The Puffer Forum

Hi all,

I want to get a few Mangroves for my brackish set up. I was wondering how much space they need really above the water. My tank is fairly deep but I want to leave as much water as possible.

Also can I plant into the sand or do I need some specialist substrate ?

Cheers

Don't mangroves eventually outgrow/crack a tank?

The method I have seen a couple of times (since the mangrove shoots people buy are small) is attaching it to the side of the tank with the bottom submerged in a pot. Those tanks were open-top as well.

I don't know if it's the 'correct' method for starting out mangroves in a tank like yours, but mangroves are sold at such a small size that if planted directly into the substrate you'd have to drain out a lot of water to allow the top of the mangrove to be out of the water; more of a terrarium than an aquarium at that point.

Here's an article with an interesting method:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... eature.htm

I have about 15 cm (6 inches), but you need to be familiar with bonsai trimming methods to get nice looking results.

Remember to propagate them with cuttings, that way you can rip out too large specimens and replace them. They do get the size of a tree, but it will take them many years to outgrow even a small 100 gallon tank if cut properly.