Mangroves: How big do they grow?

[Seriak]

Hey I have been growing a couple mangrives for the last few years and they are now about 3 feet tall and quite bushy. I keep having to raise the lights. Anyways, I know they are trees but how big will they get in the aquarium setting and would they eventually have roots strong enough to push through the glass?

[vanreefer]

huge and yes

[ree-fready]

Pictures.

[fakename]

Ummm, they grow into trees......trees. Like that you could climb. They have huge roots that could probably push through concrete with enough time. :mrgreen:
Unlike tangs though, you can stunt the growth of many plants by keeping them in containers that keep them root bound. Just hope that glass is stronger than the roots....

[Delphinus]

Far out. I've been growing about 5 magroves from pods since 2002 and they're barely 12" tall in the three years I've been growing them. I figured they were extremely slow growing. How do you have yours growing? I WISH mine would grow at least a little.

[geopod]

I havent heard of Mangroves that big unless they were potted after they grew their leaves and placed outside....On that note....anyone in Edmonton have any for sale?I would like to buy one for my refugium.

george

[BT05]

I thought that you were supposed to trim most of the leaves off and just let the roots develop? Do you mean 3' tall including their roots or from the water line? :eek:

[Seriak]

I think 3' was rounding up. But I was including the roots as the roots extend down from the water line and the plant is 1'1/2 feet to 2' out of the water. I should really measure and give you exact measurements. They are only as short as they are because I didn't bother raising the lights so the leaves kept getting burned. I just recently raised the lights.

[Cap'n]

I thought the idea was to keep trimming them so they will continually have new growth and consume more excess nutrients from your system...Although, a larger plant would consume more for upkeep and growth...

Either way, I think it would look great. I'd love to see some pics as well.

[marie]

You should be able to keep the larger roots trimmed back, it's just the hair like small feeder roots that supply nutrients to the plant. No more then a third should be trimmed off at a time tho, any more and it stresses the tree.

[Seriak]

Here are a couple of pics. They are both just over 2 feet above the water.

http://members.shaw.ca/monnerc/Graphics/1.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/monnerc/Graphics/2.jpg

[Delphinus]

:eek: Holy mackerel!!!! Awesome!! Mine are pathetic little twigs that wish they were like halfways like that.

Did you start those from pods or were they already little plantlets? Do you have them in any kind of substrate (sand or mud or ...??) What kind of fluorescents are those? How often do you mist them?

[Seriak]

:eek: Holy mackerel!!!! Awesome!! Mine are pathetic little twigs that wish they were like halfways like that.

Did you start those from pods or were they already little plantlets? Do you have them in any kind of substrate (sand or mud or ...??) What kind of fluorescents are those? How often do you mist them?

I think I got them at the same time you did. I initially got 4 from Evan. These two really took off. I initally floated them above some rocks and the roots eventually grew through some holes in the live rock that support them now. I have approx 2-3 inchese of sand with next to no water movement. The flourescents I just bought at Brite Lite. They are Phillips 50 Watt 41 RS. 2 of them. Oh and I have never misted them and yes they were only pods at the time I got them.

[DiscusZ]

Anywhere in town to get the mangroves these days? How much do they cost?
I want to add a couple to my fuge..

[Chin_Lee]

tony
make sure your mg levels are good because they need mg to balance out their whatever in saltwater. then they should grow pretty good after that.
cwlee

[BT05]

Wow, looks like you might have to take those out and actually pot them in soil... They look great BTW.
Can you propagate those via cuttings or are pods and seedlings the only way to start growing them? Do they discolor the water? I have mangrove driftwood (in freshwater) and it leaches like mad.

[DiscusZ]

Anyone have any mangroves they want to part with :)

Ya I have used the wood for Discus tanks the tanins helps soften the water to that of the Amazon


Jim

[fatpuffer]

try wai's...he usually have some. cost about 20 bucks