Is Mangrove an effective nutrient exporter?

[comycus]

Just wanna check out what everyone's opinion on Mangroves are. They are actually very beautiful plants!

This image is copyrighted.

Photograph of the Mangrove environment at the Touch Tank display of the Oklahoma Aquarium as taken on 14 September 2004 by Dustin M. Ramsey.

[comycus]

For those interested in whether it is useful or not, can read more about an experiment done here: mangrove.pdf

Pls read only after you have taken the poll.

[jackywongto]

how come dun have the option

Dun have and dun know

[comycus]

how come dun have the option

Dun have and dun know

lol just limit ure options to believe or dun believe la...

I think it's quite a cool concept though. Both aesthetically as a decoration in the house, and for nutrient export. I believe it would be best to simulate tidal currents where these mangroves can be found so you get the hanging roots look. Will be exploring this in my free time

[Guest]

i use to kept mangrove for my previous 4ft setup.. Pretty easy to keep actually as it does not require strong and constant lighting. But on the effects of it's nutrient export, unless you kept a numbers of the mangrove itself if not you may not see visible result.

[comycus]

i use to kept mangrove for my previous 4ft setup.. Pretty easy to keep actually as it does not require strong and constant lighting. But on the effects of it's nutrient export, unless you kept a numbers of the mangrove itself if not you may not see visible result.

Actually I understand tt some of the limitations of mangrove is it's quite a slow exporter of nutrients compared to macro algae and it consumes mg.

Any chance you found your mg on the low side when you were keeping mangrove?

[comycus]

Where are all the mangrove owners? I'm sure we have a few here...

Just some info on the advantages and limitations of mangroves:

Mangroves take the nutrients necessary for their growth from the aquarium water. This means that we have a means of exporting phosphates and nitrates. Macro algae do the same, but they easily set those nutrients free when they are eaten by fish or die and dissolve. With mangroves this is different, at least if the aquarist succeeds in preventing the mangrove leaves from falling into the water and dissolving there. While many mangrove species export excess salt by depositing it on the surface of their leaves for the rain to wash away, some mangrove species deposit excess salt inside of their oldest leaves, which then will turn yellow and drop down. This is a natural process, but in the reef tank we just have to make sure that the leaves will not dissolve in the aquarium water and release nutrients back into the aquarium water.

But, on the other hand, regarding the nutrient export capacity of some mangrove plants living on the upper zone of our reef tank, we should not expect miracles. They are slow-growing plants, and their nutrient uptake is limited. To say it clearly: if we have the problem of exporting phosphates and/or nitrates from our tank, due to over-feeding, insufficient foam fractionation, etc, we will certainly not be able to solve it by planting mangroves.

[comycus]

More literature here for those interested in Macroalgae vs. Mangrove Growth and Nutrient Uptake: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/3/lines/view

The author's viewpoint following this study is that mangrove plants may be useful to aquariums but in terms of nutrient uptake they are far inferior to macroalgae growth.

[TayHongSiang]

More literature here for those interested in Macroalgae vs. Mangrove Growth and Nutrient Uptake: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/3/lines/view

The author's viewpoint following this study is that mangrove plants may be useful to aquariums but in terms of nutrient uptake they are far inferior to macroalgae growth.

But they dun "vomit" like some species of macroalgae...in case yr lights when off in the sump.

And they can provide shelter for yr injured fishes or small fishes that get bullied by the aggressive ones in the main tank.

So. i support mangrove for nutrient export.

[Jameshong]

I kiasu so I dump Chaeto and Mangrove in my sump !

[RockyBoy]

I believe mangrove works but too slow in absorbing.

Should use those fast grower like cheato to absorb nutrients faster.

[Reefzzz]

Just to share photo of my previous mangrove sump just dedicated to mangroves

Mangroves.bmp

[Reefzzz]

Just to share photo of my previous mangrove sump just dedicated to mangroves

[thairun]

My DSB refugium with macroalgae and mangrove, a year back.

Now go to less maintenance algae Chaeto and Mangrove, which is much more efficient in nutrient export.

Further article about taking care off them and expectation.

http://www.athiel.com/lib10/mangrove9.htm

Happy reading.

[mansiz]

You should just have 3 options for your poll, it will help and it will not help, and I don't know, it will be easier to help you gauge.

Mangrove will certainly help in reducing the PO4 and NO3 within your tank, but you have to do certin duties like washing the leaves with fresh water in order to remove the excess salt. You will require a lot of mangroves in order to see visible results, but one thing I don't like about mangrove is that they will tend to grow up to where your light is, you will have to trim it often, unless your light and the water surface is quite a distance away.

But still caulerpa is the best in controlling nutrients.

[anonymous2294]

Hi guys, i am currently keeping mangroves in my pond by the window. I must say that they are aesthetically beautiful!!! When people come to my house, there are often amazed by the fact that mangroves can be kept indoors. Also, my mum is a home tutor and she was pleased when i started keeping mangroves. She uses these mangroves as live examples when teaching science. Let me share my experience with keeping mangroves but of course, they are less beneficial as compared to those given by senior mangrove keepers here. For me, i have my mangrove pond for about four months. I started with just three mangroves but realised that they are very slow at absorbing nitrates. I increased the number of mangroves to twelve by "harvesting" at changi beach. However, due to lack of knowledge, four of the mangroves i "harvested" did not survive. It is because i thought that "harvesting" mangroves that has germinated will speed up the process of removing nutrients in my pond. I was wrong. Those that did not survive suffered from osmotic shock which is fatal to the plant. Thus when "harvesting" mangroves from the beach, get those with no roots and no leaves. My view is that if you really want to use mangroves as a nutrient exporter, use more. Another thing about mangroves is that you must put in effort daily to remove fallen leaves from the tank. Fallen leaves not only release nutrients back into the water, they cause the water to turn brown which can be unsightly. Even the "bud heads" that fall off after a pair of leaves develop must be removed because they can turn the water brown also. As for additives, i add carbonate, calcium, concentrated liquid iron and magnesium. Mangroves consume lots of iron and magnesium as far as i know so i normally double their recommended dosage. Dont forget to use some water spray on the mangrove leaves because mangroves export their salt through their leaves. Failing to do so can cause the plant to dehydrate. Currently, i have eight mangroves and one fish in the tank. The mangroves have 2-4 leaves each and are developing their next pair in a couple of weeks. My mangroves develop new leaves every three to four weeks. I will not be adding more fish until the mangroves develop their next pair of leaves. More leaves mean more nutrients absorbed.

Regards,

Anonymous2294

[Terryz_]

They are actually not very good nutrient exporter if in small amount, you will require at least 20 mangroves to get a slight change in the Nitrate and Phosphate...

[anonymous2294]

They are actually not very good nutrient exporter if in small amount, you will require at least 20 mangroves to get a slight change in the Nitrate and Phosphate...

My pond is about 5-6 gallons in capacity and i have 8 mangroves. I guess i will increase to about 16 when i am free....

Regards,

Anonymous2294

[geckus]

Mangrove good? Sometimes just nice to have a mangrove to add flora