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02/15/2020, 03:00 PM | #1 |
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Tips to move established Mangroves
I've had these mangroves for years, but I moved them once and lost about 1/2 of the small trees I had at the time (about 3 years ago). Those that never seemed to re-establish in the new tank ended up dying after a month or so. The three that are left have really grown in the last year, and I'm considering making a longer, wider tank to replace this refugium, giving me some more space for the trees as well as some other critters. I'm a ways out, just thinking through ideas at this time, but are there are tips on how to move the trees? I imagine I will just use a large scoop and take huge chunks of the sand with the trees when I do it, but what say you people?
This was a picture from February of 2019, right when I added the two grow lights (I had previously run that Kessil LED as the main source of light). These are the trees today. Two of them are almost 3 feet tall.
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-Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet? |
02/15/2020, 10:49 PM | #2 |
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Maybe you could scoop them up in buckets or tupperware, keeping their roots in the substrate. And get them back under their lights at the same height. I think change shocks them. Try to mimic the original setup, to avoid changes.
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
03/15/2020, 04:27 PM | #3 |
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I managed the move this weekend. I tried to get the majority of each tree in one giant scoop with a shovel. It seemed to work, but time will tell. I trimmed the trees as well as they're in deeper water, so I made sure to get all the leaves out of the water.
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-Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet? |
03/15/2020, 05:56 PM | #4 |
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Great idea using the shovel. Very cool dedicated tank design! Are you putting fish in it?
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
03/15/2020, 08:28 PM | #5 |
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Yes, there are currently two clarkii clowns and a tomini tang. No discreet plans on what’s next.
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-Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet? |
03/15/2020, 11:06 PM | #6 | |
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Quote:
That is one tank I’ve never had is a mangrove tank... My wife has been interested in having another seahorse tank. I think they would make very interesting perches for the Seahorse. how long to go from pod to your size mangrove? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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03/16/2020, 07:07 AM | #7 |
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I got the propagules about 5 years ago, but as you can see above they really took off under the new grow lights. In the last year they put out a canopy that was 2-3 times as dense.
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-Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet? |
03/28/2020, 09:11 PM | #8 |
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I ended up pulling the mangroves out because I found a bunch of eunicid worms in the sand. I had to sift through all the sand to get rid of the worms, and in the process really disturbed the root system of the mangroves, but within an hour or so replanted then. The leaves are starting to go limp, though, as I’m sure I pulled a lot of nutrients from the sand when filtering it. Is there a safe way to help fertilize the trees while in the tank? They also appear to be releasing sap (white stuff) in a few places submerged on the trunk. Thoughts?
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-Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet? |
03/28/2020, 09:36 PM | #9 |
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Not sure if fertilizer would help. Maybe a root tab? Mine are rooted in dirt from my yard, topped with sand.
__________________
As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
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