Re-aquascaping questions

[SkinnyPete]

So, I know that its not a good idea to re-aquascape your tank too many times. But, I have finally decided to get a snowflake and I really have to make my rock structure a little more secure.

I've read through previous aquascaping questions - so I get the basics but I have some situation specific questions. I have about 150 pounds of rock in there now. I have about 20lbs of dry dead base rock that I just didn't use because they are very dense and I don't like the look of them. My rocks have been in the same position since I threw them in about 3 months ago and its not real pretty anyway.

1. Will it cause any die off if I remove the rocks from the water and place them in another tank filled with syphoned water from the main tank? I'm going to need room to work, so I'll probably remove the larger pieces. Can they be out of the water for a few minutes if need be without any die off?

2. Is it safe to add dead, previously live rock to an existing system? I may use my extra 20lbs and a couple pieces of tufa rock as support in the sand but I don't want anything on it to cause ammonia spikes since I already have fish. They've been dry for about 4-5 months.

3. I have 3 really big show pieces since my tank is 30 inches tall. Most have said to lay the bigger rocks on the bottom of the structure for support - I was toying with the idea of standing the larger pieces up but I'm thinking that may be a little risky - any opinions? Should I just lay them sideways, close to the bottom for the best structure support? Seems like a waste of show pieces to just lay them down near the bottom.

4. Why do all my posts end up being really, really long?

thanks. The big re-aquascaping day is Saturday. I might take before and after pics for fun.

- Skins

[mp3z24]

1. you shouldnt have any die-off if you dont keep them out of water for any long amount of time. just transfering rocks to another tank, you should be fine. the only thing that might be hurt is a sponge. they dont do well when exposed to air, so if you have them you might want to do your best to keep them submerged. those pieces you might want to keep in the main tank.

2. adding dead rock will be fine. just rince them thoroughly with saltwater and try to get off any dust or debris. there will be nothing living on them to die off, and as long as you rinse them well, you should be okay. keep an eye on your parameters for a while after they are added just to be safe.

3. if you want to use the show pieces upright, you can do that. i would lean them against a supporting structure behind them, not just rely on gravity and the sand bed to hold them upright. another option is to build a supporting structure out of pvc and use that to hold up any rock you want elevated. then you can use smaller pieces to fill in the gaps, and cover any exposed pvc you might not like. a nice treat is that you can build a good size cave for the eel and cover it with rock, rather than chipping your rocks to fit together secure enough so the eel wont knock them apart.

4. long posts are like buttered bread landing buttered side down... it is inevitable.

~mike