Elephant Skin Stone
Also sold as Dragon Skin Stone · White Elephant Skin · Elephant skin rock · Seegebirge Stone · Grey Rock
Synonyms Elephant stone
Elephant Skin Stone is an aquascaping rock sold by the piece, typically around 15 × 10 × 9 cm (5.9 × 3.9 × 3.5 in). In the water it raises KH and GH, does not tint the water, and sinks straight away.
At a glance
| Material | Rock |
|---|---|
| Raises hardness | KH and GH |
| Tannins | None |
| In the water | Sinks right away |
| Edges | Smooth |
| Prep | Rinse |
| Default size | 15 × 10 × 9 cm (5.9 × 3.9 × 3.5 in) |
Before it goes in
- Elephant Skin Stone raises KH and GH, so it pushes the water harder and the pH up over time. In a soft-water tank — Chili Rasbora and Green Neon Tetra — use a little of it or leave it out.
- Before it goes in, rinse it.
- 5 different pieces of Elephant Skin Stone are modelled, so the one you place looks like one you could actually pick out of the bin.
- A default piece is 15 × 10 × 9 cm (5.9 × 3.9 × 3.5 in); you can stretch it to whatever you bought.
Does it raise pH and hardness?
Yes — it raises KH and GH, and pH follows. You can check any piece yourself: a drop of vinegar on it fizzes if it is the kind that dissolves.
Do I need to prepare it?
Yes: rinse it before it goes in.
Will it tint the water?
No.
What it goes with
- Plants you can tie or glue straight onto it: Anubias nana 'Petite', Subwassertang, Anubias barteri and Bucephalandra 'Green Wavy'.
- Substrates that pull the other way and soften what it hardens: ADA Amazonia, Akadama and UNS Controsoil.
Often compared with
| Elephant Skin Stone | Ancient Pagoda Stone | Black Mountain Stone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raises | KH and GH | KH and GH | KH and GH |
| Tannins | None | None | None |
| In water | Sinks | Sinks | Sinks |
| Prep | Rinse | Rinse | Rinse |
More hardscape
Sources (2) · checked Sep 2026
- GH, KHbuceplant.com
- Sharp edgesshop.glassaqua.com