I have a concept in mind for a new setup. I want to do mangrove trees and other brackish-adaptable plants as a brackish riparium.
Most of the information that I run into regarding brackish planted tanks describes certain aquarium plants that seem to be able to withstand brackish water, such as Java fern, Anubias, Valisneria and certain others. However, I see scant references to these sorts of plants actually growing in brackish water areas out in nature, so it might be possible that many of them are not such good representations of that sort of habitat. They might instead just be tolerant of very hard and even slightly salty water because they are such hardy plants. On the other hand, there are a few good riparium plants that could be grown above water in a brackish riparium that are actual mangrove/estuary species. I already have several such plants established in riparium planters...
I had all three of these going in my 50-gallon tank, but I have since moved them around. Here is a quick shot showing the black mangrove and the leather fern pretty well.
These specimens that I have are all currently growing in (hard) freshwater, and I imagine that for best results I would need to slowly adapt them to brackish water. Here is a list of additional brackish species that I think I might be able to get a hold of to try in riparium planters...
I'll write again later with some more ideas and information. I don't even have a tank size picked out for this project yet. I might start adapting the plants in a 15-gallon or whatever, and then move up to a 40 breeder or 50-gallon tank.
Most of the information that I run into regarding brackish planted tanks describes certain aquarium plants that seem to be able to withstand brackish water, such as Java fern, Anubias, Valisneria and certain others. However, I see scant references to these sorts of plants actually growing in brackish water areas out in nature, so it might be possible that many of them are not such good representations of that sort of habitat. They might instead just be tolerant of very hard and even slightly salty water because they are such hardy plants. On the other hand, there are a few good riparium plants that could be grown above water in a brackish riparium that are actual mangrove/estuary species. I already have several such plants established in riparium planters...
- black mangrove (Avicennia germinans)
- white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa)
- leather fern (Acrostichum danaeifolium)
I had all three of these going in my 50-gallon tank, but I have since moved them around. Here is a quick shot showing the black mangrove and the leather fern pretty well.
These specimens that I have are all currently growing in (hard) freshwater, and I imagine that for best results I would need to slowly adapt them to brackish water. Here is a list of additional brackish species that I think I might be able to get a hold of to try in riparium planters...
- red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle)
- buttonwood ( Conocarpus erectus)
- ciliata crypt (Cryptocoryne ciliata)
I'll write again later with some more ideas and information. I don't even have a tank size picked out for this project yet. I might start adapting the plants in a 15-gallon or whatever, and then move up to a 40 breeder or 50-gallon tank.
