Pineapple sponges.

[Thade_hicks]

I have tons of pineapple sponges in my aquarium. What could be causing them? I know they grow with silicates but I'm using RO water only. I'm also buying it from Culligan so not sure if they just aren't removing enough silicates or if something else could cause them?

 

[TokenReefer]

Nutrients from poop and food

 

[AFHokie]

Hown old is the tank? I had many when it was new but now (6 months old) almost none.

 

[ScubaFish802]

Hown old is the tank? I had many when it was new but now (6 months old) almost none.

+2, I always see a lot more at the start then they seem to disappear other than the occasional one that pops up

 

[Thade_hicks]

Hown old is the tank? I had many when it was new but now (6 months old) almost none.

4-6 month and there weren't any for the first few months

 

[Thade_hicks]

Nutrients from poop and food

That's the thing, I feed maybe twice a week and there are three fish. Two clowns and a 6-line wrasse

 

[ScubaFish802]

at 4-6 months I would say keep waiting, by 8-12 months I would expect 95% or more to be long gone.
They don't cause any harm if left in, (they are most likely beneficial) but you could pull them out if you wanted in the mean time.

 

[TokenReefer]

They gotta be getting nutrients from somewhere though, right? Idk if they are a worry however. I think they're good filters for your tank (unless they're clogging stuff up); they're helping polish the water

 

[pygo1]

4-6 month and there weren't any for the first few months

They’re a normal occurrence in a relatively new tank.. at around 2 years, I still see them occasionally but their numbers will dwindle over time. Just let em do their thing!

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have tons of pineapple sponges in my aquarium. What could be causing them? I know they grow with silicates but I'm using RO water only. I'm also buying it from Culligan so not sure if they just aren't removing enough silicates or if something else could cause them?

Not nutrients but rather silicates are cause. Can be from new rock, new sand, from tap water if used and expired or leaking Di Resin cartridges.
These are short lived and will dissipate as silicates reduce. You can peel them off with the edge of a credit card into a net if they are too many
They are not harmful and cherish algae if they get any

 

[Thade_hicks]

Not nutrients but rather silicates are cause. Can be from new rock, new sand, from tap water if used and expired or leaking Di Resin cartridges.
These are short lived and will dissipate as silicates reduce. You can peel them off with the edge of a credit card into a net if they are too many
They are not harmful and cherish algae if they get any

I have no new rock, no new sand and use ro from a commercial production facility.

 

[BetterJake]

My tank just hit the 7 week mark today and I am having quite the pineapple sponge outbreak as well. My tuxedo urchin decided to wear one as a hat lol.

I'm using 0 TDS/RODI water as well so I assume this is just from silicates leaching from my sand or rocks still. Just going to wait it out on my end as well.

 

[Thade_hicks]

My tank just hit the 7 week mark today and I am having quite the pineapple sponge outbreak as well. My tuxedo urchin decided to wear one as a hat lol.

I'm using 0 TDS/RODI water as well so I assume this is just from silicates leaching from my sand or rocks still. Just going to wait it out on my end as well.

Solid! Urchin knows what's up. Just like now you go *here*

 

[BetterJake]

I have not turned on my skimmer yet, wanted to avoid over filtering and bottoming out nutrients in a new tank.

So it's possible they are feeding on the organics floating in the water. Who knows?

Seems everyone get's them in a relatively new tank. I'm not too concerned unless they start interfering with drainage or pumps.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have no new rock, no new sand and use ro from a commercial production facility.

Those are some of the causes. As with diatom, it shows up when conditions are supportive of it

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

If you are getting your RO/DI Water from a dispenser at a Store, the water quality is terrible. Bought water from them for years. Got tired of lugging the five gallon jugs. When I switched, noticed a huge
difference after a couple water changes.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

If you are getting your RO/DI Water from a dispenser at a Store, the water quality is terrible. Bought water from them for years. Got tired of lugging the five gallon jugs. When I switched, noticed a huge
difference after a couple water changes.

 

[pygo1]

I have not turned on my skimmer yet, wanted to avoid over filtering and bottoming out nutrients in a new tank.

So it's possible they are feeding on the organics floating in the water. Who knows?

Seems everyone get's them in a relatively new tank. I'm not too concerned unless they start interfering with drainage or pumps.

They shouldn’t interfere with any equipment.. they’ll get shredded in a pump if anything, they’re pretty soft and gelatinous. After a while, other things will take over in the DT, but they may remain long term in the sump. I have a few in some caves in the rock work, but mostly I see them in the back chambers of my AIO. They’re good guys, consider them to be CUC and let them run their course

 

[AstroMelly]

Just adding my experience. Our 6ft tank is getting to the 1 year mark and we had huge numbers of pineapple sponges until a few months back. Some in the display but the sump was totally infested (like 100’s of small ones). We cleaned the sump thoroughly about 6 weeks ago and they have not returned down there (maybe a dozen or so). We’ve still got small numbers in the display as well as 1 huge fellah that is well over 1 inch. I found this thread as we are having issues with brown dust like growth on the glass (and a lot of stony corals - seems to be killing them) which I presume to be diatoms. From what I have read, high silicates can cause both of these organisms to do well. I did two simultaneous ICP tests a few weeks back with independent vendors and both showed elevated silicates, though my home-made RO/DI was entirely clear.

For the OP maybe it’s time to do an ICP and test the quality of your RO. There is an ICP (ATI I think) which also tests your RO water as well as the main tank. Good luck! The sponges should decline eventually but they do no harm and provide biological filtration - they are just not very interesting to look at!