Mangrove Tree's / planted salt tanks

[Steve]

I was reading up on the mangrove tree and it is quite the looker. I would not mind having a planted tank of mixed mangrove trees and caulerpa. That is actually what I am debating at the moment. (salt planted vs fresh planted). I have had a 75g planted tank in the past although who here has actually had a planted salt water tank?

The downside to having a beautiful plant such as the mangrove is the lighting. Apparently they require intense lighting to flourish in home aquaria. I have heard stories of some lighting their mangrove's with 120-150w's having the plant not do so well. It seems Metal Halide lighting (400+w's) is the only way to go.

planted salt tank - yay or nay?

[GulfCoastAquarian]

Planted salt can be really interesting. I don't think they have as diverse as a selection of plants (macroalgae) as freshwater plants do, though.

I don't know where you heard that Mangrove's needed that intense lighting. Read through this guy's site...

55g Mangrove Sump

He's lighting his Mangrove sump with just an 80w twin strip shop light.

Definitely check out his interview with Ken Cook, a Florida-based Aquatic Biologist specializing in Mangroves...

Ken Cook Mangrove interview

[Steve]

Yes, I did hear of some success stories with low lighting shop lights, although more bad than good.

It definitely is worth a shot using a low output. I might consider starting a nano tank and doing just that. If all goes well, then possibly a full 75g. And you are correct, the selection is very limited, although having a salt planted tank will be unique in itself.

[GulfCoastAquarian]

I just started a 20g nano reef with a 20g sump that I'm going try as many types of macroalgae as I can. The main tank will be fish only with live rock, but I hope to get good growth out of a good variety of macroalgae. Mostly for nutrient export, but also for secondary display. I'm worried mostly about caluerpa or halimeda going sexual and releasing all those nutrients into that tiny system. There are supposed to be many variations that generally will not sexually reproduce in a nano reef, so I'm going to have to do some research.

I'm definitely going to give Ken Cook a call and pick up some healthy Mangroves. The key thing is to get healthy specimens. No matter how much light you have, if the plants you get are in poor health, there is usually little you can do to save them.