Chaeto and Mangroves

[tbone28]

I'm new to refugiums. I have chaeto in there now.

What are mangroves used for? Nutrient export also?

Which is better for nutrient export? Can both be placed in the fuge?

[MichaelRyanSd]

I would say have both...but if you can only afford one right now...go with chaeto

[sjonathan]

mangroves is best to use in a fuge...it will reduce your nitrates....but make sure you read up on taking care of magrove plants...have a few in my fuge and my nitrates & ammonia are always 0. but both is good in a fuge.

[tbone28]

Are mangroves hard to care for?

[greenbean36191]

Mangroves are true plants so they get their nutrients primarily from the substrate, not the water and they also grow a lot slower than algae. They also need good lighting and more space. They do help with nutrient removal, but they're mostly for looks.

[dtaylor123]

Mangroves are not a good option for removing nitrates, unless you can have a whole lot of them (15+). They are how ever a very cool tree, very slow grower, they don't have to have their roots in the substrate, you can have the root just in salt water, I know this because I have them. They need light like any other plant/tree, mine are in my displace, I have them in my external over flow. Cheato is the way to go, it grows fast, the whole object is to give/throw away some every month, like 1/3 of it (more frequent if it grows real well. If you able to get it to "tumble", it will grow better, but it is not a must. Good luck.