Mangrove tree pod washed up

duanes

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At a friends place this morning, who has a balcony overlooking the sea.
It was low tide, and I spotted a couple more mangrove pods laying on shore.
Not quite as viable looking as the first one I found over a month ago, but I grabbed them up anyway, and jammed them into a sand filled bamboo tube in the sump.
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duanes

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Here is one I have growing. I've had it for 2 years, first year had it in fresh water tank and it kept dying off. So in a vase it went. And the crazy thing is growing.
This makes a lot of sense, in some of the reading I've been doing, it suggests they prefer to be only inundated about half the time, with natural tidal variation.
So I've been allowing my "drip" system to remain lower, longer, before adding make up water.
37C041D2-87DA-45CD-BACA-5ACDB49AE7E3_1_201_a.jpeg.
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Added a couple iron supplement tabs to each bamboo piece holding th mangrove pod, as an experiment.
 

jjohnwm

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Interesting thread; I'd love to find one of the rare Arctic Mangroves of the far north and try it in one of my tanks. No luck so far...:) I wonder why aquarium stores don't offer mangrove pods like the ones you have for sale?

A quick question, duanes duanes . You are using natural bamboo tubes as pots for these plants, and it looks like they are also the water spouts in your sump. Does bamboo hold up well in the long term when used in the water? I like the look, but worry about the longevity and the possible effects on water quality.
 
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duanes

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Yes I cut a piece of bamboo branch I find on the beach in sections, with one end that is naturally closed, and one open so it can be weighted down with a couple stones and sand.
1B5ACF49-8307-4FC6-8995-DF5233E4A65C_1_201_a.jpeg
7A09F8CB-0656-4CF5-B4EA-E5B76F84C0A9_1_201_a.jpeg.
By the way, I don't have mangrove pods for sale.
Getting a 1oz letter from here (Panama) to somewhere in the US with 48 hours, runs about $50.
When I lived in Milwaukee used to see, and could buy mangrove pods from LFSs that catered to salt water aquarists, for about $20 each.
I have also seen the pods are sometimes offered for sale on line in sets of 10.
The lengths of bamboo to hide PVC in the tank and sump, fhave been in use for about 6 months, it quickly darkens when wet, although I'll bet a coating of clear plastic might help to maintain the newly cut look.
8C41C009-DA68-41B4-ACEA-2C3B581F3998_1_201_a.jpeg
You can see the stark white of the PVC just behind it.
I also like to hide the PVC running along the top of the tank, as much as possible.
A12B6450-E699-44D5-83D6-5856FB27D5CA_1_201_a.jpeg
 
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jjohnwm

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I worded that poorly; I was wondering why LFS didn't offer them for sale, not suggesting that you did. :)

Thanks for the bamboo info, I want to try that. I love the look of the stuff. And I just emailed a local marine aquarium shop inquiring about mangrove pods. I should have thought of that myself...:)
 

Doug B

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This makes a lot of sense, in some of the reading I've been doing, it suggests they prefer to be only inundated about half the time, with natural tidal variation.
So I've been allowing my "drip" system to remain lower, longer, before adding make up water.
View attachment 1475540.
View attachment 1475541
View attachment 1475542
Added a couple iron supplement tabs to each bamboo piece holding th mangrove pod, as an experiment.
That's cool, keep us updated mine obviously has a deficiency. I live in Canada mangroves don't grow naturally here. So on hand advice is great. ?
 
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duanes

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A couple days ago, there were heavy rains in mainland Panama, with lots of flooding, and raging rivers.
Today I noticed lots of stuff collecting on the beach here in Taboga, and went for a snorkel, collecting about a dozen new mangrove pods.
430724CF-E26A-492F-92B0-73D888E6294B_1_201_a.jpeg
With so many, it seemed time to experiment with placement.
The ones previously were put in the most sunlit end of the tank , getting full tropical sun starting about 9AM until early afternoon.
Today half the pods were placed in the most shaded left side (indirect sun most of the day).
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The shaded end is where the water is drawn thru the Matten Porrett Filter pad.
The other new pods were placed on the most sunlit end, where the older two pods are already growing.
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This is a much more turbid area, where water from the main tank flows
All pods were placed in 10" o 12" bamboo sections filled with local beach sand.
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