The Mangrove Lagoon: The planning

[pappadumplingz]

Recently I have been thinking about doing a "driftwood reef tank", sort of simulating the reef lagoon around a mangrove forest, being inspired by this

 

 

 

 

 

Since that idea, I have seen a mangrove in the sump at an lfs, which aren't really common in Australian Reef tanks. So now that I know I can get mangroves, the idea for this tank has been cemented in stone.

 

So the plan is:

 

Using a pair 20 litre (5 gallon) tank I have, I will grow out 1 or 2 mangroves (only 1 or 2 cause they seem pretty expense here) in fresh water.

 

Then I'll add guppies or mollies as a nutrient source for the plants, and slowly start raising the salinity of the tank, to reef tank levels

 

At this point I will cure some small bits of driftwood in the grow out tank.

 

Once the mangroves get large enough (which will take a while), or I have the opportunity to get a tank, I will transfer the plants and wood over, and begin the new tank. Hopefully the display will be shallow lagoon tank around 110 litres (approx 30 gallons), which is a big step up from my current tank (34 litres or 9 gallons)

 

 

I will definitely use dry rock for this setup, as with my current tank, having live rock is a tad stressful as you don't really know what's on it.

 

I also hope to have a bit of sps in the tank, just to get my feet wet.

 

So that's the plan. Does it check out? If any of you mangrove owners could give me any advice, that would be great.

 

Thanks, Kieran

[reeferbrownies]

Sounds like a cool idea, I know nothing about mangroves but I will definitely follow along

[gena]

Sounds like a neat tank you are planning. I wonder about driftwood in a reef tank though. Unless I'm misunderstanding what you wrote. I don't think driftwood would do well in saltwater????

[pappadumplingz]

Sounds like a neat tank you are planning. I wonder about driftwood in a reef tank though. Unless I'm misunderstanding what you wrote. I don't think driftwood would do well in saltwater????

I was thinking of using driftwood kind of like rock, to kinda emulate fallen or dead trees. I'm going to boil it before I use it so that will hopefully remove any of the nasty stuff inside it. I'm also gonna use dry rock, so it won't just be drift wood.

[nano_MC_reef]

looks like you've got it all figured out. just make sure you keep those mangroves pruned once they start to get big

[Rory282]

I was thinking of using driftwood kind of like rock, to kinda emulate fallen or dead trees. I'm going to boil it before I use it so that will hopefully remove any of the nasty stuff inside it. I'm also gonna use dry rock, so it won't just be drift wood.

Don't boil the driftwood, it will affect the structure of the wood causing it to rot more rapidly

 

If you want the sweet mangrove roots look check out rockzolid. They have awesome mangrove replicas.

Just don't know if you can have it shipped to australia.

 

http://www.rockzolid.nl/modules.html

[pappadumplingz]

Don't boil the driftwood, it will affect the structure of the wood causing it to rot more rapidly

If you want the sweet mangrove roots look check out rockzolid. They have awesome mangrove replicas.

Just don't know if you can have it shipped to australia.http://www.rockzolid.nl/modules.html

Will leaving it in some water for a few weeks release the tannins just as well? And those replicas look awesome, but the shipping and cost must be killer, so it's probably off the table.

[Rory282]

Will leaving it in some water for a few weeks release the tannins just as well? And those replicas look awesome, but the shipping and cost must be killer, so it's probably off the table.

Yes it will release some of the tannins (it will do this for a long long time :-) ). So i'm thinking carbon is your best friend to help you remove that color and stay on top of water changes to prevent the ph getting to low.

[pappadumplingz]

Yes it will release some of the tannins (it will do this for a long long time :-) ). So i'm thinking carbon is your best friend to help you remove that color and stay on top of water changes to prevent the ph getting to low.

In that case I'll probably keep the pieces of wood in the grow out tank, and just use some carbon to keep on top of the tannins.

[Rory282]

Ps: some inspiration ;-).

 

 

*edit: sadly not my tank.

[vlangel]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2391470

 

Have you seen this build?

[fishfreak0114]

Very cool, I'm following!