Mangrove Plants

[miked78231]

what do you guys know about mangrove plants helping out with hair algae? its seems that i have a real bad problem with this and so far the best thing ive seen to clean this is the plant. if this is a helpful plant to get then does anyone know where i can get some and about how many i would need for a 55g with about 60lbs of LR? it seems to be covering only one rock but that one rock is completly covered in it.

[hobogato]

you dont have a hair algae problem. get some micro hermits. let your tank run a little longer, it may still be finishing the "break-in" cycle. algae is usually the last stage before things really settle into a balance. mangroves are good, but so is macro algae, like cheatomorpha. once you put a refugium on your system, they will help get rid of nitrates. if you are using dechlorinated tap water, you may be adding in nitrates and phosphates which is what the algae is using for nutrients.

[MikeP]

Mangroves are not nearly as fast growing as macro algae if you want them to suck up nutrients in the tank. You would need to use a ton to get any appreciable effect - also they are sensitive to fluctuations in salinity and do much better in brackish - fresh water ime. If you do get them you'll need to mist them periodically a few times a week or daily as salt collects on the leaves and exposed stems.

Also you can 'plant' them in a substrate and they do lateral roots or place just the root ends in the tank and slowly raise them as they grow to get the dramatic prop roots to develop. There is a good chapter on them in Calfo's first book and Julian Sprung wrote a neat article on their use in aquariums you can find on the web.

Info I found from AA by Daniel Knop on mangroves:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...02/feature.htm

Here is the .pdf of Sprung's I was referrring to :

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


FYI I had about a dozen mangroves in my sump and they did ok for a couple of years till I moved them and they started to drop leaves and shrivel. I am told they have a significant magnesium uptake of which I seem to be chronically low on.