Mangroove and grape algae as nitrate remover

[Reefzzz]

Anyway.... forgot to add one point why I think mangrove has a few -minus points... they add tanin acids into the water, turning it brown...

Hi AT, according to the article by Julian Sprung, mangroves itself do not really release tannins into the water. It will release if the leaves are allowed to drop into the water and decompose...

[Reefzzz]

Anyway, if I had the space and time, I would have loved to keep a mini-mangrove swamp sump tank in my house and fill it with mudskippers and fiddler crabs... but that would mean the mud would smell plus I hope it don't attact sandflies and other undesirables!

Hi boss, if you did find a place to house some mangroves, i will gladly and humbly offer you some as a token of appreciation for your great effort in setting this wonderful SRC website and benefitting fellow reefers like me.

The mangroves are all Hawaiian mangroves direct from Hawaii of course, fully substrate or hydroponically grown with assurance of no unwanted bacteria or micro-organism attached and of course minus the sandflies and other undesirables..

have fun reefing....

[Achilles Tang]

Thanks Reefzzz for the kind offer!

And thanks for clarifying that point up about tannins... I always thought that the root system itself would leach out tannins also.

We learn something new everyday!

[kareen]

Kareen, I don't feed them chaeto anymore coz I find it difficult to clean out their long chaeto poo entangled to my sps.

Oh ya.... miss out that in your first reply. If that's the case, that's a minus point for chaeto.... I have to supplement something else for the veggie..... Any comments from chaeto ###### grape algae user before?

[kareen]

BTW, wana to list the things I do to prevent the asexual of grape.... apart from keeping lights on for 24/7 in refugium. I only place small handful in morning near some light source. My observation is that when tank nitrate is high without light, grape asexual easily.... and take longer to asexual when nitrate is at acceptable range ie <40ppm. Also, the location that I clip the algae is moderate to high flow area to dilute any juice if any which I believe my 4 footer ###### 3 footer sump can take it.

[Reefaholic]

Hi AT, according to the article by Julian Sprung, mangroves itself do not really release tannins into the water. It will release if the leaves are allowed to drop into the water and decompose...

Oh no, what will the effect of tanin acid into the water? I have lots of leaves drop into the water.. Actually not leaves but those covering the leaves before the leaves open up..

In my sump there are plenty..

[kareen]

Oh no, what will the effect of tanin acid into the water? I have lots of leaves drop into the water.. Actually not leaves but those covering the leaves before the leaves open up..

In my sump there are plenty..

Do a check on PH & KH to investigate further....

[Ah-lim]

Oh no, what will the effect of tanin acid into the water? I have lots of leaves drop into the water.. Actually not leaves but those covering the leaves before the leaves open up..

In my sump there are plenty..

Effect of tannin, anyone?

Wonder wat does it do to fishes....fish no diarrhoea??

From wiki.

"Tannins are an important ingredient in the process of tanning leather. Oak bark has traditionally been the primary source of tannery tannin, though inorganic tanning agents are also in use today.

Tannins may be employed medicinally in antidiarrheal, hemostatic, and antihemorrhoidal compounds.

Tannins produce different colors with ferric chloride (either blue, blue black, or green to greenish black) according to the type of tannin. Iron gall ink is produced by treating a solution of tannins with iron(II) sulfate.

Tannin is a component in a type of industrial particleboard adhesive developed jointly by the Tanzania Industrial Research and Development Organization and Forintek Labs Canada."

[Achilles Tang]

Oh no, what will the effect of tanin acid into the water? I have lots of leaves drop into the water.. Actually not leaves but those covering the leaves before the leaves open up..

In my sump there are plenty..

Besides making your water slightly acidic and brown.... I believe nothing serious.

Its similar to the effect caused by placing driftwood in freshwater aquariums.... which discolours clear water.

[kareen]

Effect of tannin, anyone?

Wonder wat does it do to fishes....fish no diarrhoea??

From wiki.

"Tannins are an important ingredient in the process of tanning leather. Oak bark has traditionally been the primary source of tannery tannin, though inorganic tanning agents are also in use today.

Tannins may be employed medicinally in antidiarrheal, hemostatic, and antihemorrhoidal compounds.

Tannins produce different colors with ferric chloride (either blue, blue black, or green to greenish black) according to the type of tannin. Iron gall ink is produced by treating a solution of tannins with iron(II) sulfate.

Tannin is a component in a type of industrial particleboard adhesive developed jointly by the Tanzania Industrial Research and Development Organization and Forintek Labs Canada."

Hahaha... seems like wrong application here though.....

[kareen]

Besides making your water slightly acidic and brown.... I believe nothing serious.

Its similar to the effect caused by placing driftwood in freshwater aquariums.... which discolours clear water.

I'm not sure... it may have some effect on PH & KH depending on individual system and the amount of tanin acids.....

[Reefaholic]

kH and pH are nothing serious so to speak. But i believe discolouring of the water may be an issue here.

[Achilles Tang]

Besides the mud factor, there's a reason why the brackish water around mangrove swamps are brown in colour.... tannins!

That's why we fishermen switch to brightly coloured lures around mangroves for a higher hit rate!

But i doubt the number of mangroves in our sumps can affect the colour... we are talking very young and small saplings here.... not whole grown trees.

[royal gramma]

But i believe discolouring of the water may be an issue here.

I don't think that will be an issue if you're running ozone and carbon.

[Reefzzz]

Oh no, what will the effect of tanin acid into the water?  I have lots of leaves drop into the water..  Actually not leaves but those covering the leaves before the leaves open up..

In my sump there are plenty..

Hey bro, when the leaves first sprout, a pair of those "so call" leaves covering the leaves will drop off. They only drop once. You can just manually pluck them off just when the first 2 leaves sprout. You only need to do it once per mangroves. The concern here is if they are allowed to drop into the water and decompose, nutrient are realease back into the system. Though they release a little taninns acid, the amount will not be significantly enough to cause yellow coloring in the water unles you are talking about a pile of it in a small amount of water. In worst case, the use of activated carbon will solve the problem...

[Reefaholic]

Just to update on my progress of mangroves.

2-3months ago.

[Reefaholic]

Now.. healthy growth.

[fishtalk1517]

Now.. healthy growth.

such fast rate of growing does tat means or indicate high level of nitrates in the tank ? Or jus tat tender care is given to the mangroves therefore such fast growth ?

[Reefaholic]

Hmm... i think the growth not necessary = high nitrate. At least not those leaves. I think it should equate them with growing roots rather than leaves.

[XPeriment 626]

Now.. healthy growth.

Nice!

[VanDeam]

my fair share 40 "trees"

[kareen]

Now.. healthy growth.

What are you going to do? Looks like the mangroves are reaching your lighting soon....

[kareen]

Do mangrove reproduce thru stem cutting?

[Reefaholic]

I have no idea. Maybe i will leave it there and let it grow around them.

For reproduction, you have to ask Reefzzz.

[kareen]

I have no idea. Maybe i will leave it there and let it grow around them.

For reproduction, you have to ask Reefzzz.

I think u will face the problem earlier than I do.... On the other hand, my observation with the recent 10 stalk of mangrove do hint the possibility.... Any expert to confirm?