Wanted; red mangrove pods

[Mermatron Athena]

I'm in California and would like to do an aquaponics "bio-dome" project with my kids for our homeschool. If anyone around Florida or wherever red mangrove pods can be legally and ethically aquiered would be able to collect and send any over, we would gladly pay :)
I hesitate to buy online, because I fear encouraging the depletion of the mangroves by less than ethical collection means.

[Theobromine]

Aquacultured red mangrove propagules, legal, from a California facility: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3468+490+1477&pcatid=1477

Farmed ones aren't depleting anything wild, they're ethical and legal and don't violate the Mangrove Trimming and Protection Act. Asking someone to go out and pick some up and mail them to you may not be. Plus, you'd be getting sent ones that were propagated and properly packaged by experts. I've ordered aquarium plants from Liveaquaria.com before and the quality was excellent.

Here's some further info on red mangrove growing, looks like they also sell seedlings: https://toptropicals.com/html/toptropicals/articles/aqua/mangrove_eng.htm

Mangroves are pretty awesome! Good luck, sounds like a fun project! If I can ever afford the reef aquarium setup I really want (everything ethically sourced/aquacultured=way more expensive) I will definitely be adding a mangrove refugium.

[Mermatron Athena]

Thank you so much Theobromine!
The kids are super excited to check out that site and get to ordering their project. This should be tons of fun. I love these kinds of projects too. It's such a cool bonus that we get school credit for it lol

[Theobromine]

You're welcome! I love mangroves, they're so cool and so important for the environment! They provide vital habitat that a lot of species depend on and they also filter and clean freshwater runoff before it gets into the ocean! "Kidneys of the reef" is how we described them when I used to volunteer at Reef HQ Aquarium in Queensland. They're also pretty threatened habitats worldwide. You've got so much cool info to teach your kids with this project :D

[Mermatron Athena]

They are like kidneys for the sea, you're so dead on!

We are in California but so much of our Bay is just dreadful. Growing up with a Shell refinery right on the water's edge gives the impression that this is a normal and acceptable way of life.