My Mangrove Mixed Reef

[scott_richards]

Okay so I think I kinda forgot about this thread here. Guess I should give a brief update. So, since last time I have replaced both lights. My t5 unit is now replaced with a home made t5 rig made up of a icecap 660 ballast overdriving 4 39W t5's each with individual icecap reflectors. Also 3 12V dc fans were hung on the aluminium frame with diy acrylic holders.

The 70W halide has been replaced with one of those wicked evil's par38 LED spotlight. No pics of that though.

Ummm...what else. Don't think anything else has changed, really. Anemone shrunk initially due to the much higher light, but has now grown back to it's original size (which I think counts as a fairly large overall growth, as the anemone is much more compact now). Both orchid dottybacks now live in the same rock bommy, but I haven't seen any baby orchids swimming around yet Highly likely they've spawned and I've just missed it.

So, here are some more pics just to show off everything

These pics were taken before I got the par38 LED spotlight.

 

[scott_richards]

And here's some pics of the mangroves so I can justify my tank journal being in the macro sub-forum

I was having some doubts about this particular mangrove.

As you can see, the top is wilted and dead. Yet the roots continued growing just fine!

This (21/12/09)

to This (last week)

And now that the main support root has hit the substrate, this started sprouting out!!

then about 2 weeks later

So pretty interested in seeing where this goes!!

Oh and here's a cool picture of some xenia growing on one of the mangroves roots:

However that pic is about 6 weeks old. The xenia is starting to really take over the root!!

So yeah. that's my tank so far. Any questions, feel free to ask I'll try keep updating with more pics of the mangroves cos after all, that's why you're browsing this sub-forum!!

 

[Guygettnby]

i have been keeping up with this thread from the get go. i have always been interested in doing something like this with my tank but have always been unsure about how togo about it. your tank is looking great and i am looking forward tomore pics of it in the future.

where did you get the mangroves? how is the giant nem doing?

 

[DiazE]

Nice growth, keep the progress pictures going!

 

[scott_richards]

i have been keeping up with this thread from the get go. i have always been interested in doing something like this with my tank but have always been unsure about how togo about it. your tank is looking great and i am looking forward tomore pics of it in the future.

where did you get the mangroves? how is the giant nem doing?

Got the mangroves from a online shop that lives near me called Oceanarium. The giant nem is doing good Since I put in the lights, it has shifted itself ever so slightly around to the back of the tank where it's less bright. Unfortunately, now it's getting too close to the tunze 6025 when it's fully expanded.

 

[Giga]

sweet

 

[jmking33]

Im diggin the magrove stilts idea. Great root growth!

 

[sjmantis]

Wow awesome tank, might have to try this with my 40br. Do you think the mangroves would grow with light from t5s?

 

[Whisperer]

Oh and here's a cool picture of some xenia growing on one of the mangroves roots:

However that pic is about 6 weeks old. The xenia is starting to really take over the root!!

Isn't that clove polyps?

 

[ashtree68]

Nice tank, wish my mangroves grew that quickly.

 

[shutiny]

Wow, beautiful tank/elegance and the whole set up.

 

[scott_richards]

Woah, I almost forgot I had this tank journal here! Great to see so much interest

Giga, jmking33, shutiny:

Cheers

sjmantis:
Definately. Mine right now are about a foot beneath a PAR38 15W LED spotlight and are doing just fine. However, for most of the growing period, they were beneath a 70W 6000K metal halide bulb. Beneath T5, I'd imagine the growth would be greater or atleast equal to the growth I've experienced from the LED.

ashtree68:
While the root growth has been quite quick, it has definately slowed down now that the roots have hit the substrate (However I can't see how much it's growing throughout the substrate I guess). Also, the leaf growth has been a little bit slow compared to those who have planted their mangroves straight into the substrate.

whisperer:
Nah, definately xenia. I'll post up some updated pictures hopefully tomorrow.

So seeing as there appears to be some who are interested in this tank, I'll find some motivation to take some pictures and post them up. If not tomorrow, then may be a few weeks, as I'm taking a trip up north to Coral Bay (Ningaloo reef) for a snorkelling/diving trip.

 

[scott_richards]

Alrighty, here's 2 quick photos taken from my phone.

FTS

and my heteractis aurora

the aurora nem is just a little over 6 inches in diameter. Definately nice and coloured up since when i first got it:

I'm a little annoyed at it though. Where it is currently is where I first positioned it when I got it. however, it decided to somehow make a tunnel straight under the rock to the back, then start heading over towards the crispa, then come back around the front of the tank to the exact position it started in! The result: my topped aquascape I can't get the right hand bommy to stand up like it used to now.

Anywho, off to coral bay!

 

[khaosinc]

Really cool looking tank. love all the nems

I have got to get my 240 done so I can start my mangrove swamp. Sitting in a rubbermaid tub just isn't as easy to watch.

 

[Poriferan]

This tank is very cool. I love the mangroves and your courage to have the nems in with all the other corals.

 

[ashtree68]

The xenia on that one mangrove is insane!

 

[nissannx]

any updates on this????

 

[Korrine]

another round of photos would be awesome!! Just read it from start to finish

 

[lovetoreef]

ditto - would love to see some updated pictures

 

[Frank Aguirre]

The Canadian aproach on Mangroves...

The Canadian aproach on Mangroves...

I've been reading thru and some of you really have some interesting ideas...

Well here are some examples of my Mangrove filters hope you enjoy

<a href="http://s1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee463/Symphy68/How%20to%20make%20a%20Mangrove%20Refugium/?action=view&current=DSCN9644.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee463/Symphy68/How%20to%20make%20a%20Mangrove%20Refugium/DSCN9644.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee463/Symphy68/How%20to%20make%20a%20Mangrove%20Refugium/?action=view&current=DSCN0677.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee463/Symphy68/How%20to%20make%20a%20Mangrove%20Refugium/DSCN0677.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee463/Symphy68/How%20to%20make%20a%20Mangrove%20Refugium/?action=view&current=DSCN1696.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee463/Symphy68/How%20to%20make%20a%20Mangrove%20Refugium/DSCN1696.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>