Sea sponges in refugium

[joshbbert]

Can sponges be benificial im a fuge? Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks

 

[NanaReefer]

Sponges are beneficial anywhere you can keep them alive.

 

[joshbbert]

Sponges are beneficial anywhere you can keep them alive.

Does that mean they are difficult to keep alive? Ive never kept one before

 

[Elegance Coral]

Does that mean they are difficult to keep alive? Ive never kept one before

Depends on the species. Some are so easy they can reach plague proportions, and others are almost impossible to keep.

As far as them being beneficial, that's arguable. IMHO, if you like them, grow them. Some can be very colorful and have pretty cool growth forms. Just don't view them as a filter for the tank, or expect them to perform any miracles for your water quality.

 

[joshbbert]

Depends on the species. Some are so easy they can reach plague proportions, and others are almost impossible to keep.

As far as them being beneficial, that's arguable. IMHO, if you like them, grow them. Some can be very colorful and have pretty cool growth forms. Just don't view them as a filter for the tank, or expect them to perform any miracles for your water quality.

I would like a few in a display fuge ill be working on any suggestions on the easier species to keep?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Very few large sponges are "easy" to keep. Most that reefers buy eventually die.

I have a yellow ball sponge that has grown well under an overhang, but I attribute the success to dosing vinegar which adds bacteria to the water that it may feed on, and dosing of silicate.

Many small "cryptic" sponges that grow inside live rock piles do fairly well (or at least, those that do well are the ones that thrive), but you can't see most of these easily. I have huge numbers of these in my rock-filled refugia. Are they useful? Maybe.

 

[joshbbert]

Very few large sponges are "easy" to keep. Most that reefers buy eventually die.

I have a yellow ball sponge that has grown well under an overhang, but I attribute the success to dosing vinegar which adds bacteria to the water that it may feed on, and dosing of silicate.

Many small "cryptic" sponges that grow inside live rock piles do fairly well (or at least, those that do well are the ones that thrive), but you can't see most of these easily. I have huge numbers of these in my rock-filled refugia. Are they useful? Maybe.

Im not necessarily looking for "easy" but I am also not willing to kill a bunch of sponges if most dont make it in captivity.