Do small mangrove tanks need filtration?

smartwater101

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I'm thinking of putting two small tanks on either side of my 90" mixed reef. Originally i was going to plump it into the tank.. but I'm thinking that might be overkill. That is, if the Mangrove tanks don't need filtration in the first place. These "tanks" would be more like shallow 5-10 gallon acrylic planters.

Now, I'd like to put some nano fish in there as well. Masked gobies or perhaps striped clingfish? Or a pistol shrimp/goby pair? I'm not sure at the moment.

Would the mangrove tanks need water changes or other filtration? Or will it filter the water enough to sustain itself? I assume it would need top-off due to evap, but I'm not sure beyond that.

Thoughts?
 

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I was going to do some in larger pots but I was not going to add filtration...

Well unless you are putting some fish or something in with them they will need some nutrients like liquid fertilizer.
 

jlts21

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as to if water changes and what not are needed, i don't know. However, why not plumb it into your system? They are excellent exporters of nitrates and phosphates. I have 2 in my fuge along with a cheato reactor using a avast spyglass reactor and it works out great. nitrates are 3ppm and phosphates are .07
 
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smartwater101

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However, why not plumb it into your system?


Honestly I might, but I'd like to not take up space with plumbing, and more importantly, am super concerned about overflows getting clogged... which means to I'd want to go bean-animal... which adds even more plumbing....

Basically... I'm not sure how to plumb them, keep it simple, and have the redundancy to help me sleep at night lol

I don't need a mangrove tank on both sides. I could just do the left, where its close to the sump anyway.

example of the look:

Capture.JPG
 

jlts21

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Honestly I might, but I'd like to not take up space with plumbing, and more importantly, am super concerned about overflows getting clogged... which means to I'd want to go bean-animal... which adds even more plumbing....

Basically... I'm not sure how to plumb them, keep it simple, and have the redundancy to help me sleep at night lol

Capture.JPG
hmmm, I'll have to do some thinking on this for some ideas. Let me see what I come up with and I'll let you know. How is your DT and sump plumbed?
 

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Mangroves are awful at nutrient export. Too slow growing to actually outrun any nutrient supply.

However- they are very cool! My original fishroom design had a floating 20g long mangrove tank spilling back into my fuge, but I ended up with a crowding issue and didn’t go through with it. I’m in the process of turning my failed chaeto fuge into a display macro fuge and will have 6-7 white mangroves in there
 

jlts21

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Mangroves are awful at nutrient export. Too slow growing to actually outrun any nutrient supply.

However- they are very cool! My original fishroom design had a floating 20g long mangrove tank spilling back into my fuge, but I ended up with a crowding issue and didn’t go through with it. I’m in the process of turning my failed chaeto fuge into a display macro fuge and will have 6-7 white mangroves in there
Sorry but I'd have to disagree. I had chaeto in my fuge and my nitrate was 35ppm the chaeto wasn't doing anything. I added the mangroves and my nitrate is down to 3-4ppm. I did not change anything else so it can't be a coincidence that I added mangroves and my nitrate dropped.
 

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Honestly I might, but I'd like to not take up space with plumbing, and more importantly, am super concerned about overflows getting clogged... which means to I'd want to go bean-animal... which adds even more plumbing....

Basically... I'm not sure how to plumb them, keep it simple, and have the redundancy to help me sleep at night lol

I don't need a mangrove tank on both sides. I could just do the left, where its close to the sump anyway.

example of the look:

Capture.JPG
Heres what I would do- feed the mangrove tanks from its own 3-400 gph pump in the fuge, via 1/2” line. 2 x 1” holes and bulkheads for overflow. Don’t need boxes etc. leave one without a pvc elbow on the inside- this’ll set your water level. Run the overflow back to sump via tubing (or rigid). Second one has an elbow angled slightly so if the first clogs, the water level rises, then the second takes over. Add a float switch as a high level sensor and rig up a solenoid switch to turn off the pump if the second channel is engaged. You can buy an outlet plug with an integrated float sensor from some company for turning off skimmervif the cup overflows. I want to saay coralvue.

I have a 29g cryptic Refugium fed by a 400gph pump from my return. 1/2”. Then two 1.5” bulkheads and plumbing dump back into my fuge section. I will add the safety floatswitch at a later time once I get it going again.
 

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Sorry but I'd have to disagree. I had chaeto in my fuge and my nitrate was 35ppm. I added the mangroves and my nitrate is down to 3-4ppm. I did not change anything else so it can't be a coincidence that I added mangroves and my nitrate dropped

How much did they grow and what time frame?

Because it is literally biologically impossible for a tree to outgrow an algae.

Your tank may have become colonized with nitrate reducing bacteria. My 180 will process nitrate to zero with NO algae based filtration due to nitrate reducing bacteria . I couldn’t even grow chaeto when I was purposefully dosing nitrate
 

jlts21

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How much did they grow and what time frame?

Because it is literally biologically impossible for a tree to outgrow an algae.

Your tank may have become colonized with nitrate reducing bacteria. My 180 will process nitrate to zero with NO algae based filtration due to nitrate reducing bacteria . I couldn’t even grow chaeto when I was purposefully dosing nitrate
Both were placed in my fuge in the sump on August 19th and have grown approximately 2.5” and gained leaves (1 on one and 2 on the other). Now is that due to the amount of nitrate that was in the water, idk. With the nitrate export was it due to the amount available for the mangroves when I put them in or nitrate reducing bacteria, that I couldn’t tell you, could be both. But I have always heard that mangroves were great for exporting nitrate
 
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smartwater101

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But I have always heard that mangroves were great for exporting nitrate

Interesting. I've always heard the opposite which is why people suggest algae over groves for a fuge. That's also why I was curious if it could sustain a small "tank." It would be great if they can! I'd much rather do that than add more plumbing to the system.
 

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I have two red mangrove propagules in my 20 dropoff. After six months, one of them has sprouted 2 very tiny leaves. Mangroves are not going to remove nutrients faster than you can put them in there. They grow way too slow. That being said in a nano tank, a large water change is quick and easy to reduce any nutrients before they become a problem.
 

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Interesting. I've always heard the opposite which is why people suggest algae over groves for a fuge. That's also why I was curious if it could sustain a small "tank." It would be great if they can! I'd much rather do that than add more plumbing to the system.
The current thinking is that algae far far surpasses mangroves for export. Of course, they do utilize nutrients since they grow, but you could easily wipe out those gains by over feeding half a frozen cube.

Very pretty and neat to have but way down the ladder on actually useful export methods
 

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The current thinking is that algae far far surpasses mangroves for export. Of course, they do utilize nutrients since they grow, but you could easily wipe out those gains by over feeding half a frozen cube.

Very pretty and neat to have but way down the ladder on actually useful export methods
Agreed, I have them in my rock scape growing up out of the water. They are 100% cool factor, any nutrient export they provide is bonus points.
 

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Both were placed in my fuge in the sump on August 19th and have grown approximately 2.5” and gained leaves (1 on one and 2 on the other). Now is that due to the amount of nitrate that was in the water, idk. With the nitrate export was it due to the amount available for the mangroves when I put them in or nitrate reducing bacteria, that I couldn’t tell you, could be both. But I have always heard that mangroves were great for exporting nitrate
Is it possible you remember incorrectly? ALL the info I’ve read states otherwise, never even heard anyone consider them for actual export. Just too slow growing to make any real difference
 

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I'm thinking of putting two small tanks on either side of my 90" mixed reef. Originally i was going to plump it into the tank.. but I'm thinking that might be overkill. That is, if the Mangrove tanks don't need filtration in the first place. These "tanks" would be more like shallow 5-10 gallon acrylic planters.

Now, I'd like to put some nano fish in there as well. Masked gobies or perhaps striped clingfish? Or a pistol shrimp/goby pair? I'm not sure at the moment.

Would the mangrove tanks need water changes or other filtration? Or will it filter the water enough to sustain itself? I assume it would need top-off due to evap, but I'm not sure beyond that.

Thoughts?
One Mangrove plant per tank is enough. Groups of 3 look better than a loaner.

Build up a pile of rocks and lash the roots to the rocks with cotton thread or CA gel.

Make one tank a Mangrove tide pool and the other....another unique habitat.

Plumb them to the main system. They will probably cool it. The mangroves will strip it slowly. Mangroves grow best drinking freshwater with full sun. I put some out in the pond and some of the dead pods have come back to life.

When trace elements become too low, they begin to shrivel or their leaves become yellow. Therefore its recommended magnesium levels be monitored and other elements such as potassium, iron, and manganese additions also be considered. I have mangroves with leaves if interested.

Lots of possibilities.
 

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How much did they grow and what time frame?

Because it is literally biologically impossible for a tree to outgrow an algae.

Your tank may have become colonized with nitrate reducing bacteria. My 180 will process nitrate to zero with NO algae based filtration due to nitrate reducing bacteria . I couldn’t even grow chaeto when I was purposefully dosing nitrate

+1, Mangroves are not known for significant nutrient export.
 
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