Why Mangroves?

[dmweise]

I've been seeing a lot of discussion about mangroves lately. I'm curious, why do they seem to be so popular?

[Ping]

I like them because they look cool, they are a new challenge for me, and I want to see how many years I can keep them alive. Another type of house plant to me.

[dmweise]

I suppose once they get larger you could remove it and put it in a kiddy pool or something. It'd make a great place for discarding your excess tank water.

They do look pretty cool.

[ReefCube]

looks and somewhat cleans the tank

[marshall.read]

i also agree with it being primarily for looks, it does serve as nutrient export ( basically saltwater aquaponics ) but there are better/more efficient ways to remove excess nutrients from the water

[MKCindy]

For me it was more than looks, it was a form of natural filtration. Go to http://reefcleaners.org, on the right go to plants, then mangroves details. I started with about 25 Red, then attempted 4 Black ones from seed too, but with less success. I have 22 red in a 20 gallon refuge with other micro-algae. Once the root systems became established, my skimmer was no longer pulling anything out so I have been skimmer less since October and my tank never looked better.

[Ping]

My concern with 25 mangroves is: cost, mg levels, and long term health of the tree's as their roots grow.

Macro algaes are more efficient at nutrient export.

[Ping]

http://www.twolittlefishies.com/documents/1100232022.pdf

[marshall.read]

ping hit the nail on the head, i would also add that if you don't take care to monitor the root growth it can be quite destructuve

[vman181]

That was a good read Ping. Thanks for posting the link.

[MKCindy]

Great article and answered a few concerns I had about pruning. Mine are in water on live rocks, I already dose mag as needed and mist twice a day (guess I can cut that back safely) I'm about 2 over recommendation, but when they out grow my fuge, I can move some to other tanks or put them in the display tank.

[DSAfanatic]

I have never had good luck with mangroves. I even bought them with a developed root system and about a foot tall, but the leaves always fall off after a couple of weeks and dies a few weeks later. Guess I'll still to chaeto and caluerpa.