Sponge question
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tripdad
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Why would you want to? Most sponges are very delicate so I would not, never have. Anyone else? Maybe more experienced folks? I've never had a sponge bring anything in and I would be seriously concerned, if it didn't die, of getting all the bayer rinsed out of it.
tripdad
Valuable Member
That's been the prevailing advice forever. But I have had them exposed during water changes, grow in overflows, lots of exposure scenarios and they seem fine. Read up on sponge water chemistry needs, it can be a little different than corals, i.e. they need more suspended food of the correct size, etc. Good luck, I love sponges and all the other "odd" stuff.
Liquid360
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This is a must read article that'll tell you all you need to know. Great read! You'll understand why placement and flow is so vital and how complicated your questions are. No easy answers with sponges.
It's a real bummer how difficult the beautiful sponges are to keep. The drab/dull ones I have growing all over my tank and I didn't even put them there. They're everywhere.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/6/inverts2
Paul B
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With most sponges that is an old wives tale that I heard from an old wife. I have many sponges and the colorful ones it seems I need to keep in the dark or they grow algae. The plain looking ones don't seem to care if they are in the light or dark and never grow algae. I have taken all of them out of the water and never had one die from that but I never washed my car with one. I have quite a few white sponges that are pretty large growing in the dark places in my tank, some of them are 10" long and this guy is very old, maybe 10 or 15 years and over a foot. I keep trimming it and giving it away.
These red ones I need to keep in the dark.
Sponges are fine filter feeders so I feed my tank clams every day and clams come with associated clam juice that the sponges will live on. If you have a very clean tank and don't feed something that has fine suspended liquid in it, I think your sponges may starve.
This orange one to the left almost diet until I moved it into the dark.
I have that same sponge in several different spots.
Curiously, I purchased some 8 or nine months prior to that for this same tank, And it died.
I have that same sponge. I have it several spots in my tank including a small piece in my sump. High flow low flow highlight low light. Has been great for over a year. Grows really well I have it in several spots..
Curiously, I purchased some 8 or nine months prior to that for this same tank, And it died.
Update on the sponge....its doing great. At first i thought itbwas going to die because the color turned brownish. Then it started to go back to blue. Its actually growing and attaching itself to the rock. Very happy with it.
Turkey head
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I have an interesting sponge below my leather coral. It's been there happy for close to six months. I'm afraid me leather will overgrow it. I don't think I can break the rock off where it's at. Can I cut it off with a razor knife (or part of it) and move it somewhere else where it has more room to grow? Or just leave it there and see what happens?
That's a beauty. I'd just leave it and see.I have an interesting sponge below my leather coral. It's been there happy for close to six months. I'm afraid me leather will overgrow it. I don't think I can break the rock off where it's at. Can I cut it off with a razor knife (or part of it) and move it somewhere else where it has more room to grow? Or just leave it there and see what happens?
Great growth. Still jealous.
