Mangrove Trees

[super7]

What are everyones Ideas on Mangrove trees concerning light, room and anything else I cannot think of.
Thanks Super7

[skylord]

I use HO T5s over mine. Not sure what you mean by room. I have seen where people band a large group together but their only interest was the nutrient export. I treat mine more like bonsi and have 4 large bonsi in a 20g. It is plumbed into the system so I get some export but with only 4 not much.

Scott

[super7]

so how do you keep them small, do you just prune the new growth to make them bushy?

[skylord]

Exactly......

Scott

[skylord]

Another thing about the mangrove tree....once they start to root don't bother the roots for a long time. I have read you shouldn't move them for 5 yrs. That might be extreme but the root system is delicate.

Scott

[super7]

thankyou skylord
Super7

[justinl]

a good article on mangroves. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/ac/feature/index.php

imo, if you want to use mangroves as filtration, you're going to have to use quite a few. not really worth it in that regard imo, especially when you have a large diversity of macroalgae to pick from. However, they do make great little "bonsais" as mentioned and do attract some attention from visitors as a little odd tidbit. rather slow growers, but to prune just treat it the same as any other plant. nip off the apical bud and it will grow sideways.

they will survive in pretty much any light you give it, the more the better. I have a seedling in an empty HOB aquaclear with a piece of rubble. Im just letting the roots take hold of the rock so when i put it in the display proper (has to be tall enough to stick out of the water some), i have an anchor... that's the plan anyways :).

[niloc16]

i've seen skylords and they look really really good. ever since then i have tried to think of a way to incorporate them into my system :cry:

[super7]

I am DIYing a refugium and a sump as I have welded a stand together to incorporate the setup I want underneath my new system.
The mangroves will have 15 inches, minus what ever lighting system I put in there, of growing room for the mangroves. That should be enough if I treat them as a bonzai.
Thanks Super7

[skylord]

After seeing your space allotment I had to go measure mine. From the bottom of the tank to the top of the light, mine is 29 inches. My trees are in need of a trim but the most I could cut is about 6 inches and they wouldn't look good if I did that. My light is only about two inch's thick so I'm not wasting any space there. I could have made the root system (aerial roots)a little shorter but thats what makes the trees look nice and realistic. So in a sump where they aren't for show I could have reduced the roots about 4 inch's. My trees are just over 2 yrs old and they are 2 feet tall and have to be trimmed about every 3 months.

Also if they are going straight into the sump you have to be concerned with salinity shock.

Scott

[super7]

i have more than a few extra quarantine tanks and holding tanks around the house in which I could get them used to y salinity.

[christyf5]

After seeing your space allotment I had to go measure mine. From the bottom of the tank to the top of the light, mine is 29 inches. My trees are in need of a trim but the most I could cut is about 6 inches and they wouldn't look good if I did that. My light is only about two inch's thick so I'm not wasting any space there. I could have made the root system (aerial roots)a little shorter but thats what makes the trees look nice and realistic. So in a sump where they aren't for show I could have reduced the roots about 4 inch's. My trees are just over 2 yrs old and they are 2 feet tall and have to be trimmed about every 3 months.

Also if they are going straight into the sump you have to be concerned with salinity shock.

Scott

Photos please?? http://www.mommiescamelot.com/forum/images/smilies/prettyplease.gif

[skylord]

Ok...just for Christy. I have been moving everything and was getting ready to move this to my fish room. The water is down a little and the tank needs a cleaning. I have had Clown Gobi's in this tank with the trees and I use it to grow macro algae.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa91/RscottHayes/DSC_0144.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa91/RscottHayes/DSC_0141-1.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa91/RscottHayes/DSC_0142.jpg

Here is the root system....more impressive in person. As I said these trees are about 2 yrs old but my wife says they are only 18 months....I would believe her...lol

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa91/RscottHayes/DSC_0143.jpg

And I had to slip a pic of my Southern Blue Devilfish in.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa91/RscottHayes/DSC_0132.jpg

Scott

[christyf5]

Awesome Scott!! I love seeing that. Mangroves are soo cool but I don't have the space. One day though, one day.... :razz:

Thanks for posting the pics :biggrin:

[super7]

that southern blue devilfish is awseome, it reminds me of the cichlids I used to breed.
Thanks for the pics and all the info, I really apreciate it.
Super7

[Snappy]

I just threw mine out after growing for a years and then went on the decline.

[Delphinus]

I started off with like a dozen pods about 5 years ago. They did OK for a few years, but ridiculously slow (nowhere near the kind of growth that Skylord has seen - think stick with a couple leafs). After moving them into the new house, I lost a swack of them. The rest never flourished and declined slowly. I moved them into a 8gal salt bucket full of aragonite sand thinking that giving them room to grow the roots would be good - but instead they just died. Too bad, they're a neat thing, but I don't really have the patience to try them again.

Skylord did yours start off as pods? (Apologies if you've answered this already and I just missed the info)

[skylord]

Yes....we started with pods. One thing you cant see in the pics is the soil. They are in the cheaper miracle mud with sand covering the soil. It took 2 months before these trees went into the tank. Acclimating them real slow, I believe, is real important to success. Any fast changes will damage, stunt or kill these trees.

Scott

[Pescador]

Mine are pretty much the same size and age as skylord's (2yrs and 24") but not quite as bushy.
They are in mud as well under 150de 6500k.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y126/Pescador58/Reef%20Tank/mangroves1.jpg