Show your Mangrove Systems
- Thread starter gasbatalla
- Start date
Plantbrain
Active member
As long as they have water, nutrients, there's no reason why higher light in the 300-1000 micrmol range would be bad, other than heating your home, the plants should do fine and are well adapted to conserve water and exclude salt, there's no CO2 limitation really.
12 hours of strong light.
That said, they will still grow well at less light intensity also, just not as fast perhaps.
12 hours of strong light.
That said, they will still grow well at less light intensity also, just not as fast perhaps.
pico-reefer
New member
im looking to start a mongrove display, with just mangroves, i have a few questions, do they grow best planted in the substrate or suspended above the sand in the water? should i dose nitrates or mag? should i add a protien skimmer? and how oftten should you do waterchanges? Thanks
I got 5 mangroves from a reef cleaner order and have them in my 5.5 display.
They are under a rapid par 38 led (display light).
Can someone give me a time frame as to when they will leaf out? I figure things vary but 2 or 3 months?
They are under a rapid par 38 led (display light).
Can someone give me a time frame as to when they will leaf out? I figure things vary but 2 or 3 months?
DeathWish302
Clown Hoarder
Depends on intensity of light and nutrient level. Most all of my new mangroves have sprouted at least 2 leaves and some have 4. The stem has only spouted out maybe 1-2" vertical. I have 5 months invested in these little guys from HI and PR.
Unfortunately, my PO4 and NO3 are nil so they are not steaming ahead. Then again, none of my citrus trees or japanese maples grow much more than 3-6" a year and leaf out maybe 15 leaves of season. I wouldn't expect the mangroves to grow at an insane rate. I am performing a trial with a few seperate trees in the same southward window as the lagoon and other trees I grow. With monthly copious additions of Miracle Grow to a 1 gal jug cut in half and filled with SW, the mangroves in this pot have 4x the growth of the trees in my lagoon system. This is obviously not suitable conditions for SPS, so I'm no expecting much change in the first year..
HTH
Yes Frank it does help. Right now I am not sure if I will keep them in my 5.5 zoa tank and hope that I can attach zoas to the roots or if I will put them in my 37 fowlr.
If the 37 they would be limited to the sump probably.
Honestly I am in no rush for growth since this hobby is based upon something that takes decades + and we get upset if our tanks don't get filled in by the end of the year.
If the 37 they would be limited to the sump probably.
Honestly I am in no rush for growth since this hobby is based upon something that takes decades + and we get upset if our tanks don't get filled in by the end of the year.
DeathWish302
Clown Hoarder
I would say a FOWLR would be a great selection for these and possibly even able to include as a key element in the DT if it is an open top setup. I would place a mangrove in my BTA DT, but have yet found a natural way to place it in the tank while displaying the root structure. The ugly styro floater is not an option and the aragorete tripod 'holder' just was cast a couple weks ago, so it won't be tank ready until near christmas.
My lagoon is littered with a ric/zoa frag rack, mangroves in clay flowerpots, and more in the larger deli style containers. The aesthetics of a nutrient processing Rubbermaid tub was not the criteria, so it fits the purpose with looking at least 'presentable'.
Any pics of the holder?
I enjoy DIY rock and my 5.5 is 100% made with a few pieces of rubble for seeding. I also have an area on my back wall where they sit but with no substrate I am concerned long term.
I enjoy DIY rock and my 5.5 is 100% made with a few pieces of rubble for seeding. I also have an area on my back wall where they sit but with no substrate I am concerned long term.
DeathWish302
Clown Hoarder
I made my own concrete 'flower pot' and a tripod holder that could hold 3-4 trees with aerial roots exposed. Unfortunately both are buried in about 500lbs of playsand and I have no idea where I placed them. When I make a batch of rock, I burn through at least 1-2 bags of oyster shell and sell off some of the sump rock for store credit. I then let it sit for 3 months to minimize the leaching phase and result in a stronger rock long term. I likely won't be digging into the Rubbermaid tubs until early November when I do a check for moisture content of the sand. I can see then if the holder is close to the surface of the two bins when I do that check since they are buried in the closet now.
It is like treasure.
DeathWish302
Clown Hoarder
After 3 months+ pass, it's like digging out treasure on christmas morning b/c of all the new rock you have that you forgot you made.
Here is the only new pic of I have of the tank. This was at 3 am the other night when I discovered the leak. The mangroves have roots which is cool.
DeathWish302
Clown Hoarder
Roots can remain exposed and will eventually add some additional flair with the gnarly structure created. It will grow fine, as I start all my seed pods in a South facing wondow in a 2 gal rubbermaid tub with roots exposed.
I have experimented with crushed coral (CC) and it caused the root structure to be very 'weak'. The structures did not expand out with several roots of large diameter (~0.5in). The structure was very small (>0.25") and very compact. Not preferred IMO. I preferred oolitic grain size mixed with some super white silica sand from HD. I wouldn't waste my time or money on LS. Ask a buddy for a cup to make your own if your just starting. If you have a tank that is at least 3 weeks old, your sand is live and you can seed new sand with it.
HTH
joejoe1055
New member
can you trim the mangroves to keep them small?
DeathWish302
Clown Hoarder
You can trim these just like a standard indoor tree. I would go slow with the trimmings though. They don't seem to like lobbing off half the height too well. I trim my few that I have had for awhile about once every quarter. I just go around from mangrove to mangrove to japanese maple to citrus tree and chop off a few branches and leaves to my liking. The more often you do this, the less 'stress' it seems to put the tree through. It also seems the more often I trim, the faster the tree grows. This could be a response to out-compete whatever is 'destroying' the tree, but that's just me talking out my arse.
As for my review of LED bulbs:
After a couple months of use, I feel the $36 18W Ecosmart bulb from HD is a killer growing machine. Has resulted in the best growth from my harvested algaes and mangroves. It has completely destroyed all the calcareous algae, but my lagoon isn't supposed to be purty. It's purpose built. The Ecosmarts also have some rogue star polyps, some encrusting monti and mini carpets growing well with only continued growth. For a 5500K color temp, I'm impressed what $36 can do. The $65/pc custom ordered units may provide a bluer 6500K color temp, but can't hold a candle to the Ecosmarts.
Thought I would just provide an update on my LED adventure.
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rick12
New member
i would like to see pics of the lagoon if possible. sounds like the best part of the system:artist:
