Brad's Natural Reef Mangroves, Macros, and More

[brad908]

Hey Everyone - Last November I went to the California Academy of Sciences and fell in love with their mangrove displays. Between the visit and Giga's mangrove work, I knew I had to set up a mangrove tank. I quickly gathered up old equipment and made an 18" mangrove macro tank that quickly became my favorite tank I have ever put together.

After having the tank up for about 10-11 months, I've decided it is time to combine my mixed reef tank and my mangrove macro tank.

Equipment

• 48x18x14 Starfire SCA Aquariums
• 24" NanoBox Hybrid | 4 v3 pucks with 2 24" T5
• NanoBox DUO | Flare edition
• Ecotech MP10
• Jebao WP10
• 22x16x15" Synergy Sump (not currently in use)
• Mame Overflow (not currently in use)
• Bubble Magus Curve 5 (not currently in use)
• Hydor L40 (not currently in use)
• Apex Jr. (not currently in use)
• Elos Osmo ATO Controller (not currently in use)

Fish

• Black Ocellaris Clownfish
• Regular Ocellaris Clownfish
• Pajam Cardinal - x3
• Blue/Green Chromis - x10

Macro Algae's

• Caulerpa Prolifera
• Halimeda Opuntia
• Botryocladia
• Hypnea Pannosa
• Coralline Clusters
• Corky Finger
• Tan Spiny
• Tan Candelabra
• Purple Ribbon
• Purple Candelabra
• Padina

Coral

• Hammer's - x3
• Duncan

 

[brad908]

Pictures from various stages:

 

[G_Sanab922]

Very nice and like how you put your mangroves in the small one. Following along

 

[d2mini]

Cool! I'd trim those puppies though. That way they will start branching.

 

[brad908]

Very nice and like how you put your mangroves in the small one. Following along

Cool! I'd trim those puppies though. That way they will start branching.

Thanks! Those 3 huge 24" ones won't be going in.

I am filling the 8" cube with mud and sand, then filling in the 18" cube with sand around it. 8.5" dsb. I will be building a frame around the tank to hide the dsb.

 

[EW_Fish]

thats awesome great idea

 

[d2mini]

Thanks! Those 3 huge 24" ones won't be going in.

I am filling the 8" cube with mud and sand, then filling in the 18" cube with sand around it. 8.5" dsb. I will be building a frame around the tank to hide the dsb.

Sounds cool.
I love having mangroves and on my rebuild I'm incorporating a dedicated 20" (or so) cube tank.
Probably just three, with at least one Red. Want to see if I can source a couple other kinds, but may just do three red.
DSB as well.

 

[brad908]

Gonna build some rocks into the slope, but other than that, we are ready to fill it.

 

[kevantheman35]

This is looking amazing, can't wait to see it progess. Ive been trying to grow some red mangroves for a couple months now, 3 in salt water 3 in freshwater. They all have roots but only 1 has opened the first set of leaves and its in fresh. Taking forever

 

[brad908]

Little bit better pics. Haven't made the adjustments yet

 

[tyler1503]

Looks great! I've always liked mangroves. A harem of fuzzy dwarf lions would be so cool in a tank like this!

 

[brad908]

This is looking amazing, can't wait to see it progess. Ive been trying to grow some red mangroves for a couple months now, 3 in salt water 3 in freshwater. They all have roots but only 1 has opened the first set of leaves and its in fresh. Taking forever

Thanks! I cheated and found some good ones on ebay

Looks great! I've always liked mangroves. A harem of fuzzy dwarf lions would be so cool in a tank like this!

Not sure if I have enough hiding spots for one?

Tank is almost 100% clear. Tonight I will patch in the missing rock spots to hide the small cube

 

[Shep]

That's looking really great!

 

[brad908]

Took a few quick snaps. Looking forward to the weekend when I can get some natural light snaps. We are supposed to get the "storm of the decade" tonight and into tomorrow. But I don't buy into Californian weather hype. They already closed all the schools in San Francisco.







Have to paint the stand cover still

 

[Lionfish Lair]

That's a sweet little tank you put together. Nice to see peeps going off the beaten path.

 

[brad908]

That's looking really great!

That's a sweet little tank you put together. Nice to see peeps going off the beaten path.

Thanks!

Plan to finish up the rock work tonight, then let it cycle. I've been told to look into some garden eels, but afraid of them jumping. Are they known to jump out a lot?

 

[kevantheman35]

update? brad908

 

[brad908]

Long time no updates. Things got real busy with work travel, so I wasn't focusing on the tank. But that ended up being a blessing because the mangroves loved the dirty water and really took off. I still need to finish up with gluing rocks to completely cover the inner cube

Before

​

 

[brad908]

Current

brad908, on 22 Mar 2015 - 6:22 PM, said:Spring cleaning. Cleaned the filter for the first time and added new chemipure blue










​

 

[brad908]

Ordered some manatee grass to plant under the mangroves. Nothing else new really. I wish I could find some good deals on coco worms

I've also started pruning the mangroves in hopes they branch out, instead of growing taller.