Saltwater bamboo Plants

[rykna]

Many seahorses live by or in mangrove swaps. Does anyone use these for filtration?
I found this online:
The use of mangroves plants for filtration in a saltwater aquarium, particularly for helping to reduce and control nitrates is not a new concept. It has been around for quite some time, but few aquarists have really known much about it. However, this is changing because more and more aquarists are looking for a "natural" method of filtration for their aquariums, so mangroves are drawing more attention all the time.
Mud filtration is not required to grow mangroves. They can be grown in a sump, refugium or directly in an aquarium. They are fed by absorbing nutrients and organics from the water, which in turn creates a natural filter for cleaning water. Mangroves not only have the ability to absorb nitrates, but phosphates and other organics as well. In fact, they remove organics so well from the water that they act as a replacement for a protein skimmer. When using mangroves you will notice your protein skimmer working less and less all the time. The more the mangroves grow and mature, the more they absorb the excess organics in your water, and the skimmer has nothing to remove and becomes obsolete.

 

[digitydash]

One of my friend uses them and he loves it,but it does depleat the magnesium in his water.

 

[rykna]

Cool!!! Thank you

 

[monalisa]

I've been looking into this possibilty for my sh tank as well. I think it's a great idea, but I don't know where to begin purchasing said mangroves...any idea?? Also, I would have to put the mangroves directly into my dt...is there a minimum size, and would there be maintenance directions to keep said mangroves under control?
Lisa

 

[rykna]

Originally Posted by MonaLisa
I've been looking into this possibilty for my sh tank as well. I think it's a great idea, but I don't know where to begin purchasing said mangroves...any idea?? Also, I would have to put the mangroves directly into my dt...is there a minimum size, and would there be maintenance directions to keep said mangroves under control?
Lisa
I know exactly where to get them

 

[smartorl]

If anyone needs them, I can get them from a local supplier. I actually have them in my new 90. I put them in a back corner and put rockwork in front of them. Their root system has grown like mad in a very short time. I haven't noticed any differences, good or bad though. I pay $5 per shoot that is about two to three feet tall with leaves. I pay $3 for the pods that are not yet rooted.

 

[teresaq]

I too would like info in them. Do the tops need to be out of the water? I have two very tall tanks. how much light?

 

[smartorl]

If you get the rooted variety, they should be out of the water at the line where the green bark ends and the new green shoot begins. It is a good practice to mist the leaves with fresh water every few days to rinse them of the saltwater, similar to what morning dew or rainwater would do. As stated, they will deplete the magnesium but if you are adding a well rounded supplement containing magnesium, you shouldn't have any problems.
If you buy the pods, you can take a piece of styrofoam and poke a hole and put the shoot through it. When it starts to root, it will grow a larger, longer root system that those that you buy that you root into the sand. I tried this with a few rooted ones but found it was very unstable and kept toppling over and drove me nuts.