Tank birthday, 47+ years

[Paul B]

1. Sponges are TOXIC​

One of the main weapons in sponges’ arsenal to compete on the crowded coral reef is that they are very toxic. Very few species of large angelfish, sea turtles and nudibranch have evolved to consume primarily sponges.

Like their bright red, orange and yellow colors indicate, sponges are known to produce some very toxic compounds. This is great for bioprospecting new medicines and researching potential cures to deadly human diseases but this is not so great for the confines of an aquarium.

Regular growth of sponges have usually been encouraged in reef tanks, but that yellow colored sponge is probably leaching toxins into your aquarium water.
Sponges are known to release compounds in reef water that stunts, kills and even induces bleaching in stony corals. Sure it’s probably no big deal to have a few small cute sponges in your reef tank and refugium. But a big population of sponges, mostly hiding where the sun don’t shine, and where you can’t see them, could be toxifying you reef aquarium water against conditions that our precious corals prefer.
(from reef builders)

 

[Paul B]

The sea is a little choppy today

 

[HuduVudu]

The sea is a little choppy today

Just wade in that is what I do. Got me my two 5 gallon bottles. The only thing that sucks is dragging them back to the car and gettting sand everywhere.

Wait a minute ... you have a boat!

 

[jfoahs04]

The sea is a little choppy today

It's days like that where I say "eh... the water change can wait a few more days."

 

[Paul B]

HuduVudu. The water in Houston is a wee bit warmer than here right now. It's about 40 degrees and the air is about 44 degrees.

My boat is not in the water yet, probably still encased in ice.

 

[HuduVudu]

HuduVudu. The water in Houston is a wee bit warmer than here right now. It's about 40 degrees and the air is about 44 degrees.

My boat is not in the water yet, probably still encased in ice.

40 schmordy ... jump in and git-er-dun

 

[Paul B]

2 or so years ago I built a DIY de-nitrate reactor just for fun.
I didn't think it was actually going to do anything and it is behind my tank so I hardly ever even see the thing but today I am going to PT and I needed to kill an hour so I figured I would test the water coming out of it.

I didn't think it was actually doing anything and if it wasn't, I would take it out and build something else out of it. This is it.

I tested the water in my tank which is on the left and is about 60 mg/L nitrate

The water coming out of the device is about 5. I guess it works.

 

[NoahLikesFish]

paul, i saw your fish fry catcher design on your book, do you think it would be possible to build 2 of the pumps from it, put them in a hob filter body and run them on controllers so one dispenses eggs from an auto feeder 36hr later, the 2nd one dispenses eggs, then once the 1st one reaches 36h, it pumps 1/6 of the shrimps into the tank every 6 hours till 72h, when it dispenses eggs back. the 2nd one does this just 36h in advance so it dispenses shrimp every 6 hours. i would have the pod coffee filters so it replensihes the water. idk what kind of controller or timer i would need to do this

 

[Paul B]

Yes, my test kits are expired. This copper is from the 70s, that copper test kit is 20 years old and it was never opened and that blue stuff called Parasite control is Methyline blue. I use it for a dye and would never use it on fish.
The "Paraclear is also very old, I think it is written in Latin and says to keep in a cool chariot.
I never use any of that stuff

I tested the water in my tank which is on the left and is about 60 mg/L nitrate

The water coming out of the device is about 5. I guess it works.

 

[Paul B]

I found 2 more test kits. One says my nitrate is 30 and one says it's 10. Good thing I never use test kits.

 

[Paul B]

And I always thought these things were good:

Sponges are known to release compounds in reef water that stunts, kills and even induces bleaching in stony corals. Sure it’s probably no big deal to have a few small cute sponges in your reef tank and refugium. But a big population of sponges, mostly hiding where the sun don’t shine, and where you can’t see them, could be toxifying you reef aquarium water against conditions that our precious corals prefer.

See also Reef Delete is a New Way to Sterilize Aiptasia and Other Pests

2. Sponges COMPETE with corals for resources​

Sponges in a reef tank concern us not only for what they release into the aquarium water, but also for what they take out. All living things need a basic recipe of essential trace elements and minerals and this includes corals and sponges.

Since they both adapted to live in seawater corals and sponges need the same suite of elements like iodine, strontium, potassium etc. to keep their cells alive and growing. Thankfully most sponges use silicate to build the skeletons so they don’t compete with corals as much on the mineral requirements for calcium, carbonate and magnesium.

However they are sucking up all the other trace elements that corals need, and essentially competing with corals for all trace elements that we try to replenish regularly through regular additions and water changes. In an aquarium environment devoid of sponges you can be assured that corals are only competing with each other for minor and trace elements.

 

[vlangel]

That is very interesting about sponges, and what they utilize to grow. My rock is 20+ years old and was taken from the ocean and has a lot of encrusting sponges on it, especially underneath in the dark areas.

Fortunately, I am a lazy reefer who hates to do water tests so I don't have sps Coral. I love the movement of tree leathers and gorgonians, along with BTAs and all of these seem to coexist with the sponges just fine. I do a 5% water change every week and after it I always add coral vite, Seachem stability and sometimes strongium so perhaps I am replenishing what is taken up by the sponges.

Anyway, thanks for the info Paul!

 

[Paul B]

Yesterday my wife and I went to a 6 hour lecture on Psychoneuroimmunology, which used up almost all the ink in my computer.
It's a study of immunity and how your diet and mostly stress suppresses it. Very interesting.

 

[atoll]

My new magnifica nem.bought 5 days ago after my previous one decided to find my MP40 pump, nem guard now fitted and a little reefscaping to the nem is on the top of some rock.

 

[vlangel]

New nem looks very nice!

 

[atoll]

How many more times. Very sad isn't it.

 

[Hot2na]

Yes, my test kits are expired. This copper is from the 70s, that copper test kit is 20 years old and it was never opened and that blue stuff called Parasite control is Methyline blue. I use it for a dye and would never use it on fish.
The "Paraclear is also very old, I think it is written in Latin and says to keep in a cool chariot.
I never use any of that stuff

I tested the water in my tank which is on the left and is about 60 mg/L nitrate

The water coming out of the device is about 5. I guess it works.

Did you get a chance to try the greatest copper formalin treatment available in the late 70's ??? AQUA-CURE ...by poly bio marine.....that stuff was the schizzle !!!!

 

[Paul B]

I am sure I tried Aqua-Cure but don't remember. That stuff I have is also copper and formalin and will cure ich in a day or two. Of course now we know how to keep our fish from getting these silly things so we don't need to poison them any more.

That 6 hour course I took yesterday got me thinking and I have known for a long time how to prevent these diseases but now I know the mechanisms better. I wrote an article about it last night but am busy today so when I have time, I will tweek it a little before I post it.

Then of course the arguments will begin.

This stuff is so easy but many of us try to make it complicated and in the process we kill a lot of fish.

 

[atoll]

I am sure I tried Aqua-Cure but don't remember. That stuff I have is also copper and formalin and will cure ich in a day or two. Of course now we know how to keep our fish from getting these silly things so we don't need to poison them any more.

That 6 hour course I took yesterday got me thinking and I have known for a long time how to prevent these diseases but now I know the mechanisms better. I wrote an article about it last night but am busy today so when I have time, I will tweek it a little before I post it.

Then of course the arguments will begin.

Oh no they won't lol.
But post it in the disease forum and let it kick off in there.

 

[Paul B]

No, I think I will post it on my thread. I don't want to give them the horrors to fast.
I think many people like the aspect of treating diseases on these forums because thats the majority of posts.