlat shelf face\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCoral mounting ledges, overhangs and the visible upper structure of the scape\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/south-seas-base-rock-40lb-18kg\"\u003eSouth Seas Base Rock\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWeathered, porous chunks\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eThe bulk foundation underneath the display rock, where looks matter less than cost\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/south-seas-flatz-20lb-9kg\"\u003eSouth Seas Flatz\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSliced flat panels\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFrag plugs, thin ledges and low-profile backgrounds\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLife Rock is the only one of the three that ships pre-seeded with bacteria and a coralline-look finish - the other two are unfinished dry rock, priced and used accordingly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSetting it up\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRinse each piece under fresh water to knock off loose dust before it goes in the tank.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuild the aquascape dry first, on the tank floor or a dry-fit board, so the structure is stable before it is wet and heavy.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOnce placed, fill the tank and dose an ammonia source rather than food or a cleanup crew, so the bacteria have something to process without adding bioload too early.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTest ammonia and nitrite through the cycle. Reef keepers commonly report Life Rock finishing a full ammonia cycle within one to two weeks, well inside the four to six weeks bare dry rock usually takes, though tank size, temperature and stocking plans all shift that timeline.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSuitable for, and not suitable for\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSuitable for:\u003c\/strong\u003e reef tanks, FOWLR builds and any marine aquascape where you want mature-looking structure without a year of coralline growth. Safe to mount encrusting and branching corals directly onto the flat faces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNot suitable for:\u003c\/strong\u003e freshwater aquariums of any kind - the aragonite base will push pH and hardness up, which is exactly wrong for a community or planted freshwater tank. If you want dramatic freshwater rock, see CaribSea's \u003ca href=\"\/products\/mountain-stone-freshwater-rock-25lb-11kg\"\u003eMountain Stone\u003c\/a\u003e instead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eGoes well with\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/south-seas-base-rock-40lb-18kg\"\u003eCaribSea South Seas Base Rock\u003c\/a\u003e - a cheaper porous foundation to bulk out the base of the scape under the Life Rock shelves.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/seaflor-special-grade-reef-sand-40lb-18kg\"\u003eCaribSea Seaflor Special Grade Reef Sand\u003c\/a\u003e - an aragonite sand bed that buffers the same way this rock does, for a matched water chemistry.\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 its rock. Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply regardless. The box weighs 18 kg, so factor that into freight if you are ordering more than one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eIs Life Rock actually alive when it arrives?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. It ships dry with dormant bacteria infused through the rock and a manufactured surface designed to look like coralline algae. Nothing living travels in the box - the bacteria reactivate once the rock is wet and fed, and real coralline growth develops over time in your tank, the same as it would on any rock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDo I still need to cycle my tank with this rock?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, but it is faster. The dormant bacteria give the nitrogen cycle a head start compared with bare dry rock, but you still need to run ammonia through the system and test before adding livestock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eCan I mix Life Rock with regular dry rock?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Many reef keepers use Life Rock for the visible structure and cheaper dry rock such as South Seas Base Rock underneath, where it will not be seen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill it raise my pH too high?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt buffers pH and KH upward the way any aragonite-based rock does, which is what a reef tank wants. It is not suitable for freshwater for the same reason.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"CaribSea","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55293347365155,"sku":"CS0377","price":516.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0972\/7236\/5347\/files\/cs0377_1725236318_thumb_1b705f08-af4d-49b8-84b3-14c4d89e79ab.png?v=1783216123","url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/life-rock-shelf-rock-40lb-18kg","provider":"Nicks Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium","version":"1.0","type":"link"}