Mangrove lagoon

[Crabby48]

Love it! Nice setup you have. The clowns and BTA choices are spot on

At what point do you need to have second light that is taller for the mangroves.

 

[pgravis]

Love it! Nice setup you have. The clowns and BTA choices are spot on

At what point do you need to have second light that is taller for the mangroves.

Thanks! I'm not really sure about a mangrove light. I have been trying to decide and I think I would get better growth, but they get hit with a ton of afternoon sun through the window. I guess as long as they are sprouting leaves I will take it they are happy.

 

[Jesmann]

This is a beautiful tank hopefully the natural sunlight will help them canopy the whole tank in a year or so. Do you worry about the roots cracking the glass or breaking a silicone seam

 

[Silver14SS]

Not sure how I missed this build thread, but everything looks great! Stand is awesome and the branch rock is perfect with the mangroves.

 

[pgravis]

This is a beautiful tank hopefully the natural sunlight will help them canopy the whole tank in a year or so. Do you worry about the roots cracking the glass or breaking a silicone seam

Thanks! I’ve thought about the root issue, But I figure it’s along way out-and I don’t know that I was ever able to find an instance of this happening. Probably should be something I am paying more attention to!

 

[pgravis]

Not sure how I missed this build thread, but everything looks great! Stand is awesome and the branch rock is perfect with the mangroves.

Thank you. I really love branching rock and am glad there are good options for it in the artificial rock market.

 

[Zoaologist]

Awesome build, I love mangrove tanks. I’ll be following along!

 

[MnFish1]

Very nice tank and set-up

 

[pgravis]

Awesome build, I love mangrove tanks. I’ll be following along!

Very nice tank and set-up

Thanks!

This has been a fun project that I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Added a lawnmower blenny the other day. He hides on the branch rock and blends in so well it’s hard to see him!

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

Looks great and love the mangrove theme. I’ve been thinking of doing something like this but having it outside. Trying maybe a 20g long and having it set up by the pool or something. Here are the mangroves I had in my tank. Think they did pretty well. I just got another 30 or so pods to have Incase I donthe 20g. Lol

 

[pgravis]

Those look great! I’m sure they would thrive outside in Florida-would be a great tank. I assume you are just collecting your own pods?

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

Those look great! I’m sure they would thrive outside in Florida-would be a great tank. I assume you are just collecting your own pods?

Thanks. Sad part is I didn’t real ever do anything special to them. Had them under a nice fuge led and sprayed them once a week really. I didn’t realize the market for mangroves. I can get some many of these pods it’ll be pretty crazy.

 

[pgravis]

First setback on the tank this week. The midnight lightning cloud died. Noticed some nipped fins and lethargy earlier this week, and by the next day or so it was gone. Not really sure why. Everything else in the system seems vigorous and all are eating well. Always a bummer to lose a fish, but that was one of my favorites in the tank.

 

[lilgrounchuck]

Tank is doing great. Haven’t changed much. Bubble tips are settled and haven’t moved in a couple weeks. Would love to add a few things, I’m thinking a nice stag type Acro in the branch rock. Been wanting a rrc pink Cadillac, maybe that’s the place for it.
anyway, one of my favorite views:

(Setup on the left is a vivarium, lit with the XR15 freshwater, the Plan is some dart frogs, but life’s been too busy to pull the trigger on some)

I used to keep dart frogs and made the switch over to reefs this year. I do miss having them though. It was awesome to listen to them calling during the day. My 1.1 pair of imitators would go crazy whenever it rained or the speakers got loud during a movie. Once I got the tanks established they were waaaaaaay less work than a reef tank. I had a mist king that was plumbed across four tanks, established micro populations, and fruit flies were easy to culture. I didn't have to worry about taking trips with them either. Just stick a bit of fly culture media in a condiment cup with a lid, poke some holes in it and toss one in each tank - boom, auto feeder. Maybe I should grab the 18x18x24 exo out of the storage room in the basement....

 

[Phildago]

I cannot wait until my son's old enough to do a project like this for.

 

[pgravis]

I used to keep dart frogs and made the switch over to reefs this year. I do miss having them though. It was awesome to listen to them calling during the day. My 1.1 pair of imitators would go crazy whenever it rained or the speakers got loud during a movie. Once I got the tanks established they were waaaaaaay less work than a reef tank. I had a mist king that was plumbed across four tanks, established micro populations, and fruit flies were easy to culture. I didn't have to worry about taking trips with them either. Just stick a bit of fly culture media in a condiment cup with a lid, poke some holes in it and toss one in each tank - boom, auto feeder. Maybe I should grab the 18x18x24 exo out of the storage room in the basement....

Frogs are great. I think both reefs and frogs were a great combo! I had a trio of southern variablilis. Lost them when our AC went out and they got too hot. So now I have the tank, running with mist king waiting for replacements! Lol. Been like 4 years I think! I have wanted some pumilio, but once panama closed exports, they are harder to find. One day I’ll add some back in!

 

[pgravis]

I cannot wait until my son's old enough to do a project like this for.

It’s been really fun to get my kids involved. They know everyone at the LFS and can name just about anything.

 

[Eric R.]

The mangroves came yesterday. A good variety of heights and root structure. Put them in some low salinity water (1.010 or so), as i wasn’t sure what they were acclimated to. And give them a little sunlight to perk back up. Over the next few days I’ll keep increasing salinity. I’ve never done anything like this, so, hopefully I’m going down the right path!

Nice mangroves. I think they could probably handle more light though, they tend to be out under direct sun much of the year. I think they may do better with more than just sunlight in the afternoon through the window.

 

[pgravis]

Nice mangroves. I think they could probably handle more light though, they tend to be out under direct sun much of the year. I think they may do better with more than just sunlight in the afternoon through the window.

I totally agree. My plan is to try and get the ecotech or AI freshwater light over them. I had hoped the window would provide enough-but it’s clear that wasn’t the case.

 

[pgravis]

Finally picked up my mangrove light. Went with the ecotech xr15 fw. Pretty excited about seeing if growth takes off. Because this light was more for the trees and less for the the tank, mounting was going to be a challenge. I’ve had an idea for a light that started when I found an old farm/industrial light shade with a good rusty patina and this was a good excuse to make it happen. We have a bit of a vintage industrial style in our house, so this was going to be a good fit. I’ll post a shot of some bookcases I made that we’ve had since we moved in 8 yrs ago and how I mounted my xr30 over my bigger display tank for a sense of the style in the house and how this fits into it.
bookcase with Edison bulbs (these are on all the walls in this room)

Radion xr30 gen 3 been running for 5 years (that gen 5 might have to take its place soon!):

and an old army kitchen base as the stand for that tank:

Now for the new stuff! Built a custom bracket to mount the light into the old fixture:

From there it was feeding the power line through pipe and getting it all assembled:

I’ve searched around and sent a ton of emails looking for a decently sized mangrove to help give the tank a more substantial look, like buying a colony vs a frag I guess, but keep striking out. I considered driving to Denver for reefstock to see if I could pick up one of the ones that two little fishies is rumored to sell at shows, but couldn’t make the logistics work, so I think I’ll buy another batch off eBay and play the long game and get them to grow how I want them. I think I’ll add a few cardinals as well at that point. Maybe the black cardinals that ORA is breeding. I’ll finish the post off with the nems that are loving this tank