Mangrove Lighting Requirements

Jaws · #1 10-23-2006, 06:50 PM

I'm considering planting some mangroves in my refugium that will be lit by a 150W DE bulb. Should this be enough light to grow them effectively?

WWWD · #2 10-23-2006, 06:53 PM

That is probably to much light. I get good results with a 5700k 23 watt screw in cf bulb. Just remember to mist the leaves daily.

Jaws · #3 10-23-2006, 09:42 PM

How fast do yours grow under that light? I've been told by a lot of people that MH's work best if you want your mangroves to grow at a good rate.

Quinster · #4 10-23-2006, 10:27 PM

I am using 2 15W CF on my refugium, and have to prune least half of them every couple weeks. I have @ 50 in there and they are all doing fine.

Jaws · #5 10-23-2006, 11:11 PM

How have you found them for denitrification?

Delphinus · #6 10-23-2006, 11:52 PM

I have about 6 on my 75. They're useless for denitrification (unless you use something like 50). They're more of a novelty to me. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but they are the slowest growing things ever, and it's not a lighting issue and it's not a misting issue. I bought them in 2002 as pods and now almost a full 4 years later they have maybe about 6 leaves each or so and about 12" tall.

I should mention that although I find them useless for denitrification, that's a little like saying fish are useless for denitrification. I don't mind having them but I don't have them to serve a specific purpose other than "they're coooooool."