Sponge Dominant Mixed Reef

[Weaverjay101]

Purchased a mystery bundle of rooted macroalgae from Alyssa Seahorse Savvy. From everything I've read tangs won't bother these as they produce some type of calcium based structure. Nitrate was 12.7ppm this morning. I know these a slower growing algae so we'll see if they use the nitrate faster than I produce it.

 

[Weaverjay101]

Did my daily dose of phytoplankton. After a gallon dose my tank looks like this. Added an airstone to my phyto tank to hopefully increase CO2 and get denser cultures.

 

[mikst]

Did my daily dose of phytoplankton. After a gallon dose my tank looks like this. Added an airstone to my phyto tank to hopefully increase CO2 and get denser cultures.

Hi, I like your experimenting and I wish you success, but we wary as I recently came across this article on the forum about culturing your own phytoplankton and it was specific about not using an Airstone as the phyto will get stuck to the bubbles, float to the surface and be done. Kind of like a skimmer.

How To Grow Your Own Phytoplankton

Growing your own phytoplankton at home is simple. Set up the growing vessel. Organize the lighting. Fill the container with FRESH salt water. Add air. Add fertilizer. Add the phytoplankton starter culture. Split and store the phytoplankton culture.

reefcoaquariums.com

 

[Weaverjay101]

Hi, I like your experimenting and I wish you success, but we wary as I recently came across this article on the forum about culturing your own phytoplankton and it was specific about not using an Airstone as the phyto will get stuck to the bubbles, float to the surface and be done. Kind of like a skimmer.

How To Grow Your Own Phytoplankton

Growing your own phytoplankton at home is simple. Set up the growing vessel. Organize the lighting. Fill the container with FRESH salt water. Add air. Add fertilizer. Add the phytoplankton starter culture. Split and store the phytoplankton culture.

reefcoaquariums.com

I completely agree with what you are saying. An airstone that produces small bubbles will definitely do that. Mine produces larger bubbles and doesn't cause any accumulation at the top of the tank. I disagree with what the article said about adding oxygen. The phytoplankton should produce their own oxygen during photosynthesis. I was doing it more to add CO2 back into the water from the air.

 

[mikst]

I completely agree with what you are saying. An airstone that produces small bubbles will definitely do that. Mine produces larger bubbles and doesn't cause any accumulation at the top of the tank. I disagree with what the article said about adding oxygen. The phytoplankton should produce their own oxygen during photosynthesis. I was doing it more to add CO2 back into the water from the air.

Right on. Yeah, a lot of people mistakenly say air pumps and stones are to put oxygen in the tank. They are to break the surface tension and create surface area for gas exchange. The water will work naturally towards the equilibrium it wants given the available surface area, I understand.

 

[Weaverjay101]

Right on. Yeah, a lot of people mistakenly say air pumps and stones are to put oxygen in the tank. They are to break the surface tension and create surface area for gas exchange. The water will work naturally towards the equilibrium it wants given the available surface area, I understand.

I do wonder if putting a CO2 diffuser system from a freshwater setup would increase phytoplankton growth like it increases plant growth in freshwater.

 

[mikst]

I do wonder if putting a CO2 diffuser system from a freshwater setup would increase phytoplankton growth like it increases plant growth in freshwater.

Sounds like you're about to have two phyto tanks up, experiment and control! :)

 

[Weaverjay101]

Small photo dump. So far most of the sponges are growing slowly. Added some caulerpa Mexicana from my sump to the main display in hopes of it taking root and spreading.

 

[GARRIGA]

Find sponges intriguing and one gets the benefit of their filtration potential. Big Barrel Sponge something I'm curious if it could be kept and likely a possible centerpiece for this tank although I think they get too big yet I'm also guessing easy enough to trim and pieces fragged to others.

 

[Weaverjay101]

Find sponges intriguing and one gets the benefit of their filtration potential. Big Barrel Sponge something I'm curious if it could be kept and likely a possible centerpiece for this tank although I think they get too big yet I'm also guessing easy enough to trim and pieces fragged to others.

I'm thinking a loggerhead sponge for a centerpiece. Nice barrel shape but not nearly as large as the giant barrel sponge. If I'm remembering correctly they're photosynthetic as well.

 

[GARRIGA]

I'm thinking a loggerhead sponge for a centerpiece. Nice barrel shape but not nearly as large as the giant barrel sponge. If I'm remembering correctly they're photosynthetic as well.

My under standing all sponges can be trimmed to contain growth. Yet they grow considerably fast. Wouldn't that solve which species selected?

Wasn't aware any were photosynthetic. Learn something new every day.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Find sponges intriguing and one gets the benefit of their filtration potential. Big Barrel Sponge something I'm curious if it could be kept and likely a possible centerpiece for this tank although I think they get too big yet I'm also guessing easy enough to trim and pieces fragged to others.

I've had similar thoughts for a centerpiece species, though figuring out how to properly feed/care for them could be quite difficult.

My under standing all sponges can be trimmed to contain growth. Yet they grow considerably fast. Wouldn't that solve which species selected?

Wasn't aware any were photosynthetic. Learn something new every day.

Many sponges can be trimmed, yes, though some may struggle with it; growth rate varies considerably based on environmental factors and species.

Surprisingly, many sponges are photosynthetic or facultatively photosynthetic - including the Giant Barrel Sponge; their symbionts are cyanobacteria species rather than dinoflagellates like are found in corals, though, and when their cyano-symbionts bleach, it doesn't kill the sponge (the sponge recovers just fine).

 

[GARRIGA]

I've had similar thoughts for a centerpiece species, though figuring out how to properly feed/care for them could be quite difficult.

Many sponges can be trimmed, yes, though some may struggle with it; growth rate varies considerably based on environmental factors and species.

Surprisingly, many sponges are photosynthetic or facultatively photosynthetic - including the Giant Barrel Sponge; their symbionts are cyanobacteria species rather than dinoflagellates like are found in corals, though, and when their cyano-symbionts bleach, it doesn't kill the sponge (the sponge recovers just fine).

That's interesting. Both corals and sponges have that we cry at night about and now learning some don't belong in dark cryptic sumps but perhaps in the display rivaling other organisms. Gotta admit some sponges are rather outstanding in their own right. Those seeking true mixed reef replicas of an actual reef might consider there is more to it than just Sticks and Acans.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

That's interesting. Both corals and sponges have that we cry at night about and now learning some don't belong in dark cryptic sumps but perhaps in the display rivaling other organisms. Gotta admit some sponges are rather outstanding in their own right. Those seeking true mixed reef replicas of an actual reef might consider there is more to it than just Sticks and Acans.

Yeah, the main problem I've seen is that it's quite difficult to feed ornamental sponges - otherwise, some species would make great showpieces in a tank. Most just end up withering away at this point though.

 

[GARRIGA]

Yeah, the main problem I've seen is that it's quite difficult to feed ornamental sponges - otherwise, some species would make great showpieces in a tank. Most just end up withering away at this point though.

There's a lot I need to learn then because I thought they were filter feeders. In south Florida we have those who collect locally and an available source but I can also collect my own if I understood how to separate them from their base. Understand they shouldn't be exposed to air and not 100% certain on laws other than I can not remove rocks but might be able to remove loose rubble. Still polishing up on that and plan to collect what I can including inverts and some fish. Caribbean biotope might be interesting.

 

[VintageReefer]

I have a blue sponge that grew out of a random rock crack about 3 years ago. It grows medium speed. When it gets too large I prune it by hand underwater and throw excess in my sumps cryptic zone. In my display it grows vertical and tree like, it makes branches and anything it touches it ends up attaching to. I have to peel it off shelves and rocks every few weeks. I don’t dose phyto or do any kind of special feeding for it.

I feel it’s bomb proof. High flow. Low flow. 200 par. 50 par. It doesn’t care. I take pieces out of the water and expose to air for a moment to transfer from display to sump, the sump ones survive the transfer and live fine in total darkness

If you want some blue sponge I would be willing to work out an arrangement with you over DM

I’ll post pics shortly

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

There's a lot I need to learn then because I thought they were filter feeders. In south Florida we have those who collect locally and an available source but I can also collect my own if I understood how to separate them from their base. Understand they shouldn't be exposed to air and not 100% certain on laws other than I can not remove rocks but might be able to remove loose rubble. Still polishing up on that and plan to collect what I can including inverts and some fish. Caribbean biotope might be interesting.

They are filter-feeders (and highly efficient ones too), but with moderately specific diets that our tanks don't generally provide, especially not in the quantities needed.

My post on page one of this thread (post #15) goes over a ton of info, but the most important for feeding and keeping can be found here:

Sponge Tank

Does anyone have experience keeping a sponge only aquarium? If so where can I purchase sponges. I've only found a few online.

www.reef2reef.com

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I have a blue sponge that grew out of a random rock crack about 3 years ago. It grows medium speed. When it gets too large I prune it by hand underwater and throw excess in my sumps cryptic zone. In my display it grows vertical and tree like, it makes branches and anything it touches it ends up attaching to. I have to peel it off shelves and rocks every few weeks. I don’t dose phyto or do any kind of special feeding for it.

I feel it’s bomb proof. High flow. Low flow. 200 par. 50 par. It doesn’t care. I take pieces out of the water and expose to air for a moment to transfer from display to sump, the sump ones survive the transfer and live fine in total darkness

If you want some blue sponge I would be willing to work out an arrangement with you over DM

I’ll post pics shortly

From my understanding of your setup, it would be much better for most sponges than the average tank - is the sponge an encrusting sponge?

 

[VintageReefer]

From my understanding of your setup, it would be much better for most sponges than the average tank - is the sponge an encrusting sponge?

It’s branching but it literally will attach to anything it touches. Just for these photos I had to peel it off of the back glass and a shelf. It basically ended up having small 1/4-1/2” circular sections mid branch that leaned on an object - the glass, a shelf, a piece of rock structure…and after about a week, it’s attached. You can peel it off by hand with no damage

I threw this piece in my cryptic sump about 2 weeks ago, I went to photo it, it was stuck to the rock in my sump. I have no lighting in there, so the sump picture is complete darkness, with the flash from my phone

 

[VintageReefer]

I do not run a skimmer nor do I perform water changes. I don’t use filter roller, socks, or any mech filtration. My only filtration is my live rock, algae turf scrubber, and a cryptic zone in my sump with various whitish or yellow “mound sponges” , 3@ sandbed, various worms. I have a chemi pure bag and matrix bag on a shelf also in the sump between chambers 2 and 3. No snails or crabs in the cryptic zone.