Yeah for this setup I think that I will probably not use the riparium raft planters. This will leave more light to shine down inside. There probably aren't many brackish adaptable plants that can grow on the rafts anyway. Bacopa monnieri is a possibility--I have read about that one described as using brackish habitats--but I won't believe it until I see it.
Brackish Riparium
- Thread starter hydrophyte
- Start date
I like the idea of a clean look without any "rafting" plants up front... Especially if you could get some depth with the hanging planters, like using the velcro points to attach another planter, then you could get a forest feel going. Once I start bonsai-ing mine I plan on either moving the low plants to another tank or rearranging to accent the bonsai mangroves more.
I don't think that I will need to double up on planters. These plants should grow plenty big and full. I can only think think of one raft-type plant that might grow in brackish water, Bacopa monnieri. I plan to try it out to see whether it will really grow grow in brackish. I did once see some B. monnieri in Florida growing pretty close to the ocean, but it was in a freshwater pond.
You don't really have to bonsai train those mangrove trees. They will grow into pretty nice shapes on their own if you just trim the growing tips here an there to encourage more branching. Whenever you might prune you will want to be careful to not take very much because mangroves respond poorly to overpruning.
You don't really have to bonsai train those mangrove trees. They will grow into pretty nice shapes on their own if you just trim the growing tips here an there to encourage more branching. Whenever you might prune you will want to be careful to not take very much because mangroves respond poorly to overpruning.
I am writing a series of blog articles with more detail about this setup for the AquaBotanic.com blog. Follow this link to read the frist entry...
Mangrove Riparium Journal - Article #1 of 4
Mangrove Riparium Journal - Article #1 of 4
I hope to work on this project some more tomorrow or maybe even tonight in the middle of the night.
Can I ask why you are not working with Rhizophora mangle, red mangroves? I know your into species not everyone keps but I have had great growth with the red's and they are redily available.
I do plan to include a red mangrove in this tank, but I just wanted to prioritize those other mangrove species that haven't been kept in aquariums before so that I could figure out more about how to grow them like this.
Was that a run on sentence?
I should be able to find a couple of red mangroves at the LFS.
Was that a run on sentence?
I should be able to find a couple of red mangroves at the LFS.
Here is another really great mangrove that I plan to use in the tank, white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa). I currently have it going in my 11-4G riparium setup but it is growing fast and getting too big for that tank. It has these great paddle-shaped rubbery leaves.
Yep when they are in the planters you can move them wherever you want, as long as it's wet.
The more tricky part will be adapting them to the brackish water. The more I read the more it seems that a long of the mangrove plants can tolerate brackish water for periods of time and not long-term. It will be interesting to see how these react.
Hey Timo look at this plant. This is on my list too...
http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/pix/PanTec.shtml
Wouldn't it be cool to try that plant?
The more tricky part will be adapting them to the brackish water. The more I read the more it seems that a long of the mangrove plants can tolerate brackish water for periods of time and not long-term. It will be interesting to see how these react.
Hey Timo look at this plant. This is on my list too...
http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/pix/PanTec.shtml
Wouldn't it be cool to try that plant?
