what should I do with these?

[eddie]

I had these mangroves connected to a 135 gal that I have moved & now I have this 45 gal DSB with about 15 large magroves.

I have a greenhouse that I'd like to move them to but the container is to heavy .

wonder is it ok to reuse a DSB after digging it all up & wonder how the mangroves will respond to their massive root system being disturbed since I planted them in the DSB.

btw notice the bleached coraline in the container where the water level used to be .it was lit 24/7 with 2 40 watters

[billsreef]

I haven't played with mangroves yet, but I've played with plenty of DSB's Sea Grasses and live in the middle of farm country to add in some general agriculture to the mix. I'd expect that if your gentle in unplanting the mangroves, keep the roots damp while moving the tub and it's contents they should be just fine. You might experience a temperary slow down in growth till they readjust.

[eddie]

I've pulled some before & the tap roots looked like a big carrot .

I only give a $1 each for them anyway.

but I'd love to get them in the sunroom connected back to my system where they can grow like trees.

I wonder would they get root bound like a potted plant or just start growing roots in the water colum

[skylsdale]

eddie, here is a page from Anthony Calfo's book on how to encourage the growth of prop roots(someone else took a picture of it for me since I didn't have access to the book):

http://kensreef.homestead.com/files/mangrove_pods.jpg

He evidently used a bread tie to attach the propagules to a stick with the roots touching the water...then slowly moving the propagule up the stick as the roots grow.

[eddie]

ya ..I have his book..but these mangroves are rooted deep already & some have proproots but what I wonder is will the roots grow up out the sand when the containers full of roots.

so they dont get root bound