sponge

[hammy]

hihi reefer ,

humm, i have no prob keeping hard coral and soft coral but my sponge always die on mi ... they will always bleached to white and slowly rot ...

read from book that sponge generally dun like high intensity light but advices from different pple suggest that sponge should be place in area with high intensity so that their colour will thrive

er, which is which ... anyone cares to share ??

i am using 2x55w pl for my 2 feet tank....

ammonia , nitrite , and nitrate level is safe for the rest of my coral...

hammy

[BarraCudaTM]

Its not really the lighting as they require plankton to survive. If there isnt enough plankton for them, they will just melt.

[hammy]

humm... plankton ?? but the rest of the coral doing well ... okie will increase my dosing of liquid food and see see how how ...yes they sort of melt lor... so sad only sponge is my greatest challenge like that ... and somemore sponge very difficult to see the shape i like one ...

thanks BarraCuda™ , will see into it ....

so lighting is not a concern ??

[BarraCudaTM]

infact too much light will cause algae to grow on them. Overdosing liquid food will cause plenty of algae probelms so go easy on them. If possible get live plankton

[ben]

yeah live plankton is the best food

sponges needs little light and not too much. they likes low lighting example FL

[Achilles Tang]

I have sponges growing like crazy... you have to feed them with phytoplankton. And what the other guys here have rightly pointed out... watch the water quality or nuisance algae will grow on them and kill them.

Most of the sponges sold in the hobby trade are non-photosynthetic. The blue ones are mildly photosynthetic but can be shaded with no problems.

They must have access to good water current as it is the only means for them to get food and remove wastes.

[magern2]

HAve the same problem. My blue spongue I bought 2 weeks ago is shrinking. Used Dt Plankton to feed and expose to bright compact flourescent. Maybe too bright.

[Achilles Tang]

Sponges need good water quality too.

Your nitrates and phosphates should be low too. Do a check...

[Justin Tan]

Hi Magern,

Make sure there is no tiny dissolved oxygen trapped inside the sponges as it may make them turn white and eventually kills them. This usually happens the first time you take them out of the bag from the LFS, expose them to air and then into your tank.

Cheers!

Justin

[hammy]

humm... now will try to place the sponge in shaded zone and see how ...wow, one night learn so much thing s

yeah !!!!

[magern2]

Good point. My water is OK for quality, but don't know abt phosphates. Got no test kit for that at home.

I know abt the bad thing of exposing it to air. I think when I bought it, the guy at the aquarium shop took it out for a second and expose to air while packing it. How do I prevent that? Offer to do it myself?

I think most aquarium shop people don't know or understand that sponge cannot expose to air.