The Puffer Forum

I'm not sure if this is the right forum cuz it's a tank subject but it *is* for a puffer !
I've been buying live rock bit by bit for the last few months as budget allows for Dougs 90 gallon tank. All of the live rock I've bought has been fully cured and mostly from serious hobbyists. I've been monitoring the Ammo and Nitrite and no blips at all. I've probably got about 50-60lb now and I have a 50lb box of Nature's Ocean base rock on order for Tuesday. I'm going out to get some aquarium-safe epoxy today. In preparation, I have a few questions...
My plan is to build a "reef" along the back right 2/3 of the tank, coming up to the front of the tank at the far right hand side. That way he'll still have plenty of open space to swim, and to "wind up" and bury himself.
I was wondering about sand under the rock work. Should I move most of the sand out of the way, since I won't be able to reach it to stir it? If so, is there another substrate I should put there (for asthetics and to "block" the sand from creeping back too quickly)?
I picked up a few inexpensive "beginner" soft corals as well. The tank has been up since March but has only recently been full marine, so I don't know if there's much in the water for them to eat, except what might have come in on the rock...what would the gurus recommend adding ?
Everyone says the epoxy is safe for fish and inverts. With puffers being more sensitive, is this still the case? Somewhere recommended turning the skimmer off, I guess to eliminate the possibility of back-flow since the rate if skim might change...good idea?
I plan of moving Doug to a 20g (The one he came in!) for the few hours that I'm working, cuz he stresses when I fuss with the tank even during regular maintenance, but I'd like to move him right back in if possible...
I'm still soooo intimidated by all of this

Definitely have the base rock sitting on the bottom glass or you will eventually experience an avalanche, especially with a burrowing species living in there. Aquarium epoxy is fine to use.

LOL, I should have phrased that differently! I will definitely place the rock in contact with the glass, I just meant to ask what I should do as far as substrate *around* the base of the rockwork, not directly under it...

There are creatures living in your LR that will seed the sand & turn it over. No stirring necessary with LS .

Awesome, thanks!

Just as an aside, I never knew you didn't have to stir live sand...YAY!
I had a good look at the tank when I got home (hence the other "bug" post) and at the glass, I can see little trails where stuff has been digging through the sand...this is good, right?

Yep--lil, tiny sand-stirrers.

A couple more questions...again

I forgot to ask this one...I got the box of base rock today, is there anything I should do to prepare it for my Saturday reef-build, or just rinse it and go? (The box was only 40lb, not 50 but there are a couple of terrific pieces in the box, I felt like a kid on Christmas and I liked my prezzies!)

I came upon another deal I couldn't refuse and bought another set-up, a 25g, strictly for the LR (20lb). The guy's fish had passed away over time with the last one dying about 3 months ago. He didn't break it down but he did leave the filter running. The only visible inhabitant was a little purple urchin who'd been a LR hitchhiker. I put the rock in a bucket with an airstone and pump and it doesn't smell or anything and looks fine, but I'm not sure about the sand. As part of the ridiculously cheap price, I had to break down the tank myself and when I was scooping up the sand, I noticed it was quite clumped, obviously hadn't been maintained for a while. I have an airstone in the lined styro cooler where it is and I have been stirring it as well, and again, no smell or anything. But I;m not sure if I should I lightly rinse with salt water and use it, or thoroughly clean it and consider it dead sand. It's nice aragonite that I was going to use to "top up" but I don't need it...

I never even thought to check inside the cannister filter to see if there was anything good! It's been in the garage for 2 days and it's quite chilly, think there's any point in checking now?