Red plating sponge experience

[norfolkgarden]

Recently got 4 squares of aquacultured red plating photosynthetic sponge from Liveaquaria. (On sale for $20 each)
We have it in brighter lights and lower lights. The cave setting seems to make it the happiest.
[emoji849]

Our 3 month old blue plating photosynthetic sponge looks great. It is growing well in 3 different locations in low to moderate light. It grows mostly towards the light against the rocks right now. I started it low so it wouldn't shade out everything else.

Red plating sponge is still a mystery to me. It borders on non photosynthetic. Something chowed down on 1 square right through the center. Another square looks pale. The one that got flipped on its side is growing best. The 4th one is further from the lights and is growing well.

Does anyone else have both?
What has been your experience with the red?

Thanks!

 

[Katrina71]

Did you get a decorator crab?

 

[Ron Reefman]

I've tried photosynthetic sponges a couple of times and had very marginal success. They grew some and then died off. I gave up on them.

 

[norfolkgarden]

Did you get a decorator crab?

No decorator crabs. Took a tuxedo urchin back to LFS a week ago. But that was a 3 week run. The damaged one happened earlier.

 

[norfolkgarden]

I've tried photosynthetic sponges a couple of times and had very marginal success. They grew some and then died off. I gave up on them.

We have a number of regular cryptic sponges for years.

The 3 blue plating sponges are about 5 months old in our tank. They were a single chuck that the original tank owner just ripped off his sponge.
I ripped it into 3 pieces and wedged it where I wanted it. [emoji846]

 

[shred5]

I grow them and they are super hardy. I grow them in full light. There is a purple and red one and this pic was a month or two ago and they have grown by a third. They grow pretty fast. The purple is probably 5 years old and the red maybe a year and a half but those shown are frags off the main colony. The purple one has grown into a beautiful scroll like a capicornus.

 

[mache62]

I have this one growing in my fuge. It is easily 5 or so inches tall. I'm afraid to touch it though cause it's so cool! [emoji23]

 

[norfolkgarden]

Lol, The red plating sponge has not been a similar experience. [emoji53]

 

[norfolkgarden]

I have this one growing in my fuge. It is easily 5 or so inches tall. I'm afraid to touch it though cause it's so cool! [emoji23]

Awesome sponge!

That is different from the ones we are referring to but I want one! [emoji846]

Where did you get it?

 

[mache62]

Awesome sponge!

That is different from the ones we are referring to but I want one! [emoji846]

Where did you get it?

Lol I dont know! It just started growing on some old rock I threw in there! I know I can't take it out of the water so i have no idea how to try and propagate it.

 

[shred5]

Lol, The red plating sponge has not been a similar experience. [emoji53]

I wonder if there are different kinds. Mine no issues.
I know with the blue/purple there seems to be several different ones.

I want to add that I add different things to my water for my other sponges but have no idea if photosynthetic sponges need them.

I dose silicates, phyto, sponge power, bacteria and other very fine foods like reef roids.

 

[shred5]

Lol I dont know! It just started growing on some old rock I threw in there! I know I can't take it out of the water so i have no idea how to try and propagate it.

Thats how I get some of mine.

 

[norfolkgarden]

I wonder if there are different kinds. Mine no issues.
I know with the blue/purple there seems to be several different ones.

I want to add that I add different things to my water for my other sponges but have no idea if photosynthetic sponges need them.

I dose silicates, phyto, sponge power, bacteria and other very fine foods like reef roids.

I don't test phosphate often enough.

6 months ago I had everything dialed in using aluminum beads as phosphate export. Been using that for 1.5 years and had a good 'feel' for it without testing. No other parameters are an issue.
I knew without testing that they were climbing because one certain coral always looked rough when they were climbing.

I have since switched to GFO in the hopes of growing some simple sinularia's. [emoji849] (possible aluminum leaching from the aluminum beads )

That coral doesn't respond the way it used to and now I need to test more often (but have only done it half as often as I need to. )

Without testing, I believe I had a pretty strong phosphate spike over a week's time because I did not change out one of the small GFO bags (skipped a week)

At this time several things looked withdrawn and the red sponges went pale on the outer edges and that 1 red sponge in the middle.
The blue sponges didn't skip a beat.

3 weeks later everything looks good again but the outer edges on that 1 sponge and the middle of it all disappeared.

We dose Dr Tim's Eco balance and Waste Away and Fritz Zyme 460 sludge remover

Bought reef roids and reef chili recently but still never used them. [emoji849]

Just bought a bottle of liquid glass. How much silica do you dose? How often? How big is your tank?
Lol, corrosive, just a touch afraid of that one. I have probably washed worst stuff off my bare hands but I'm afraid of adding it to the tank.

Thank you to everyone for providing your experiences! [emoji846]

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I grow them and they are super hardy. I grow them in full light. There is a purple and red one and this pic was a month or two ago and they have grown by a third. They grow pretty fast. The purple is probably 5 years old and the red maybe a year and a half but those shown are frags off the main colony. The purple one has grown into a beautiful scroll like a capicornus.

Beautiful sponge! If those are frags what is the larger ones look like? Pics?

I have lots of sponges but non that need light. The white branching sponge in the above pic grows great in my system.

 

[shred5]

I don't test phosphate often enough.

6 months ago I had everything dialed in using aluminum beads as phosphate export. Been using that for 1.5 years and had a good 'feel' for it without testing. No other parameters are an issue.
I knew without testing that they were climbing because one certain coral always looked rough when they were climbing.

I have since switched to GFO in the hopes of growing some simple sinularia's. [emoji849] (possible aluminum leaching from the aluminum beads )

That coral doesn't respond the way it used to and now I need to test more often (but have only done it half as often as I need to. )

Without testing, I believe I had a pretty strong phosphate spike over a week's time because I did not change out one of the small GFO bags (skipped a week)

At this time several things looked withdrawn and the red sponges went pale on the outer edges and that 1 red sponge in the middle.
The blue sponges didn't skip a beat.

3 weeks later everything looks good again but the outer edges on that 1 sponge and the middle of it all disappeared.

We dose Dr Tim's Eco balance and Waste Away and Fritz Zyme 460 sludge remover

Bought reef roids and reef chili recently but still never used them. [emoji849]

Just bought a bottle of liquid glass. How much silica do you dose? How often? How big is your tank?
Lol, corrosive, just a touch afraid of that one. I have probably washed worst stuff off my bare hands but I'm afraid of adding it to the tank.

Thank you to everyone for providing your experiences! [emoji846]

I have a test kit for silicate but honestly do not test. I have several tanks and when I think about it I add a drop to the smaller tanks and several to my 100 gallon tubs.

I am building a propagation system and I will run test to figure out what gives best growth and color when everything is finished.

Mine started to lighten up once and I moved it to a brighter spot and it got better. There are under ati T-5 fixture. Those pics are actually from my liverock curing vat so nutrients can be pretty high. Last week I tested and nutrients were at a perfect range.

 

[shred5]

Beautiful sponge! If those are frags what is the larger ones look like? Pics?

I have lots of sponges but non that need light. The white branching sponge in the above pic grows great in my system.

About the same size. I split them so I can trade them for other sponges and sometimes coral.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I wonder if there are different kinds. Mine no issues.
I know with the blue/purple there seems to be several different ones.

I want to add that I add different things to my water for my other sponges but have no idea if photosynthetic sponges need them.

I dose silicates, phyto, sponge power, bacteria and other very fine foods like reef roids.

I'm sure the silicates are required, as for the rest, they may not be required, but they don't hurt either. And if it's working to keep your sponge alive, I'd just keep doing it.

I snorkel in the Florida Keys quite a bit and I absolutely love the sponges I see in the shallows just off the beach. I've been very careful trying to collect a sponge and bring it home to my aquarium. I've tried a dozen different sponges over the years, but most only survive a week or two. Some do survive for a month or two, but eventually they all fade away. And I'm extremely careful to always keep them under water, even when transferring them into my tank. It's aggravating that they don't survive since the corals, and everything else I collect (some things that are pretty unusual) does fine. Big spaghetti worms are the only other animal I've tried to collect and failed at. They don't transport well at all, even just 4 or 5 hours in ocean water with a bubbler.

 

[shred5]

I'm sure the silicates are required, as for the rest, they may not be required, but they don't hurt either. And if it's working to keep your sponge alive, I'd just keep doing it.

I snorkel in the Florida Keys quite a bit and I absolutely love the sponges I see in the shallows just off the beach. I've been very careful trying to collect a sponge and bring it home to my aquarium. I've tried a dozen different sponges over the years, but most only survive a week or two. Some do survive for a month or two, but eventually they all fade away. And I'm extremely careful to always keep them under water, even when transferring them into my tank. It's aggravating that they don't survive since the corals, and everything else I collect (some things that are pretty unusual) does fine. Big spaghetti worms are the only other animal I've tried to collect and failed at. They don't transport well at all, even just 4 or 5 hours in ocean water with a bubbler.

Some sponges use silica for the the spicules, I am just not sure about photosynthetic sponges. They do not seem to filter water for thier nutrients like other sponges. Yea some many are paranoid of silica being in the water but what is the worst that can happen? A little diatom bloom. I add Brightwell spongExcel silica.

I agree most sponges do not do so well and just slowly die or disappear. Some do ok even being out of the water for a bit and these are what I am trying to gather. We know some actually can be a nuisance. I am trying to get these sponges so they can be propagated for the hobby and kept easily. I have several that I have had for years. I have a big red ball sponge that was shipped properly several months ago. I am excited because I have had no luck with them. Well it started to turn white in parts but now it has turned bright red the last week or so and is doing fantastic. It seems to be growing now too. I love these because they add so much color to a reef. I am not out of the woods yet but I am now excited I may be able to keep it long term.

Eventually we may not be able to get them.

I try to do what others are not. I have been in the hobby too long to follow trends. I like a little challenge.

I have seen some of your stuff on your snorkelling in the keys. Good stuff and really enjoyed it. You should do some more on it. I have done pretty much snorkeling and diving there myself.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Some sponges use silica for the the spicules, I am just not sure about photosynthetic sponges. They do not seem to filter water for thier nutrients like other sponges. Yea some many are paranoid of silica being in the water but what is the worst that can happen? A little diatom bloom. I add Brightwell spongExcel silica.

I try to do what others are not. I have been in the hobby too long to follow trends. I like a little challenge.

I have seen some of your stuff on your snorkelling in the keys. Good stuff and really enjoyed it. You should do some more on it. I have done pretty much snorkeling and diving there myself.

As I understand it, photosynthetic sponges make up a very, very small percentage of the spong world. So for most, silica is important. I don't know for sure, but given what the photosynthetic sponges I've seen look like, I suspect you may be correct in that they don't use silicates.

I'm 100% with you on doing things different. Even my current 40g cube is different than most and has some unusual animals in it.

Thanks for the shout out about the Snorkeling & Collecting thread. I do what I can to keep it running. Every time we go snorkeling it gets updated, but that's only about 3 to 5 times a year. So I've been adding what we collect when we do beach walks. Most of the time there isn't that much, but after a strong cold front goes by, we find all kinds of livestock on the beach and capable of going home to our aquarium. BTW, to those who are unfamiliar with the thread, there are lots of photos, interesting stories, off the beach snorkeling sites and collecting and transporting ideas. And I'm always open to anybody adding more of anything related! There is a link to the thread in my signature below.

 

[shred5]

This is the same sponge in the above picture I just moved the red out because this one was growing so fast. The red one has about doubled in size.
Not a great picture but you can see the growth.
Cool growth pattern just like a Capricornis.