Sponge Reef at the Ocean Discovery Visitors Center

[Subsea]

I agree completely that we have no real idea what is in the magical blue bottles put out by KZ. I had honestly never questioned whether or not SpongePower had silica in it or not. I feel like it is probably more organic meant to stimulate certain bacteria growth for direct sponge consumption. I did try using the SpongeExcel once and I noticed no reasonable change in my sponges during that time so I stuck to the basics with semi-regular water changes and heavy fish feedings.

For certain, silicate is required for many processes in our marine eco systems as things grow and assimilate into biomass.

Who analyses fish food for silicate?

At times, I maintain 10K gallons of marine systems. Make up water comes directly from Trinity Aquifier at 1000 feet. At one time, the Edwards Plateau was the bottom of a shallow inland sea and it is loaded with silicates. With a TDS at 950 ppm it goes straight into my reef tanks. All of my systems are saturated with silica. The sponges seem to like it. Due to high nutrients, I brush off algae growth on sponges once a week, algae blennie does it all week.

 

[Subsea]

@Brandon McHenry

The sponges in your display are absolutely gorgeous. Kudos to your husbandry. Excellence is a good craft. Can you provide some data as to how much water is processed by an adult sponge colony?

As you pointed out, with more than 7000 species of sponges, each with their differrent feeding needs. I am interested in sponges that consume dissolved organic carbon, as was @Scuba_Steve Considering that all photosynthetic organisms produce DOC and there are many, many compounds that make the list of dissolved organic carbon. Both coral and algae, including sea grasses, produce DOC. Differrent activated carbons absorb differrent dissolved organic carbons. Steve Tyree has done specific research with cryptic sponges and their nutrient recycling ability to convert DOC to DIC & Marine Snow, both of which are food for coral.

With respect to your use of a protein skimmer on a tank that is being dosed to grow bacteria for sponges to eat, I question this practice because skimmate is 95% bacteria. Ken Felderman research papers at Advanced Aquaria show efficiencies of nutrient management systems using DOC as control parameter.

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/3/aafeature

Protein skimmers remove at best 35% of DOC
GAC removes 65% of DOC
Mature biofilter removes 50% of DOC

With the exception of gas exchange, I see little need for protein skimmers. From my point of view, they remove food that grows coral.

Musings from the Lazy Boy.
Patrick

 

[Subsea]

I’m addition to researching sea sponges, our scientists also do work with soft corals like this gorgonian. This is our purple gorgonian sitting happily towards the bottom of the rock structure in strong random flow. Be sure to check out the photo bomb by our chalk bass!

Absolutely spectacular picture of some gorgeous gorgonions. I don’t know what I am doing wrong but mine don’t fly their flags very much and they slough off too much for my liking. Two weeks ago, I got two deep water gorgonions that are NPS. I suspect their needs are similar to the sponges in your display.

https://www.live-plants.com/yellowfinger.htm

https://www.live-plants.com/redtreegorg.htm

Any information on feeding requirements is appreciated. I presently have live phyto drip into this tank. Would carbon dosing to grow bacteria provide food for the two NPS linked above?

Laissez les bonne temps roulee,
Patrick

 

[Brandon McHenry]

For certain, silicate is required for many processes in our marine eco systems as things grow and assimilate into biomass.

Who analyses fish food for silicate?

At times, I maintain 10K gallons of marine systems. Make up water comes directly from Trinity Aquifier at 1000 feet. At one time, the Edwards Plateau was the bottom of a shallow inland sea and it is loaded with silicates. With a TDS at 950 ppm it goes straight into my reef tanks. All of my systems are saturated with silica. The sponges seem to like it. Due to high nutrients, I brush off algae growth on sponges once a week, algae blennie does it all week.

I’m not sure of anyone who analyzes fish food for silicate but I’m sure there is some in there. I just trust that whatever silicate gets into the tank is enough.

@Brandon McHenry

The sponges in your display are absolutely gorgeous. Kudos to your husbandry. Excellence is a good craft. Can you provide some data as to how much water is processed by an adult sponge colony?

As you pointed out, with more than 7000 species of sponges, each with their differrent feeding needs. I am interested in sponges that consume dissolved organic carbon, as was @Scuba_Steve Considering that all photosynthetic organisms produce DOC and there are many, many compounds that make the list of dissolved organic carbon. Both coral and algae, including sea grasses, produce DOC. Differrent activated carbons absorb differrent dissolved organic carbons. Steve Tyree has done specific research with cryptic sponges and their nutrient recycling ability to convert DOC to DIC & Marine Snow, both of which are food for coral.

With respect to your use of a protein skimmer on a tank that is being dosed to grow bacteria for sponges to eat, I question this practice because skimmate is 95% bacteria. Ken Felderman research papers at Advanced Aquaria show efficiencies of nutrient management systems using DOC as control parameter.

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/3/aafeature

Protein skimmers remove at best 35% of DOC
GAC removes 65% of DOC
Mature biofilter removes 50% of DOC

With the exception of gas exchange, I see little need for protein skimmers. From my point of view, they remove food that grows coral.

Musings from the Lazy Boy.
Patrick

With such a wide variety of sponges there are certainly a wide variety of flow rates. Some are much more efficient than others but I think I have seen articles stating upwards of 1000L per kilogram of sponge per day so pretty significant.

Absolutely spectacular picture of some gorgeous gorgonions. I don’t know what I am doing wrong but mine don’t fly their flags very much and they slough off too much for my liking. Two weeks ago, I got two deep water gorgonions that are NPS. I suspect their needs are similar to the sponges in your display.

https://www.live-plants.com/yellowfinger.htm

https://www.live-plants.com/redtreegorg.htm

Any information on feeding requirements is appreciated. I presently have live phyto drip into this tank. Would carbon dosing to grow bacteria provide food for the two NPS linked above?

Laissez les bonne temps roulee,
Patrick

And thank you for the compliment! All the gorgonians are getting is phytoplankton, maybe bacteria and fish poo.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

We have some bright new additions to our sponge tank. The red coloration helps us to explain to our guests about natural products and warning coloration in invertebrates.

Ruby red tunicates

Red frilly sponge

Red finger sponge

And our flame cardinal fish. He doesn’t make a natural product but he’s cool to look at

 

[cracker]

Hey Brannon , looks like your project in coming along fantastic !

 

[Sea MunnKey]

Proof of friendship lol

Hi Brandon,

Just curious to know what this "Pink' finger sponge is? Very cool place indeed!!

Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work/research

 

[Brandon McHenry]

Hey Brannon , looks like your project in coming along fantastic !

Thank you very much!

Hi Brandon,

Just curious to know what this "Pink' finger sponge is? Very cool place indeed!!

Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work/research

It is actually an orange finger sponge that I could not tell you the scientific name of. It’s just something that I picked up at a LFS. It hasn’t grown much but it is doing well. Glad you enjoyed the thread!

 

[NY_Caveman]

Absolutely love this tunicate!

 

[Sea MunnKey]

Always have been a big fan of sponges and that specific Yellow Ball sponge didn't last long in my system. I have an Aussie sponge that was given to me by a local lfs since last year. It's kinda pinkish with a tinge of yellow & I'll see if I can capture a picture of it tonite & post it here.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

Check out this new sponge we picked up at a LFS!

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Check out this new sponge we picked up at a LFS!

Gorgeous color. Good luck with it.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

Gorgeous color. Good luck with it.

Thanks! A reef made completely out of sponges is definitely tricky to keep well fed and happy lol.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

Another new addition to the sponge reef.

 

[Subsea]

Another new addition to the sponge reef.

Great looking stuff. I really like how you contrasted form, color and size. Great picture. Kudos to you.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

Great looking stuff. I really like how you contrasted form, color and size. Great picture. Kudos to you.

Thanks! As difficult as sponges are to keep happy, they make up for it in color and variety!

 

[Brandon McHenry]

Got ahold of a purple photosynthetic sponge. It’s still tiny but it seems to grow better than everything else!

 

[Hermie]

Hi! @Brandon McHenry Do you go through any Quarantine protocol for sponges before you put them in the tank? I have a relatively new tank that I'd like to add sponges (with fish currently), but I am worried if I Quarantine the sponges for a period of weeks, they may die without sufficient food.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

Hi! @Brandon McHenry Do you go through any Quarantine protocol for sponges before you put them in the tank? I have a relatively new tank that I'd like to add sponges (with fish currently), but I am worried if I Quarantine the sponges for a period of weeks, they may die without sufficient food.

I do not quarantine my sponges. They are already difficult enough to keep to put them through extra stress. If you have a new tank I would not encourage trying sponges yet. They are very challenging and require and established tank with lots of flow, microfauna and a biological filter that can withstand heavy feeding for the sponges. If you are determined to try sponges the two that I have seen that are the hardiest are the yellow ball sponge and the blue photosynthetic sponge. Just make sure to never expense them to air or they are as good as dead. If you have any questions about keeping sponges feel free to ask!

 

[Hermie]

I do not quarantine my sponges. They are already difficult enough to keep to put them through extra stress. If you have a new tank I would not encourage trying sponges yet. They are very challenging and require and established tank with lots of flow, microfauna and a biological filter that can withstand heavy feeding for the sponges. If you are determined to try sponges the two that I have seen that are the hardiest are the yellow ball sponge and the blue photosynthetic sponge. Just make sure to never expense them to air or they are as good as dead. If you have any questions about keeping sponges feel free to ask!

Thanks Brandon, and your thread here is great! I find it intriguing that you are mixing "methods" with the tank system in that you have Zeolite and a refugium/algae export and a skimmer (basically mixing Triton and Zeovit from what I gather).

This past week I introduced two orange ear sponges (Agelas clathrodes) to my main tank, using gel superglue on their holdfasts attached to pieces of PVC for mounting. A question, how do you mount the sponges?

I'm trying to place them in the part of the tank's water movement that best suits their current shapes. I'm assuming the water is supposed to move from the bottom and fan out to the top according to their shapes, but I could be wrong... I don't see any osculums on their surfaces. I tried to put them in shadier spots (to limit algae on their surface) and somewhat perpendicular to the water flow.

The ones I have are basically shaped like this photo below, except the holdfasts are not buried. Alternatively, I could place them so flow enters from the top and out through the bottom, or from 45 degree angles either from the top or the bottom.
However, they're now oriented like this:

Also, I'm feeding now with Seachem Reef Phytoplankton 5ml every other day, but the tank also has a puffer whose food contributes to excess nutrients. I'm not sure where silica is coming from besides fish food, but there is definitely diatom growth (not microscope confirmed) so I assume there is enough silica to host sponge lifeforms also.

Thanks Again!