{"product_id":"south-seas-shelf-rock-40lb-18kg","title":"South Seas Shelf Rock 40lb (18kg)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFlat, dry rock built for stacking ledges, not piling boulders.\u003c\/strong\u003e CaribSea South Seas Shelf Rock is an 18 kg (40 lb) box of naturally flat-profile pieces from the same mined, limestone-based South Seas range as CaribSea's arches, base rock and Flatz. Where base rock gives you bulk, shelf rock gives you the horizontal platforms — ledges for coral placement, overhangs for shy fish, and the flat joins that make a scape look stacked rather than dumped.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eKey features\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNaturally flat profile\u003c\/strong\u003e — pieces are selected for a horizontal shape rather than the rounded chunks in a base rock box, so they sit flush and stack without wobbling.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMined, not ocean-harvested\u003c\/strong\u003e — sourced from the ground rather than a reef, so building a scape from it has no impact on wild coral reefs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHighly porous\u003c\/strong\u003e — the same macro and micro porosity as the rest of the South Seas line, giving beneficial bacteria plenty of surface area to colonise.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLedges for coral and fish\u003c\/strong\u003e — the flat tops are the classic spot for placing frags up in the light, and the undersides create shaded overhangs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBlends with the South Seas range\u003c\/strong\u003e — matches the colour and texture of South Seas Base Rock and Shapes, so a scape built from all three reads as one rock type.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eSpec\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDetail\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePack weight\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e40 lb (18 kg) box\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eShape\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFlat, shelf-profile pieces — individual size varies naturally\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eMaterial\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMined limestone-based rock (not ocean-harvested live rock)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePreparation needed\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoak to saturate the rock and loosen dust caught in the pores, then rinse thoroughly — no curing, since the rock carries no organic material\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWater type\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarine, reef and freshwater aquascaping\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhich South Seas shape do I need?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\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\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSouth Seas Base Rock\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRounded, chunky pieces\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBulk and structure — the foundation of a scape\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSouth Seas Shelf Rock\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFlat, horizontal pieces\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLedges for coral frags and overhangs for fish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSouth Seas Shapes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePre-formed arches, caves, donuts\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReady-made swim-throughs and centrepieces\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe also stock \u003ca href=\"\/products\/south-seas-shapes-2x12-arches-1x-cave-1x-donut\"\u003eCaribSea South Seas Shapes\u003c\/a\u003e if you want ready-made arches and a cave to combine with this box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSuitable for, and not suitable for\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSuitable for:\u003c\/strong\u003e reef tanks that want ledge structures for coral placement, marine fish-only and FOWLR scapes, brackish setups, and African cichlid aquariums that want caves and flat territory breaks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNot suitable for:\u003c\/strong\u003e soft-water, blackwater or planted tanks that need pH held low and stable — this is a calcium-carbonate rock and will buffer pH and hardness upward over time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSetting it up\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoak the rock first to saturate it and loosen dust caught in its pores, then rinse thoroughly — this matters more for shelf rock than base rock, since the flat undersides trap dust from shipping.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDry-fit the ledge structure before filling the tank. Flat pieces are far easier to balance and epoxy in an empty tank than underwater.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSecure any overhanging ledge with reef-safe epoxy or rock-bonding putty rather than relying on weight, especially where a ledge is cantilevered out for a coral frag.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCombine with South Seas Base Rock underneath for bulk and South Seas Shapes for arches, so the ledges have something structural to rest on.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCare and maintenance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce installed, shelf rock needs no ongoing maintenance beyond normal hardscape upkeep — occasional algae removal and resettling if a digging fish undermines a ledge. Being calcium-carbonate based, it will gradually add to water hardness the way any limestone rock does; this happens slowly and is managed by a normal water change schedule.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eGoes well with\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/south-seas-shapes-2x12-arches-1x-cave-1x-donut\"\u003eCaribSea South Seas Shapes\u003c\/a\u003e — arches, a cave and a donut from the same rock line, for a scape that combines bulk, ledges and swim-throughs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/eco-complete-black-cichlid-20lb-9-072kg\"\u003eCaribSea Eco-Complete Black Cichlid\u003c\/a\u003e — a hard-water substrate that suits the same Rift Lake style aquascape.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/caribsea-purple-up\"\u003eCaribSea Purple-Up\u003c\/a\u003e — for reef tanks running this rock, to help existing coralline algae spread onto the newly placed ledges.\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 products, which is normal for a natural, non-mechanical item. Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply regardless.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt 18 kg per box this ships as standard freight. Check the box on arrival, since the flatter pieces are more prone to chipping in transit than rounded base rock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eIs South Seas Shelf Rock live rock?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. It is dry, mined rock with no biological history in the ocean — no coralline algae, pods or hitchhikers of any kind. Coralline growth and biological seeding need to be introduced separately.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDo I need to cure it?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo curing cycle is needed, because there is no organic material to die off. A soak and thorough rinse to clear dust from shipping and from the rock's pores is all that's required.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat's the difference between Shelf Rock and Base Rock?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth are the same mined limestone material from the South Seas range. Base Rock is rounded, chunky pieces for bulk and structure; Shelf Rock is selected for a flat, horizontal profile so it sits as a ledge rather than a boulder.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill it work in my African cichlid tank?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. The calcium-carbonate composition holds pH and hardness up, which suits Malawi, Tanganyika and Victorian cichlids, and the flat shelves make good territory breaks and cave roofs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow much do I need for a scape?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCaribSea does not publish a coverage rate for shelf rock, since ledge structures depend entirely on the design rather than a fill depth. As a starting point, most scapes use one or two 18 kg boxes of shelf rock for the ledges and ledges alone, then build bulk underneath with South Seas Base Rock — buy one box first if you are testing a layout, since flat pieces are easy to add to later.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"CaribSea","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55293347168547,"sku":"CS0371","price":257.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0972\/7236\/5347\/files\/south-seas-shelf-rock-40lb-1-10281463709987-1-dq.webp?v=1790372897","url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/south-seas-shelf-rock-40lb-18kg","provider":"Nicks AOT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}