Sponges & Silicates

[Subsea]

Having started Reefing in September 1971 with a Galveston Bay biotheme: Curly Que Anemonea & Peppermint Shrimp came from jetties and Green Mollies & Grass Shrimp came from salt water marshes. Fast forward 50 years:

Because I never left soft corals for SPS, my interest moved on to ornamental seaweeds with mixed invertebrates: feather dusters, flame scallops & sea apples. In the last two years both ornamental and utilitarian cryptic sponges have captivated my attention. @Timfish hooked me on the merits of cryptic sponges with recycling DOC into the microbial food web. However, availability of Gulf of Mexico ornamental sponges has treble hooked me. As I got into it, I read that sponges needed silicates, so I bought a test kit and immediately realized that my systems were loaded with silicates. After further investigation, my makeup water comes from 1000’ deep in Edwards Aquifier and is saturated with silicates, TDS is 990 ppm.


Recently while researching a thread on pathogens to fish, I came across what do sponges on the reef eat. Amongst other things, sponges eat free swimming parasites which include ich. So, instead of a UV sterilizer, sponges are ich vacuum cleaners.

Smallest and newest tank: 30G at 2 years

 

[Timfish]

One of the contradictions I've seen over the years isich clearing up in one system with no intervention and minimal or no loss of livestock but heavy losses in systems where either UV sterilizors or chemical treatments were employed. Certainly the heath of the ecosystem and livestock are critical variables and reason enough for me to stop using chemical treatments years ago. Based on the different degrees of effectiveness using UVs, I'd guess we'realso dealing with different strains, some more virulent than others. I certainly agree sponges will remove parasites but I have to think QT is the best first step in preventing issues.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

For folks who do not use water already loaded with silicate, I have recommended (and used) regular silicate dosing for many years.

Along with organic carbon dosing to boost bacteria levels, it does appear to promote sponge growth.

 

[Subsea]

One of the contradictions I've seen over the years isich clearing up in one system with no intervention and minimal or no loss of livestock but heavy losses in systems where either UV sterilizors or chemical treatments were employed. Certainly the heath of the ecosystem and livestock are critical variables and reason enough for me to stop using chemical treatments years ago. Based on the different degrees of effectiveness using UVs, I'd guess we'realso dealing with different strains, some more virulent than others. I certainly agree sponges will remove parasites but I have to think QT is the best first step in preventing issues.

No doubt that healthy mature reef tanks excercise ich management. In my case, I have had stress events with no visible ich symptons manifested.

It occurs to me that natural immunity to specific pathogens requires being exposed to those pathogens.

From my point of view, how is a hobbiest closed reef system that has never seen ich because of quarantine and copper based medical treatment of every fish less vulnerable to pathogens than my system which did no quarantine. This system is vulnerable to pathogans due to lack of immunity.

@Timfish
As I understood current protocol, being exercised by many new reefers;

quarantine and medical treatment are prescribed for every fish, so that display tank is pathogen free.

PS. Tim,
Your protocol as a reef maintenance professional with paying customers reflects sound risk management as a quality vendor.

I got into the hobby for ZEN.

 

[Subsea]

For folks who do not use water already loaded with silicate, I have recommended (and used) regular silicate dosing for many years.

Along with organic carbon dosing to boost bacteria levels, it does appear to promote sponge growth.

Would amino acids be another complimenting addition?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Would amino acids be another complimenting addition?

I suspect sponges can consume amino acids dissolved in the water, but am not certain.

 

[Subsea]

Some favorite ornamental sponges:

<head> <title>Macroalgae For Marine Reef Aquariums: Red Finger Sponge

Red Finger Sponge (Ptilocaulis sp.) ​

An attractive red colored sponge that grows vertically. This species is highly variable in branching. We typically collect smaller specimens as they seem to do better in the aquarium. All sponges are filter feeders and should only be placed in established aquariums with plenty of live food available. Do not expose directly to the air as the drying out of any tissue will often kill the sponge. Single specimens are approx 5-8" tall

<head> <title>Macroalgae For Marine Reef Aquariums: Elephant Ear Sponge

Red Ball Sponge (Psuedaxinella lunaecharta)​

This species of encrusting red colored sponge features smooth, irregular shaped forms that are attached to rocks and hard bottom. We collect smaller specimens as they seem to do better in the aquarium. All sponges are filter feeders and should only be placed in established aquariums with plenty of live food available. Do not expose directly to the air as the drying out of any tissue will often kill the sponge. We offer single specimens ranging in size from 2-4" in diameter. Yellow Ball Sponge (Cinachyra alloclada)​ The yellow balls sponge features a crater like surface with irregular shaped holes. This particular sponge is fairly hardy in the aquarium. We collect smaller specimens as they seem to do better in the aquarium. All sponges are filter feeders and should only be placed in established aquariums with plenty of live food available. Elephant Ear Sponge (Agelas clathrodes)​ This species of orange colored sponge features smooth, ruffled lobes resembling ears. They are very compact and each has a different and unique shape. We collect smaller specimens as they seem to do better in the aquarium. All sponges are filter feeders and should only be placed in established aquariums with plenty of live food available. ​

 

[Subsea]

Some favorite ornamental sponges:

<head> <title>Macroalgae For Marine Reef Aquariums: Red Finger Sponge

Red Finger Sponge (Ptilocaulis sp.) ​

An attractive red colored sponge that grows vertically. This species is highly variable in branching. We typically collect smaller specimens as they seem to do better in the aquarium. All sponges are filter feeders and should only be placed in established aquariums with plenty of live food available. Do not expose directly to the air as the drying out of any tissue will often kill the sponge. Single specimens are approx 5-8" tall

<head> <title>Macroalgae For Marine Reef Aquariums: Elephant Ear Sponge

Red Ball Sponge (Psuedaxinella lunaecharta)​

This species of encrusting red colored sponge features smooth, irregular shaped forms that are attached to rocks and hard bottom. We collect smaller specimens as they seem to do better in the aquarium. All sponges are filter feeders and should only be placed in established aquariums with plenty of live food available. Do not expose directly to the air as the drying out of any tissue will often kill the sponge. We offer single specimens ranging in size from 2-4" in diameter. Yellow Ball Sponge (Cinachyra alloclada)​ The yellow balls sponge features a crater like surface with irregular shaped holes. This particular sponge is fairly hardy in the aquarium. We collect smaller specimens as they seem to do better in the aquarium. All sponges are filter feeders and should only be placed in established aquariums with plenty of live food available. Elephant Ear Sponge (Agelas clathrodes)​ This species of orange colored sponge features smooth, ruffled lobes resembling ears. They are very compact and each has a different and unique shape. We collect smaller specimens as they seem to do better in the aquarium. All sponges are filter feeders and should only be placed in established aquariums with plenty of live food available. ​

 

[Subsea]

Janitors in this tank include amphipods and 4 species of copepods: EcoPods from Algae Barn.

With no fish in this tank, pods are bold as they feed on front glass with lights on:

 

[Subsea]

Best I can tell, ornamental sponges and flame scallops feed on the microbial food web.
So, I am transferring flame scallop from 55G tank with Red Planaria.. As I remove things from this flat worm infected system, I isolate & treat with Flat Worm Exit.

10 minutes after initial dose of Exit with no response, a double dose was added and within two minutes, planaria were wigllibg. After 20 minutes, all Planaria detached from flame scallop, feather duster and sea apple. A final sanitized tooth brushing and scallop was introduced to sponges.

 

[Subsea]

Just received ornamental and utilitarian seaweeds as well as several very nice ornamental sponges. Because I am behind on setting up growout tanks, everything went into 30G Caribbean theme fishless mixed garden with heavy emphases on filter feeders.

 

[Subsea]

Added 1G of live phytoplankton from outside 30G tilapia marine tank.

 

[SCReef'n]

For folks who do not use water already loaded with silicate, I have recommended (and used) regular silicate dosing for many years.

Along with organic carbon dosing to boost bacteria levels, it does appear to promote sponge growth.

Interested to hear more about how you recommend dosing each. Thinking of running bioballs and have sponge elixir (silica I assume) but never used it

 

[Subsea]

@

Interested to hear more about how you recommend dosing each. Thinking of running bioballs and have sponge elixir (silica I assume) but never used it

I don’t dose silicates because Middle Trinity Aquifier is an ancient inland sea loaded with diatoms and minerals. Groundwater with a TDS of 1000ppm is mixed with instant Ocean to a specific gravity of 1.026 and added to tank during any water changes.

When I started keeping ornamental sponges, the first time I added silicates to 120G display, I saw silicate precipitate from drops that were dosed. And I have kept ornamental sponges for > 5 years.

Ask @Randy Holmes-Farley how he doses silicates.

This 30G tank at 2 years mature is fishless.

 

[Subsea]

Because I had other tanks will mollies, for two weeks a pregnant Molly was kept in this tank and I am now noticing a large reduction of amphipods on front glass.

 

[Subsea]

So, I set up a 40G Rubbermaid tub outdoors to go with 30G tank of phytoplankton



PS: Check out 1G sponge display

 

[Subsea]

Now that this 55G tank is clear of Red Planaria infestation, I am loading it with sponge livestock until outside tanks are cycled.

 

[Weaverjay101]

For folks who do not use water already loaded with silicate, I have recommended (and used) regular silicate dosing for many years.

Along with organic carbon dosing to boost bacteria levels, it does appear to promote sponge growth.

is it possible that the sponges are directly consuming the carbon that we dose?

 

[Weaverjay101]

So, I set up a 40G Rubbermaid tub outdoors to go with 30G tank of phytoplankton



PS: Check out 1G sponge display

How did these 1G tanks fair?

 

[Subsea]

How did these 1G tanks fair?

I have too many tanks: sponges went back into larger tanks & 1G tanks are now dry. However easy enough to set up again.

I am in the middle of planting Spring garden and am already having to mow grass on 1.5 acre homesite.