Mangroves!? Display!??!?!

[Reefrunner262]

Has anyone kept Mangroves in Their Main tank? Ive been doing a little research and aside from my skimmer would like to provide optimal filtration for my tank. But has anyone kept them in their Display tank? i have 65k Metal Halides and 24inch Vhos. I have a Refugium i could keep them there but wanted to keep caulepa there. Any Info about keeping mangroves in the Main tank would help tons or any info in general, oh yeah im looking for Caulerpa anyone have some for sale?

Thanks
Travis

[skylsdale]

Ive been doing a little research and aside from my skimmer would like to provide optimal filtration for my tank.

Don't plan on mangroves being a part of your "optimal" filtration model--they are extremely slow growers (especially in full-strength sea water) and accordingly take in nutrients very slowlys...generally not enought to make much of a difference, unless you add something like one plant per gallon of water. They're more of a novelty in reef tanks rather than a practical purpose.

[Reefrunner262]

thanks for help i mostly wanted something that looks good but also functions... well at least you replied thanks very much!

Travis

[Pete Jaenecke]

i have mangroves in my sump tank for my 125gal reef tank grow slow yes but so does a real nice reef tank that is thriving!!! E- mail me for any more ? u my have about mangroves

[Gerard the fish]

They're more of a novelty in reef tanks rather than a practical purpose

Well yes and no its kind of a more win situation, mangrooves are basically another system in the fight for perfect water...

At worst they are a "novelty" at best a highly beneficial addition to a tank if done correctly

thanks

- g

[skylsdale]

At worst they are a "novelty" at best a highly beneficial addition to a tank if done correctly

But the "best" scenario--which is based primarily on anecdotal information...we have yet to see anything that could be considered scientific or solid--comes with MANY more mangroves than most people are willing to place in a system, or think they need to. 1-5 mangroves in a large system could do little-to-no nutrient absorption, especially in full strength seawater as they have to extract the FW from the solution...causing the growth/nutrient absorption process to occur at an even slower rate. So yes, at this point I would consider them more of a novelty (e.g. something cool to look at, but not really a beneficial aspect of the filtration for the tank, which is the point of this thread. By beneficial I mean something that makes an obvious difference in water quality once added to the system. Are they pointless? No, and I agree with you that at "worse" they are a novelty, which still isn't a bad thing. However, they are not the nutrient powerhouses that so many people are led to believe, especially through online vendors and ill-informed people.

[Plantbrain]

I have always considered them to be an open top tank plant. MH's hanging down with some Mangroves popping up is a nice look. It's also very easy to work on an pen top tank design. It's less bulky, gives a clean look and appearance. They spray light that can be harsh to our eyes since hee's no hood. They are cooler generally since they are not enclosed. The smaller HQI doble ended 150/250watt lights with the small profile fixtures really looks nice. They sell electronic ballast now for these lights also.

I think the overall look you are after is the thing to consider, not just adding a plant or not. Emergent plants can add a very nice look to a tank. After a few years you'll have a nice tree.

Regards,
Tom Barr