Mangroves

[RothChyld]

Does anyone have any experience puttng mangroves in their tank? If so can I get one from a canal by my house and should I treat it first?

I hear they will improve water quality as that's what they do in the wild.

Thanks!

Mike

 

[mogurnda]

Haven't grown them, but I hear they need a deep substrate and room to grow out the top. Plus room for their roots to spread in the substrate.

Although they are good on a big scale, on an aquarium scale they grow too slowly to be all that useful for nutrient export. Macroalgae are much better.

 

[benjen]

No experience, but I've read that the species best for marine aquariums is the one you find actually in full saltwater, as the brackish ones might sicken and die if they don't have some fresh water or solid ground. I think those are the red mangroves.

If it's a red mangrove, you should be able to use it.

 

[JoeB]

Do it! Im not sure if you feel comfortable putting something from the canal in your tank, but they are pretty much ready to go when they are floating around like that. Should start to poke out a root after about a week of standing in the substrate. Dont expect to see true leaves for a month or so. I have a small tree in a ten gallon 'fuge and it can denitrify 20 ppm in that much water in two days. I have read that after a while you may need to add magnesium but I havent tested for that yet.
Good point about needing alot of substrate. Substrate would need to be at least three inches to start, with the dark end down far enough so that it wont come out, and the top has to be out the water.
Changes in salinity dont seem to effect it much, if any. At least at levels less than 30 ppt.

 

[JoeB]

Let me correct a couple things in my last post. My fuge capacity is ten gallons, but most of it is substrate so only about five gallons SW. Also, increasing salinity should be done slowly because doing it all at once doesn't really hurt it, but some lower leaves will turn yellow and fall off. They will be replaced by new growth. Here are two good links for mangroves in aquaria:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/mangrovetrees.htm
http://www.globaldialog.com/~jrice/mangrove/q&a_ken1.htm
Cheers

 

[mogurnda]

From the WetWebMedia article:
"The proof is in the pudding, as they say: they are weak nutrient export mechanisms in the aquarium because they do not produce stable or harvestable mass quickly. If you are looking for a vegetable filter, there is a long list of algae (and even plants like some sea grasses) that can provide greater harvestable mass for nutrient export. "

 

[JoeB]

mangroves also make the water smell bad :soda:

 

[RTR]

My one tank done with an emerse mangrove is not much experience, but I agree with the low nutrient export ability, and would add relatively high upkeep to that (light requirement and pruning).

It did not in any way smell bad. I have also grown a mangrove as a potted bog plant, also without any odor.

 

[Max]

sounds to me like xenia might work better.

 

[RothChyld]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Based on all the feedback I decided to stay away and will continue with what I have.