ADA · Sand & gravel
Aqua Gravel
Adding texture and a natural riverbed look to the foreground of a planted tank.
1 model
Gear catalogue · 74 hardscape
Aquarium hardscape, compared properly
Real stone, wood and bonsai pieces, with what each does to your water. From ADA, UNS. Match them to your tank, then put up to four side by side.
TL;DR, choosing aquarium hardscape
Hardscape is the skeleton of a scape, and the material matters as much as the shape. Calcareous stones like Seiryu slowly raise pH and hardness, which suits a hard-water community but works against soft-water shrimp. Dragon stone, lava rock and most slates are inert. Wood releases tannins that tint the water and nudge pH down, and many pieces float until they are soaked. Pick one stone type and one wood type for a coherent look, buy a few more pieces than you think, and arrange them dry before the tank is filled.
How to choose
- Check the effect on water: calcareous stone raises hardness, wood lowers pH slightly.
- Stick to one stone and one wood type for a natural look.
- Buy a spread of sizes: a main stone, a few supports and small accent pieces.
- Soak wood before use and scrub stone to clear dust.
ADA · Sand & gravel
Colorado Sand
Nature-style and riverbank layouts that want a softer, warmer foreground than white sand.
1 model
ADA · Sand & gravel
La Plata Sand
Iwagumi and nature aquarium layouts that need a clean, bright foreground or path.
1 model
UNS · Wood
Accent Driftwood
Filling gaps and adding detail around an existing hardscape rather than as a main piece.
4 models
UNS · Wood
Amazon Wood
Tanks of about 40 litres and up that need several matching pieces for a larger wood build.
3 models
UNS · Stone
Ancient Stone
Iwagumi keepers who like the Manten look and want a slightly darker, more angular stone.
4 models
UNS · Stone
Ashen Stone
Minimal or river-style scapes that want bright, soft stone against lush green planting.
3 models
UNS · Wood
Basin Driftwood
Focal-point wood in nature layouts heavy on epiphytes.
3 models
UNS · Wood
Black Forest Spider Wood
Moody, dark scapes where you want branchy wood that contrasts with bright plants.
3 models
UNS · Stone
Black Lava Rock
Budget-friendly builds, nano tanks and moss-covered scapes that need plenty of stone volume.
1 model
UNS · Stone
Black Lava Rock Cave
Shrimp and nano tanks that need hiding spots, or scapers wanting planted pockets at different heights.
4 models
UNS · Stone
Black Mountain Seiryu Stone
Iwagumi and nature layouts where you want Seiryu shapes in a darker, moodier colour.
3 models
UNS · Stone
Black Ridge Stone
Layered mountain or tide-pool style scapes where you want to build height with stacked ledges.
1 model
UNS · Stone
Black River Slate
Dark-toned layouts and cave stacks where you want slate that disappears into shadow.
4 models
UNS · Stone
Black Slate
Cave builds, terraces and moss stones in any size of tank.
4 models
UNS · Stone
Black Star Lava Rock
Tanks with bettas or fancy goldfish, or anyone who wants lava's benefits without sharp edges.
4 models
UNS · Stone
Blue Mountain Seiryu Stone
Iwagumi scapes in hard or moderately hard water that want Seiryu shapes with a cooler colour.
4 models
UNS · Bonsai tree
Bonsai Driftwood Trees
Bonsai and tree-style layouts where you want a finished focal piece sized to your tank, from 20 litre nanos to large displays.
20 models
UNS · Stone
Brook Stone
Iwagumi layouts that want a dark, striated Seiryu-style stone.
3 models
UNS · Stone
Caledonia Stone
Layouts that need tall, chunky stones rather than flat or pointed ones.
3 models
UNS · Stone
Chameleon Stone
Island, cliffside or dark Iwagumi scapes where you want a black-grey rock with lots of texture for epiphytes.
1 model
UNS · Wood
Cholla Driftwood Tree
Shrimp tanks and fry-rearing setups where grazing surface and hiding spots matter more than looks.
2 models
UNS · Stone
Cloud Stone
Iwagumi and mountain-style layouts in 60 cm tanks and up, where you want enough stone for a full main-stone arrangement in one order.
1 model
UNS · Stone
Cueva Stone
Iwagumi and rock-led layouts for keepers who want a Seiryu look with more white contrast.
3 models
UNS · Stone
Dark Blue Slate Stone
Stacked cave and ledge builds, and as a stable, hidden base for wood layouts.
4 models
UNS · Stone
Desert Stone
Anyone who likes the Dragon stone look but wants a sturdier, cleaner-to-handle rock.
3 models
UNS · Wood
Dragon Wood
Scapes heavy on Bucephalandra, Anubias, Java Fern and moss that should look mature quickly.
5 models
UNS · Stone
Elephant Skin Stone
Iwagumi or nature layouts that want strong texture with soft edges, especially with delicate-finned fish.
4 models
UNS · Stone
Fire Stone
Cave and canyon builds that need stones which lock together when stacked.
2 models
UNS · Stone
Flat Bottom Dragon Ohko Stone
Quick, stable rock layouts in small cubes (the seller pairs S with 25 cm and M with 30 cm cubes).
2 models
UNS · Stone
Flat Bottom Seiryu Stone
Small cube Iwagumi builds where you want a stable peak without fiddling (S suits 25 cm cubes, M suits 30 cm cubes).
2 models
UNS · Wood
Forest Driftwood
Layered wood scapes and as a textured base under other hardscape.
6 models
UNS · Wood
Ghost Wood
Minimal, design-led nature layouts built around one or two feature branches.
5 models
UNS · Stone
Goliath Stone
Nature layouts with carpets or sand where you want chunky stones that moss can colonise.
3 models
UNS · Stone
Grey River Slate
Stacked builds, caves, and as a stable base under wood layouts.
4 models
UNS · Stone
Hakkai Stone
River-style scapes and calm Iwagumi with grassy plants like Dwarf Hairgrass or Blyxa.
4 models
UNS · Wood
Horn Wood
Nano tanks under about 40 litres, or as detail pieces in larger scapes.
2 models
UNS · Stone
Icelandic Lava Stone
Mountain-style scapes where you want the plant-friendliness of lava with more realistic rock shapes.
4 models
UNS · Stone
Jade Rhino Stone
River and stream layouts with Eleocharis or other grassy plants, and tanks with delicate-finned fish.
2 models
UNS · Stone
Jade Stone
Scapers wanting a cool-toned, smooth stone that looks different from standard grey rock.
3 models
UNS · Stone
Joro Stone
Scapers after an uncommon colour to set a layout apart from the usual grey rock.
3 models
UNS · Stone
Lagoon Stone
Moss-heavy scapes and stacked rock builds where the stone should be a focal point.
3 models
UNS · Wood
Log Wood
Forest floor and fallen-tree scenes in aquariums.
2 models
UNS · Wood
Madra Wood
Nature layouts wanting a Malaysian-style look, especially with epiphytes.
3 models
UNS · Wood
Malaysian Driftwood
Nature-style and blackwater-leaning tanks that want a statement piece of wood.
5 models
UNS · Stone
Manten Stone
Iwagumi and mountain layouts in soft-water or shrimp tanks where you want a natural-looking stone that leaves chemistry alone.
4 models
UNS · Wood
Manzanita Wood
Tree and forest scenes in long rimless or standard tanks (Branch) and nanos (Twig).
2 models
UNS · Stone
Maple Stone
Scapers wanting an uncommon warm-coloured stone for nature layouts.
3 models
UNS · Stone
Marsh Stone
Calm Iwagumi or community tanks that want a Hakkai-like look at a lower price.
4 models
UNS · Wood
Mopani Wood
Blackwater, African biotope and long-term layouts where you want wood that sinks with little fuss.
3 models
UNS · Stone
Mountain Stone
Cliff and canyon scapes that need lots of stone without lots of weight on the glass.
3 models
UNS · Stone
Ohko Dragon Stone
Beginners and shrimp keepers who want a characterful, inert stone for nature or Iwagumi layouts.
4 models
UNS · Wood
Pacific Wood
Beginners and nature-style scapers in any tank size, from nano Bucephalandra gardens to large layouts.
8 models
UNS · Stone
Patagonia Stone
Low-tech and nature-style tanks where you plan to cover the stone with moss, Anubias or Bucephalandra.
2 models
UNS · Stone
Petrified Wood Stone
Nature-style scapes that want a stone which ties visually into the wood.
4 models
UNS · Stone
Red Manten Stone
Warm-toned canyon or rocky hillside layouts, or anyone wanting a change from grey stone.
1 model
UNS · Stone
Ryuoh Stone
Iwagumi layouts where you want a darker, more dramatic alternative to standard Seiryu.
4 models
UNS · Stone
Sand Stone
Warm-toned cliff, clearing or beach-style layouts, especially paired with driftwood.
4 models
UNS · Wood
Sandblasted Manzanita Driftwood
Tree-style and forest layouts, from small cubes up to large display tanks.
5 models
UNS · Stone
Seiryu Base Stone
Sloped or terraced Iwagumi and nature layouts that need hidden structure beneath the show stones.
1 model
UNS · Stone
Seiryu Stone
Iwagumi and nature layouts in tanks where a little extra hardness is fine, such as most community fish and Neocaridina setups.
5 models
UNS · Wood
Spider Wood
Forest, root and bonsai-inspired layouts in any tank size, often perched on Dragon stone or Seiryu.
5 models
UNS · Wood
Spider Wood on Slate Stone
Beginners and quick setups that want branchy wood without the floating problem.
5 models
UNS · Wood
Star Wood
Wood-focused nature layouts in standard and larger tanks that need structured, directional lines.
3 models
UNS · Hardscape set
Strata Pro Hardscape
Beginners or busy keepers with a 36, 45 or 60 cm tank who want a finished, balanced hardscape without choosing and gluing stones.
17 models
UNS · Hardscape set
Strata Seiryu Hardscape
First Iwagumi builds in 20-40 litre tanks, and soft-water shrimp keepers who love the Seiryu look but not its effect on KH.
2 models
UNS · Stone
Striped River Stone
River-style scapes and tanks with fancy goldfish or bettas.
3 models
UNS · Wood
Thorn Wood
Forest-style layouts built from many vertical stems.
3 models
UNS · Wood
Tree Branch Driftwood
Underwater tree scapes in nano to standard tanks (Nano for about 15-40 L, Medium for 40-75 L, Large for 75 L+).
3 models
UNS · Wood
Tree Root Driftwood
Root-style details and small tree scenes in nano to mid-sized tanks.
2 models
UNS · Stone
Verdant Stone
Scapers wanting a cooler blue-grey stone for Iwagumi or as a base under wood.
3 models
UNS · Stone
White Elephant Skin Stone
Bright, high-contrast scapes over dark soil or carpets, and tanks with delicate-finned fish.
4 models
UNS · Stone
Wolf Stone
Nature layouts where the stone will carry mosses like Christmas, Pellia or Fissidens.
4 models
UNS · Stone
Yukon Canyon Stone
Biotope and nature-style tanks that want a neutral, earthy base stone under wood.
3 models
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to the questions people ask most when choosing aquarium hardscape.
Which aquarium rocks raise pH?
Calcareous stones such as Seiryu, Texas holey rock and many limestones. A drop of acid fizzing on the stone is the quick test. Dragon stone, lava rock and slate are generally inert.
Why does driftwood turn the water brown?
Tannins leaching out of the wood. They are harmless and many fish like them. Soaking and boiling the wood first, water changes and activated carbon all reduce the tint.
How much hardscape do I need?
More than you expect. As a rough guide for a rock scape, allow about 1 kg of stone per 5 to 6 litres of tank, and buy a mix of large, medium and small pieces.
How do I stop driftwood floating?
Soak it for days or weeks until waterlogged, boil smaller pieces, or weigh it down with stone or tie it to a slate base.
Other gear
Specs come from the maker or a major retailer’s listing and are checked where we can. Makers revise products, so confirm the figures on the product page before you buy. Product photos are supplied by the brands and their distributors.