Wild collected red mangrove propagules

ReefStash · Oct 27, 2020

I’ve been tankless for the last 3 months while we moved our family of 7 from San Antonio Texas to SW Florida area. There are Red Mangrove Propagules everywhere in this area. I found out that it’s legal to collect them as long as they aren’t rooted and growing along the coast. So... I’ve been doing just that. :)

Pretty simple to grow them out. I’m just using ocean water, an air pump with rigid airline and top off with spring water every couple of days.

After a couple of weeks they are rooting and all have leaves. I can’t wait to get into a home to start some tank builds with these awesome little trees. I’m planning to do both a planted fresh tank and mixed reef. So half of them will be acclimated to freshwater.

Turning into little trees

#reefstache

xxkenny90xx · Oct 27, 2020

Jealous! (well except for the family of 7 part...)

ReefStash · Oct 27, 2020

Here’s what they look like when I find them on the beach or floating up to the dock..

ReefStash · Oct 27, 2020

Some macroalgae... all types floating everywhere...

sixty_reefer · Oct 28, 2020

The amount of them you see on Miami Beach it’s crazy.

AlgaeBarn · Oct 28, 2020

Tankless?!? Which tank are you setting up next? :cool: ~Shaun K.

ReefStash · Oct 28, 2020

AlgaeBarn said:
Tankless?!? Which tank are you setting up next? :cool: ~Shaun K.

I wonder... maybe a CADE

ReefStash · Oct 28, 2020

sixty_reefer said:
The amount of them you see on Miami Beach it’s crazy.

Seriously! They are everywhere. We are in Naples... in Marco Island this week.

ReefStash · May 25, 2021

xxkenny90xx said:
Jealous! (well except for the family of 7 part...)

hahaha!!! It’s all the same after 4! lol

monkeyCmonkeyDo · May 25, 2021

Nothing like a local biotope. Kool stuffm thanks for sharing!
D

ReefStash · May 25, 2021

It’s May and it’s been 10 months tankless now! We finally purchased a home, tank is in and soon I’ll be up and going again.

The bucket of mangroves have travelled with us from FL to TX then back to FL and allover the place in vacation rentals over the last 10 months. I completely feel like they are my babies. :)

Here’s the last vid I took of them while we were still floating around in vacation rentals. I’m due for another update soon because they are larger now. Enjoy…

AlgaeBarn · May 25, 2021

ReefStache said:
It’s May and it’s been 10 months tankless now! We finally purchased a home, tank is in and soon I’ll be up and going again.

The bucket of mangroves have travelled with us from FL to TX then back to FL and allover the place in vacation rentals over the last 10 months. I completely feel like they are my babies. :)

Here’s the last vid I took of them while we were still floating around in vacation rentals. I’m due for another update soon because they are larger now. Enjoy…

Are you going to put those in a the Cade 1800?

ReefStash · May 25, 2021

AlgaeBarn said:
Are you going to put those in a the Cade 1800?

Yes!!!! Planning a Red Mangrove island :)

ClearRain · May 25, 2021

Wow a few weeks? Mine take way longer. I've also found that mine rot in straight water, I have to have them planted in some kind of substrate.

ReefStash · May 25, 2021

ClearRain said:
Wow a few weeks? Mine take way longer. I've also found that mine rot in straight water, I have to have them planted in some kind of substrate.

I've had them in a bucket for 10 months now...just using an air pump, airline tubing and rigid airline in the middle of the roots. Did you see the vid I posted last night of them?

ClearRain · May 25, 2021

ReefStache said:
I've had them in a bucket for 10 months now...just using an air pump, airline tubing and rigid airline in the middle of the roots. Did you see the vid I posted last night of them?

Videos are being weird, but I'm gonna keep trying. Here's my oldest one, almost a year old. I've got young ones going at work too lol

ReefStash · May 25, 2021

ClearRain said:
Videos are being weird, but I'm gonna keep trying. Here's my oldest one, almost a year old. I've got young ones going at work too lol

Those look great! I can't wait to give mince some space and get them under a light. I'll admit I'm a bit nervous transitioning them from natural daylight to LEDs. Will probably take it very slow.

ClearRain · May 25, 2021

ReefStache said:
Those look great! I can't wait to give mince some space and get them under a light. I'll admit I'm a bit nervous transitioning them from natural daylight to LEDs. Will probably take it very slow.

I've found mine have done way better under incandescent/ fluorescent bulbs. That one I literally had the bulb almost touching the top of the plant lol

Ichtha_yo Stuff · May 25, 2021

I live in Florida, too. I transistioned mine from outdoor freshwater to indoor saltwater, lit by LED's. I slowly acclimated them to saltwater. The intensity of light in Florida doesn't even come close to what an LED can put out.