Mangroves in Biocube Refugium

I want to try growing Mangroves in the back center chamber of my biocubes. I have removed all of the bioballs and want to try to grow mangroves. I have a question about the amount of lighting needed for the mangroves to flourish? Do the roots need direct light or just the stalks and leaves? Right now i am running 150 watt MH lights above my cubes and am wondering if this is enough light to grow them? The lamps are tilted back towards the back wall and i wonder if i put mangroves back there if they would survive? Or will i have to shine an additional light at the roots from directly above the chamber or through the back wall of the cube?
:-X

 

in my 65 gallon tank i had a few in the corner and they died, maybe because the light wasnt directly on top of it? but ur light is alot stronger then what i had.

 

i have a 65w 10k bulb from Lowes on my two mangroves and they are looking great. FYI chaeto will work better for nitrate and phosphate removal as you need ALOT of mangroves

 

I have been thinking about something similar. I have come up with a design that I think will work.

It is to be made out of acrylic with 3 chambers and hangs on the side of the cube with an overflow back into the main tank. I plan to have a 60 gpm pump delivering water from the tank into the bottom of the refugium. A baffle plate about an inch from the bottom distributes the flow across the horizontal plane and feeding into a 4" high chamber full of cheato with another baffle plate over it. The mangroves will be planted above it with overflow back into the tank. I'm running a 150 w MH over the 24 gallon tank and I believe that will provide enough light. The baffle plates are planned to be removable and sit on glued in acrylic stops.

Dimensions: 6" x 8" x 18"

 

Steve W that sounds cool. Post some pics when you get it going.

 

Anyone else done this?