Mangrove Owners Needed! Lagoon tank build and stocking questions.

[charlesP77]

My setup is about 3 years old. I did have quite a few die off as I learned. One issue was low Mg. Also, I read that the roots are super sensitive (at least when they’re small.

I think the key is getting a good root system started.


@ewelch has some awesome growth. That’s a great way to jump start growth prior to transitioning to sw. how long did that take?

 

[Jordan Prather]

Here's mine that I just adopted a couple weeks ago. It was planted in about 4-6 in of miracle mud in the guys sump. It's about 3 foot tall. I'm sure it would be alot taller but it actually got so tall and the guy didnt raise his lights that it was being smashed and held down so it started to grow at an angle I'm hoping that with my set up it will start growing straight up again. I plan on mounting a 150watt halide about a foot or 2 above it and just adjusting the light as needed.

 

[VSVP bet]

@Jordan Prather thanks for sharing. What is the substrate in its current setup. Im assuming that rubbermaid tub is connected to a reef system?

Also you said you're going to install a halide light above, was there any particular reason for this? Im only asking because im researching light systems for the potential project. It seems that people have success with any type of light, but since i am impatient, I want to accelerate growth. I was leaning toward a plant specific light in the beginning to encourage growth when its only the mangroves and not coral. Later, I was thinking id change to AI hydras or primes, but realized i might end up needing 2 light systems, one for coral that would be mounted low, and another for the mangroves mounted higher.

Below was the plant specific led system, I know these work for fuges well. Anyone try these for mangroves?

 

[Jordan Prather]

@Jordan Prather thanks for sharing. What is the substrate in its current setup .

It was planted in a container with the miracle mud and I took the whole container when I get my actual sump I'm going to do a 2/3 mix of miracle mob and sand.

Im assuming that rubbermaid tub is connected to a reef system?

Yes that is the sump for my reef system

Also you said you're going to install a halide light above, was there any particular reason for this? Im only asking because im researching light systems for the potential project. It seems that people have success with any type of light, but since i am impatient, I want to accelerate growth. I was leaning toward a plant specific light in the beginning to encourage growth when its only the mangroves and not coral. Later, I was thinking id change to AI hydras or primes, but realized i might end up needing 2 light systems, one for coral that would be mounted low, and another for the mangroves mounted higher.

I had considered going the led route but I feel as with a southern Florida tree it gets the heat and uv from the sun blasting on it all day so I'm think I'm going with the halide as I feel the heat from the light will be beneficial. I'm going with a bulb around 5500k-6500k which will be similar spectrum to the sun and I know local green houses still grow under halide so it's kinda tried and true system. Also helps that my lfs has a used one that they will be selling cheap. I may still add a led like that set to the bloom spectrum as the tree was actually blooming when I picked it up

Below was the plant specific led system, I know these work for fuges well. Anyone try these for mangroves?

 

[VSVP bet]

Thats interesting @Jordan Prather , didnt consider how the halide would mimic the sun. Might look further into halides because i live in new england. I was afraid about what would happen in the cooler months if I was out of the house for a period of time when the heat was set to low...

Also you mentioned that the tree was blooming, does it just do this under ideal conditions or did the person you get it from just get lucky?

 

[Jordan Prather]

It's hard to tell what light have made it bloom could've been a number of things but I would say good stable conditions and being so mature most likely