Sponge Dominant Mixed Reef

[Doctorgori]

I just saw this interesting tank thread so figure Ill offer my sample:
All my tanks have a few sponges: usually the foamy yellow under the rocks types, a couple other tanks have yellow ball or red ball sponges purchased on purpose, most are 2-3 yrs old, one yellow ball is older but again no clue how old exactly…

I did buy Red Tree sponges, but those lasted 6-18 mos and faded eventually

I got nothing past this, I don’t feed them and they are usually stuck under some rock or in some corner…
They have grown some but zero clue why they haven’t died or what their, care is exactly… I do know bright light isn’t all that necessary from my observation
FWIW My Idol, and supposed “sponge eating” Rock beauty don’t touch them

 

[zen]

I'd like to pass on an anecdote about one of my sponges. It is a yellow encrusting type that had been in my tank for about six months. Everything was going well with it, retaining color and had anchored to a rock. One morning, I was shocked to see it floating at the surface of the tank. I tried to gently press the gas out of it, knowing that I could be ruining its inner structure. Large bubbles came out from where it had anchored to the rock. Now. it is no longer buoyant. The next day, it's floating at the surface again. Instead of removing it, I decided to leave it in the tank. After a few days, it had decayed, resembling a grey cotton ball and settled on a rock. A few days later, it started to encrust on the rock! A couple of days later, it started to turn light yellow! As of this morning, it had encrusted about two inches and is a very pale yellow.

 

[zen]

I read you can put the yellow encrusting sponge in a blender, chop it up it and then reintroduce, it will colonize in your tank. I wonder if that applies to most other sponges.

 

[Weaverjay101]

I read you can put the yellow encrusting sponge in a blender, chop it up it and then reintroduce, it will colonize in your tank. I wonder if that applies to most other sponges.

Almost all sponges are capable of reaggregation. Once I get a sponge to start growing I may remove parts and try this to see if it reaggregates elsewhere in the tank.

 

[Weaverjay101]

Small update. All of the sponges are doing okay. Very slow to grow, but growing. Currently fighting a Cyano outbreak. Reduced lighting down to 6hrs a day and increased refugium to 24hrs a day in hopes of out competing it. Can't use chemiclean as it will also kill the sponges.

 

[VintageReefer]

Small update. All of the sponges are doing okay. Very slow to grow, but growing. Currently fighting a Cyano outbreak. Reduced lighting down to 6hrs a day and increased refugium to 24hrs a day in hopes of out competing it. Can't use chemiclean as it will also kill the sponges.

I have used chemiclean with those blue sponges and no issues

Unsure if other sponge would be affected or not.

 

[Weaverjay101]

 

[Weaverjay101]

Figured i would post an update. Neighbor got rid of his tank so I inherited alot of soft corals and anemone. Sponges are still alive and growing very slowly