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Law 147 has an pretty broad definition of a "coral reef". The extraction of anything out of the reef is outlawed. Even collecting saltwater for water changes is technically illegal. This topic is pretty well know to local hobbysts. The local reef club (AMEPR) forums http://amepr.createforumhosting.com/foros-agua-salada-f47.html are a good place to ask. You'll find pretty knowledgeable people about the local laws in there. BTW, the forum is known to be monitored by the Natural Resources and Environmental Department (DRNA in Spanish) so frame your questions accordingly. The collection of skeletons or shells is still technically prohibited unless you have an special artisan license. Fines aren't really enforced for shells and skeletons, but I've seen DRNA rangers ask people to return them back to the beach. Elkhorn coral (A. Palmata) is an endangered species under Federal law so that one can really get you in trouble if you get caught. Again, the local reef forum may be a good place to confirm what I'm saying. They'll give you the scoop of local practices and the good spots to go snorkeling. In this thread you can see pictures of one of the snorkeling trips I did with some fellow members of the local reef club: http://amepr.createforumhosting.com/viewtopic.php?p=43659 Cheers!

I am from PR and moved here about 3 years ago. I am pretty familiar with the local hobby scene, collection practices and the snorkeling/scuba spots. So let me know if you have questions. Please note that it is not legal to collect any type of corals or rocks from the reefs. They are protected under Puerto Rican Law 147 (Coral Reef Conservation Act of 1999) and the US Coral Reef Protection Executive Order 13089 of June 11, 1998. BTW, this time of the year, the Caribbean sea side of the island (specially the south / south west) tends to have better snorkeling conditions than the Atlantic side. Hope you enjoy the island. Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

I dip my finger in diluted dishwashing detergent. Palmolive works really well. Sent using Tapatalk

I'll just throw in a little word of caution regarding muriatic acid. I have a family member who got really bad burns in the face and neck from an accident with it. She dropped an open bottle that splashed her. So be extra careful and wear protection when handling that stuff. Sent using Tapatalk

I've used a garden hose timer with a hose to john guest adapter. You can find relatively inexpensive hose timers in Home Depot. I bought a programmable, 9V battery run for about $25. Sent using Tapatalk

The biggest mistake I did with my previous in-wall setup was not leaving an opening from the front. We wanted to have a framed picture look. It looked gorgeous but was a PITA to maintain. So make sure that you leave a big opening in the front.

Beautiful tank! I'm interested in the whole setup. I sent you an email with contact info.

In Puerto Rico, we call this type of fish "pez trompeta" (trumpet fish). A google search leads me to believe that this fish is in the Aulostomus family. Possibly Aulostomus Macalatus. Sometimes it look like a stick floating in the water.