Innovative marine refugium

[Clown79]

I'm planning on getting an I'M and I'd like to set up a chamber for mangroves.

 

Can anyone give me some ideas on how to set it up?

[seabass]

Mangroves will eventually grow large enough to break a 5 gallon bucket.  They are cool and all, but (due to their slow growth) they don't uptake nutrients very quickly.  For nutrient uptake, a chaeto fuge might be more effective.

 

Which IM are you getting?  A link would be nice so we don't need to search for it.

[ReefWeeds]

I agree with what Seabass said. Macro algae is a much better option for nutrient uptake.

 

however if you are stuck on mangroves, here's what I did in my nuvo 14 peninsula. Mangroves don't typically grow well unless they are rooted/planted in some sortt of substrate. They'll grow, but slowly, and they won't thrive. I used a tunze corner magnet planter in my tank, filled it with Fiji mud and then put the bottoms of the roots in the mud. I then covered the mud with a large particle sand (reef flakes). So far, this is the best growth I've seen. 

[Clown79]

I have the  mangroves already. I was originally going to plant them in the DT but if I get an Aio, I figured I could utilize the chambers.

 

Right now they are suspended because they are small. 

 

@seabass

I am currently considering 2 tanks...options aren't great here.?

 

I have a budget and I can get the cube with stand for the same price as just the IM tank.

 

I'm either going 25g rimless and using my new hob filter (I think my light will work better with this one as well)

 

http://www.marineland.com/Products/glass-aquariums-and-tanks/cube-column-aquariums.aspx

 

Or I will go with the innovative 25g lagoon

 

http://www.reefsupplies.ca/online-store/Innovative-Marine-NUVO-Aquarium-Fusion-Lagon-25.html

 

 

[seabass]

So for the cube, maybe shoot for something like this, without the lower tank:

 

or maybe dedicate it's own planter:

 

For the IM AIO, you could use either or both second chambers:

 

There are a number of attractive examples where mangroves are featured in the display.

 

 

 

[Clown79]

2 hours ago, seabass said:

So for the cube, maybe shoot for something like this, without the lower tank:

 

or maybe dedicate it's own planter:

 

For the IM AIO, you could use either or both second chambers:

 

There are a number of attractive examples where mangroves are featured in the display.

 

 

 

I like the look of them on display. Very pretty.

[seabass]

Here's a nice example from Nano-Reef.com.

 

Here it is with a baby sea turtle:

OK, I added the sea turtle as a joke, but the photos were lost and this was all I could find.

 

[Clown79]

3 hours ago, seabass said:

Here's a nice example from Nano-Reef.com.

 

Here it is with a baby sea turtle:

OK, I added the sea turtle as a joke, but the photos were lost and this was all I could find.

 

Those are really nice looking tanks!