Mirio

Congratulations!

Better off using the stuff the fish store stocks. Rummage through for some good pieces. Pretty much 80% + of the people with Tropical reefs did the same thing. ( Get rock from the store, cycle it, etc etc. ) I mean. I guess you can use local rock, but it just isn't worth the trouble IMO.

Just get a permit in the mean time. There is the NZHS, New Zealand Herpetological Society, check out that website

Depends on the fish, alot of marine fish have been known to jump out. I guess most fish have the potential to jump

If you're not intent on fulling stocking it, I'd just get a little bit more rock. Extra 10-15kgs maybe? Try find an in between as compromise or something. And Yeah, Like Zayne said, get a good skimmer. Better to just future proof it up a little bit by adding a little bit more rock.

He's a keeper

Yeah, I'd go with Parazoanthus of some sort. Not too sure if it's fully described or not. There are a few sites giving it a full genus and species name but yeah. So so many species and variants in the Zoantharia order

Yup, the stuff the fish was nestled into. The last photo? You mean the light green or yellowish centred coral on the left? Might be wrong but it looks just like this : Colony Polyp, Yellow. Not sure if this was what you're talking about..

You think so? Parancoras look a little bit different at that size, I used to have a Paradivisia around that size and it looked exactly like it. I also had 2 types of torch/hammer/parancora frags. The tips do look similar at a distance, but I think if you look closer you'd see that the coloured tips are more broken up than they would be if it was a Parancora. The colouration is exactly the same as I remember my frogspawn too. Pictures off the net are alright to go by, but one Euphyllia can look very different depending on what it's doing, plump with all the polyps stretching out, retracted, inbetween, etc etc etc. Not being stubborn or anything, but I believe that IS a Paradivisia. It looked just like mine did when the only thing lighting the tank was the light in the room. Liveaquaria comparison Euphyllia paradivisa Euphyllia parancora Paradivisa has far more visible "tips", more broken up too. I used to own this coralllllllll

The stalk/base is typical of multiple species in the Euphyllia genus, and yeah. I think I'd go with a small frogspawn coral. - Euphyllia paradivisia The stalk in the picture I linked is probably green with just algae and other marine growth. The frogspawn frag I had looked just like the one you're trying to identify.

Definitely a Euphyllia, but it could be a small "Frog spawn". But yeah, definitely a Euphyllia I would say. Edit : Euphyllia paradivisia (Frogspawn) Good chance of it being this also. But I can't be 100% certain.

Return pumps are the noise makers I found, depending on what brand is used

I think you will find most freshwater shrimps, even tropical benefit from cooler temperatures, if they're the focus. 25c is the highest I've seen Native shrimp at, dunno how high they go. But with a drawn out acclimation might be able too push them further, just have the planted tank as cool as possible I guess.

I reckon it'll be fine

Six - Lines are so awesome. Your Bi Color looking nice too, still a bit of growing to be done with him/her haha

Might be much of a muchness then. Both are reputable brands and if something does go wrong they each have a decent warranty

I've used Jagers, always seem to be reliable, might not blend in as well as a Fluval, but overall I support the product. Never tried Fluval, but they're a fairly reputable brand too. Could be much of a muchness, but If I remember correctly Jagers have a 3yr Warranty?

L91 Leporacanthicus Triactis - three Beacon Pleco, not sure why I like it. I Just reckon it's a really neat plec

Could get away with 2x 5,000 LPH, although I think you might need another, but I guess it really just depends on rockwork layout and species you keep. But I would say around 13,000LPH total maybe? Not too sure

I would say C. schwartzi

That Polka Dot is gorgeous

Should work still in theory, might be easier just to use coral rock rubble though. Ultimately depends what you want at the end of it I guess.

That's an office I'm sure most people wouldn't mind working in hah

Sounds awesome. Can't wait to see some progress, all the best.

http://deepblueaquarium.co.nz//index.php?cPath=25&osCsid=28sgg18ap926fljjbo92h0euq7 Here's some from an NZ Dealer, sells alot of other great products too.