Mangrove tank

[saltwater sam]

Mine are doing fine. As long as there's new growth that's good news!

 

[saltwater sam]

Happy MLK day fellow students and reefers!

Here's a shot of my halimeda patch occupying the highest point in the submerged portion of my tank. That's the male percula and sexy anemone shrimp in the fuzzy mushrooms.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Lookin' good! Do you add any calcium for them?

 

[saltwater sam]

Nope just what's in my salt mix. They actually came on my live rock, started with just a couple and now they're taking over the rock!

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Good to know. Great pic, by the way!

 

[firemountain]

Hey saltwater sam.....just revisiting this thread from a while ago. Your tank looks great and it was nice to read the progress. Originally...my spare tank that was gonna be used for mangroves, turned into a quarantine tank.

Now I am looking to build a stand alone refugium. looking for good resources to buy supplies such as the red mangroves themselves. Also...what's the best type of mud to use, course or fine sand, and recommended filtration for good water movement (HOB or canister).

 

[saltwater sam]

Thanks firemountain! Ebay is where I would look for propagules. I use refugium mineral mud and that seems to work well for my trees. I use in tank filters for my tank. Everything is contained in the tank so I have no worries of leaks or spills and it keeps things simple. The algae does most of my filtration for me.

 

[saltwater sam]

I got this red algae for almost free, can anyone id it?

 

[ichthyogeek]

Based off of live-plants.com, it's either halymenia, or cryptonemia. My guess is with halymenia.

 

[saltwater sam]

I was thinking possibly Gracillaria hayi.

 

[saltwater sam]

I upgraded my lighting, I added 2 35w coral compulsion PAR 38 plantgro bulbs. I think these will help color up the red macros, as well as boost the productivity of the mangroves.


Here's a shot of the rock island and a couple of the asian mangroves

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Lookin' good, Sam!

 

[saltwater sam]

Thanks Michael!

Blue octodes

 

[saltwater sam]

Orange mangroves and new unidentified red macro

 

[saltwater sam]

Here's a few shots of a few macros I've had a while now

Dragon's breath Halymenia


Dictoya



Unidentified iridescent blue-tipped red macro

 

[phobos2deimos]

I got this red algae for almost free, can anyone id it?

Great tank Sam, nice to see the progress!

I think this is Hayi based on the curl of the fronds. Possibly Mammillaris, if the fronds end up being totally flat.

Ever ID that branched red macro? I just got a chunk, I think from the same place as you, and have no idea what it is. Super cool though. Has it grown much for you?

 

[saltwater sam]

I haven't made an id nor has it grown much since I got it.

I'm about to do a project that I've been putting off for a while: repot my largest mangrove.
Updates soon.

 

[shah1]

I bought the similar seeds from ebay and they are doing great in my system and they are very easy to grow and pretty fast growth as well

 

[saltwater sam]

Small update.. I rewired a branch on my big red mangrove

Before


Wire removed


Rewired for more bend




Oh ya... and one more thing....

Could it be?


My first prop root!! Yaaaa!!!

 

[saltwater sam]

For me, this is proof that suspending mangroves is not the way to induce prop roots. They need to be established and healthy. It takes time for maturity, but I'm glad to see it finally happened!