# Mangroves



## imachode (Jun 3, 2003)

anyone know anything about mangroves in aquariums?

i sent a year overseas in micronesia (on this like tiny 3x5mile island) and they had lots of mangroves there. i thought it'd be cool to bring some of it home so i bought 10 mangrove seedilngs from ebay. anyone know more about these?


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## illnino (Mar 6, 2004)

i know that they can get huge and will look awesome in an aquarium with all the roots going everywhere


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## camotekid (Sep 21, 2003)

mangroves have very remarkable root system. but, it might break your aquarium.


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## thePACK (Jan 3, 2003)

MANGROVE INFO

MORE INFO


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## Sanguinea (Feb 19, 2004)

Look on the web... I was interested in some a while back and found several sites of people showing their mangroves in their aquariums. They said they could be kept relatively small with proper pruning.


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## imachode (Jun 3, 2003)

yeah, i guess i should have been more specific >_<

i've read up on a lot of google'd information on mangroves, but was wondering if anyone here on the board had 1st hand experience. thanks for the replies!


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## illnino (Mar 6, 2004)

i went to flordia and went on a kayak throught the mangrove forests, they are amazing. next time i go(next summer) im probabally gonna grab a ffew


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## imachode (Jun 3, 2003)

yeah, on the island hwere i was, the locals had used a chainsaw to create a channel through the mangroves. you had to go through literally a 1/2 a mile of thick dense mangrove swamp to get to the shoreline... and you had to time coming in with high tide or else you wouldn't be able to get your boat all the way to the shoreline. such an amazing experience, i wish i had pictures.

mangrove wood itself is incredible hard and dense. it's kind of oily, so locals used it in their cooking fires as it would burn slowly and steadily. if put into an already hot fire, the wood could be burned without even drying. i even have this scar on my leg from slipping and falling while climbing ghroug them after stepping about thigh deep in mud. hehe.


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## imachode (Jun 3, 2003)

here's an update:

i just got my 10 mangrove seedlings in the mail today. i've read that they grow big, but slow... so we'll see how it goes.


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## illnino (Mar 6, 2004)

it is cool to see a forming mangrove forest, they just pop out in the ocean and slowly grow up and soon it is like a forest without soil. keep us updated on the mangroves, like when they hatch and pics would be cool


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## imachode (Jun 3, 2003)

i'm still not exactly sure how i'm going to make this work inside an aquarium, but i guess we'll play it by ear. right now they're inside a cup by the kitchen window. i was told to keep the root end in water, and the leaf end out of water.

about 20 years ago, my dad used to work in hydrophonics plant as a manager of operations, so i'm sure i'll be able to hit him up for some great ideas.


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## Seany B (Dec 12, 2003)

DO they need warm temps to grow?


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## imachode (Jun 3, 2003)

i don't beleive any warmer than your typical tropical tank. or are you asking about ambient air temp?


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## JAC (Jan 19, 2004)

Why bother growing them? I'm sure it would take a looong time, just find an awesome piece that fits your tank the way you want it, treat it and voila, you've got a kickass driftwood.


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## imachode (Jun 3, 2003)

i do'nt mind that it would take forever. infact, i'd prefer that it didn't grow like a weed because i probably wouldn't be able to care for something so huge. while i am american, i'm hoping that i can stop expecting life to be here and now, and be a bit more patient in the things i want. anyway, i'm getting it more for me as a hint of somethign from the year i spent over seas in the islands.

and to address why i'm not just getting my own piece that fits the way i want, i live on the wrong coast to find my own mangrove. ^_^


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