Mangroves???

stdreb27

New member
I recently planted a mangrove tree in my fuge. But it does not seem to be doing well. I've had a couple leaves turn brown and fall off. Right now It is planted in argonite and sand mix. What do I need to do to make sure that I can successfully grow a tree in my fuge?
 
Thanks guys for the great links! as often as the search engine is down it is very difficult to find any good old threads.
 
I'm pretty sure what I'm seeing is the plant being in shock for being moved. I'm just hoping the lfs I bought it from has pretty close to the same salinity that I have in that fuge. So I didn't freak it way out. The other thing is I have no idea how to make sure there is magnesium in the system. And I wonder if it is ok in the sump tank till I get the flow worked out. Right now I just have a few powerheads in it. I had to disconnect my pumps into my return tank. Till the glass co cuts me some more glass for the sump. I have to many bubbles in the dt.
 
A couple possibilities, salinity shock is very possible. There's no telling what salinity it was in prior to the LFS, and if you dont know what the salinity is in the tank it was in at the LFS then there could've been another change in salinity. From what I've read mangroves are very sensative to salinity change, why or how this is I have no idea. They generally are native to shallow lagoon areas where salinity can fluctuate alot during heavy rainfall.

It should be fine in the sump as long as proper light is supplied and the light if hot is not to close to the leaves.

Chances are if you are performing regular water changes your magnesium is fine. Magnesium is found in Natural salt water at concentration generally 3 times the amount of calcium, so there is alot in there, and demand for it is lower than calcium. It can be checked easily with a test kit which should be easy to find.

From my experience mangroves do fine in low flow conditions.
 
From what I've read mangroves are very sensative to salinity change, why or how this is I have no idea. They generally are native to shallow lagoon areas where salinity can fluctuate alot during heavy rainfall.
I've been puzzling over this hobby truism for at least a year myself. :)

>Sarah
 
well they had tons of frags. I'm hoping they kept the water pretty salty cause that fuge right now is 1.025 when I put it in.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9511877#post9511877 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Samala
I've been puzzling over this hobby truism for at least a year myself. :)

>Sarah

I'm starting to believe it is as simple as them being saplings. I've been growng some other trees lately, from saplings, and I lost all of my leaves for the first few weeks before they sparked back to life.

My conclusion: Tree saplings have a hell of a time adjusting to change, and I feel like it's that simple.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9511877#post9511877 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Samala
I've been puzzling over this hobby truism for at least a year myself. :)

>Sarah

There are no SUDDEN and SIGNIFICANT changes. Even in coastal areas, the changes are more gradual.

That's my guess.

I could be wrong.
 
There are no SUDDEN and SIGNIFICANT changes. Even in coastal areas, the changes are more gradual.

I wish I could be there to check things on my own, but I would surmise that at say low tide when the plants roots are exposed during heavy rain there would be a sudden drop in salinity. Perhaps the fact that the plants roots are buried deep within the substrate helps to buffer the plant from sudden salinity changes.
 
During the rainy season, the tail end of which is when the mangroves send out the propagules, there can be shifts in salinity of a few ppts over a period of a single day. I have measured fluctuations of 8ppt and larger after storms on five or six occassions. During one of the hurricane induced seawater surges into the coastal area, we had a rise from an average 22ppt to full strength salinity of 34ppt. Current year saplings in those areas looked fine and are still around. Sure, long term, the shifts are gradual. But they do happen, and they can happen quickly and persist for several days.

Of course, I'm not out there everyday.

>Sarah
 
Hahaha.. I was absolutely out there! Refractometer stayed in the car though, along with all the expensive other equipment. They get wet, there'll be trouble. ;) I'm not out in really intense stuff, but where I am, we typically get the byblows of the storms. So lots of wind, rough waves and whitecaps in the lagoon, and lots of seagrass and such washing onshore. Its actually pretty amazing to watch. But nothing strong enough to make it dangerous. When we get the real stuff, I stay inside (of course).

>Sarah
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9569478#post9569478 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stdreb27
That isn't fair, what do you do?
Ruben

You're right it isnt fair (muttering-stupid construction job in NH) I want to be a seagrass expert too.
 
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