Sponge Dominant Mixed Reef

[Weaverjay101]

Started a Youtube channel to upload videos of the tank. The Humble Reefer

 

[Weaverjay101]

short video of the tank

 

[Capt Bill]

Figured I should start a build thread to track my successes and failures with this build. My goal is to create a mixed reef containing corals, macroalgae, and sponges. My goal is to have the tank dominated by sponges. Tank volume is 75 gallons not including sump. Lighting is from two Radion Xr15's. Flow is from one Vortech MP40 as well as some no name powerhead. Fish are lyretail wrasse, hippo tang, bristletooth tang, and 4 neon gobies. Large amount of bristle worms in the rockwork. Large amount of copepods. Will be creating a refugium for my macroalgae. Waiting on caulerpa mexicana to arrive in the mail. Currently dosing about a gallon of phyto a day to feed the sponges and corals. Fish are heavily fed new life spectrum multiple times a day.

Love the idea of a sponge tank. a gallon of phytoplankton a day??? won't that blow up your nitrates?

 

[Gumbies R Us]

short video of the tank

Thanks for sharing!

 

[joseph.timbs]

Well crap. I'll remove the rubber bands

lol. I’ve definitely had some “well crap”, moments in this hobby. I’m about to attempt a nps/sponge/ macroalgae type invert refugium attached to my system. Probably about to experience some more “well crap’s”

 

[joseph.timbs]

Love the idea of a sponge tank. a gallon of phytoplankton a day??? won't that blow up your nitrates?

If it’s live, no. It when something dies the process to ammonia/nitrite/nitrates begins.

 

[Crabs+Shrimps-69]

lol. I’ve definitely had some “well crap”, moments in this hobby. I’m about to attempt a nps/sponge/ macroalgae type invert refugium attached to my system. Probably about to experience some more “well crap’s”

I would like to see a build thread/aquarium showcase for that refugium.

 

[joseph.timbs]

I would like to see a build thread/aquarium showcase for that refugium.

Ok I might do that. I wish I would have made one for my display, the display the refugium will be attached to. The “refugium” will be displayed under it, in the cabinet I use for my stand. I have a 3 section, traditional 10g sump. Overflow into protein skimmer, chaeto fuge chamber that goes unharvested, return pump chamber. Here’s the plan.

In order to add water volume to my 40g, I’m attaching a 40g Rubbermaid. Also to get ugly red grow led out of vision. The skimmer/bio-blocks, chaeto/red grow led, return pump will go in Rubbermaid in a closet out of view. I’m going to run overflow into the new fuge tank, then overflow (gravity) into the new Rubbermaid sump and then returned to main display from the Rubbermaid sump return pump.

Livestock: I want to get a flame hawk for the main display but I have a 2 year old coral banded. With a chance of predation I’m going to move the CBS to the new 10g. Then add the flame hawk to the display, one of the reasons why. I plan to add macros like Halimeda, mermaid fan, shaving brush for decoration pieces. I don’t want sexual fast growing macro. Along with a couple red macro that are decorative too but also food for my baby yellow tang in 40. I don’t like using nori sheets and spoil the water (slightly but still), so I want to grow a live option. Then I’m going to add inverts and stuff I can’t in my reef display because of safety for coral. I’m going to line macro’s at edge of live rock. Used as a barrier. Then add tree, ruffle, ball sponge. Gorgonian or two, maybe bubble coral I have in the display (not sure), and purple styli I have in display that I don’t have room for. Have to wait till I see if the barrier works. A derasa clam and probably a dendro or another nps coral. Chili or something, possibly a leather but doubt I have room. I’m lining the rock with macro as a barrier because of a couple more things I like that aren’t reef safe. A pink tip condy anemone and chocolate chip starfish. Not sure if it will work but I plan to give it a shot. Those two aren’t deal breakers. Then maybe a Halloween hermit or yellow cucumber, some other invert that doesn’t put my CBS in danger and visa versa, porcelain crab, Pom Pom crab, something like that. Then maybe a small 3 stripe damsel or possum wrasse, etc.. something small. Anyways that’s the plan, what you think? Any suggestions?

 

[Crabs+Shrimps-69]

Ok I might do that. I wish I would have made one for my display, the display the refugium will be attached to. The “refugium” will be displayed under it, in the cabinet I use for my stand. I have a 3 section, traditional 10g sump. Overflow into protein skimmer, chaeto fuge chamber that goes unharvested, return pump chamber. Here’s the plan.

In order to add water volume to my 40g, I’m attaching a 40g Rubbermaid. Also to get ugly red grow led out of vision. The skimmer/bio-blocks, chaeto/red grow led, return pump will go in Rubbermaid in a closet out of view. I’m going to run overflow into the new fuge tank, then overflow (gravity) into the new Rubbermaid sump and then returned to main display from the Rubbermaid sump return pump.

Livestock: I want to get a flame hawk for the main display but I have a 2 year old coral banded. With a chance of predation I’m going to move the CBS to the new 10g. Then add the flame hawk to the display, one of the reasons why. I plan to add macros like Halimeda, mermaid fan, shaving brush for decoration pieces. I don’t want sexual fast growing macro. Along with a couple red macro that are decorative too but also food for my baby yellow tang in 40. I don’t like using nori sheets and spoil the water (slightly but still), so I want to grow a live option. Then I’m going to add inverts and stuff I can’t in my reef display because of safety for coral. I’m going to line macro’s at edge of live rock. Used as a barrier. Then add tree, ruffle, ball sponge. Gorgonian or two, maybe bubble coral I have in the display (not sure), and purple styli I have in display that I don’t have room for. Have to wait till I see if the barrier works. A derasa clam and probably a dendro or another nps coral. Chili or something, possibly a leather but doubt I have room. I’m lining the rock with macro as a barrier because of a couple more things I like that aren’t reef safe. A pink tip condy anemone and chocolate chip starfish. Not sure if it will work but I plan to give it a shot. Those two aren’t deal breakers. Then maybe a Halloween hermit or yellow cucumber, some other invert that doesn’t put my CBS in danger and visa versa, porcelain crab, Pom Pom crab, something like that. Then maybe a small 3 stripe damsel or possum wrasse, etc.. something small. Anyways that’s the plan, what you think? Any suggestions?

I don't really have any suggestions for inverts other than the ones mentioned.

 

[joseph.timbs]

I don't really have any suggestions for inverts other than the ones mentioned.

Black urchin and flame scallop. Those are on the list now. Maybe horseshoe crab, idk. Pretty full. It’ll be months adding them a few at a time and seeing how it works out.

 

[Crabs+Shrimps-69]

Black urchin and flame scallop. Those are on the list now. Maybe horseshoe crab, idk. Pretty full. It’ll be months adding them a few at a time and seeing how it works out.

I didn't think about flame scallop, that would good for an NPS tank.

Horseshoe crabs get massive, so I wouldn't recommend them.

 

[Michael Hughes]

This was a fascinating thread and I love the idea of a sponge dominated tank. Any recent updates?

Are you dosing silica?

Any general tips/pointers on sponges based on your experiences?