Adding a sponge?

[yourmom]

I’m stock planning my new 40 AIO cube. I don’t have any corals yet but definitely want an anemone for my clowns. LFS has beautiful red sponges and I wanted to add one for color but initial research shows mixed reviews. Some say sponges expel toxins and eat up too many nutrients to allow corals to thrive. I’m very new to the hobby, advice is appreciated.

I have a 20 long in my office that I am going to add a couple of hitchhiking majano anemone and keep as a pest tank. No fancy light in there yet. If sponge isn’t recommended in my 40 reefer, could I see if it will work with a basic light in my office tank?

 

[WV Reefer]

I’m stock planning my new 40 AIO cube. I don’t have any corals yet but definitely want an anemone for my clowns. LFS has beautiful red sponges and I wanted to add one for color but initial research shows mixed reviews. Some say sponges expel toxins and eat up too many nutrients to allow corals to thrive. I’m very new to the hobby, advice is appreciated.

I have a 20 long in my office that I am going to add a couple of hitchhiking majano anemone and keep as a pest tank. No fancy light in there yet. If sponge isn’t recommended in my 40 reefer, could I see if it will work with a basic light in my office tank?

I have never had any issues with different types of sponges in my mixed reefs. I would wait until your tank is a little more mature though.

 

[yourmom]

Glad to hear they can work out in a mixed reef tank! LFS said they are super hearty. What is the concern with adding it early? I had planned on anemone first, to see if it would find a favorite spot and then add corals. When would you suggest I add a sponge?

 

[yourmom]

I have never had any issues with different types of sponges in my mixed reefs. I would wait until your tank is a little more mature though.

How do I know when my tank is mature enough? I’m new... thanks!

 

[WV Reefer]

Glad to hear they can work out in a mixed reef tank! LFS said they are super hearty. What is the concern with adding it early? I had planned on anemone first, to see if it would find a favorite spot and then add corals. When would you suggest I add a sponge?

In my experience, after 8 months to a year. You need a mature and diverse ecosystem to keep some of them long term.
There are many types of sponges including photosynthetic and non photosynthetic.

Here are a few different colors and types that I have:

 

[yourmom]

In my experience, after 8 months to a year. You need a mature and diverse ecosystem to keep some of them long term.
There are many types of sponges including photosynthetic and non photosynthetic.

Here are a few different colors and types that I have:

Gorgeous pictures! The one I was eyeing at my LFS is a red ball sponge according to the Internet. I would love to start sooner than 8 months if my tank could support a couple of simple starter corals. Are there any you recommend to hold me over until I’m ready for the big leagues?

 

[dennis romano]

I have six sponges in my non-photosynthetic tank. Three of them are red tree sponges. First of all, they need an old tank, at least a couple of years old. Second, they need low light. If you put them in a tank with high lighting, they should be in a shaded area. Third, they need a good current. Fourth, tiny sized food like Phyto or food designed for sponges. To feed them, I stir up the crud in the gravel. The current takes the crud to them and they ingest all of the micro food. They also get fed a combo of phyto and oyster eggs dropped into the current several times a day. I found that if you put them in a high light spot, algae may grow on them and this may smother them. Here is my NPS tank. The three red trees are on the right. Yellow ball is behind the tube worm. Pink elephant ear on top of pile of rock on left

 

[yourmom]

Of your suggestions, I think I have light and flow covered. LFS mentioned feeding and I can manage that too. My tank is very young, though, and there isn’t an easy fix for that. Is the maturity of the tank a concern because of potential for issues in a new tank vs that of an established tank? Thank you so much, very helpful advice and I love your tank!

 

[dennis romano]

Well, it looks like that you have your heart set on that sponge. My suggestion is to put it into the 20 and turn it into a simple non photosynthetic tank. Add some sun corals, feather dusters and cerianthus anemones. The sun corals and anemones will eat mysis and brine shrimp and the dusters the same as the sponge. Please make sure that you feed the sponge the tiniest food that you can find. Those other animals that I suggested are also reasonably hardy. Good luck.

 

[yourmom]

Well, it looks like that you have your heart set on that sponge. My suggestion is to put it into the 20 and turn it into a simple non photosynthetic tank. Add some sun corals, feather dusters and cerianthus anemones. The sun corals and anemones will eat mysis and brine shrimp and the dusters the same as the sponge. Please make sure that you feed the sponge the tiniest food that you can find. Those other animals that I suggested are also reasonably hardy. Good luck.

I haven’t brought it home yet, still trying to be responsible. But I like the idea of keeping it my office and having a fun pop of color in that tank.

 

[Barb0713]

Gorgeous pictures! The one I was eyeing at my LFS is a red ball sponge according to the Internet. I would love to start sooner than 8 months if my tank could support a couple of simple starter corals. Are there any you recommend to hold me over until I’m ready for the big leagues?

I am a month in to my 20 gallon nano tank. I have 6 coral frags in there. Doing well. She me say you can’t keep coral in a new tank. But I started with live sand and live rock. Some say corals grow good in a new tank because they don’t like phosphates and new tanks have little . ? Who knows but I am attempting and so far , so good good luck