wegotjs Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 I was looking closely in my sump and found there is some kind of alge, bacteria, sponge growing all over. I think it came in on some LR rubble I put in there from about a month ago. I don't have any light's on the sump . Any idea's on what it is? How to kill it? It really is spreading fast and starting to cover my pumps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbrownies Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 dont kill it, sponges are a HUGE reducer of organics in the reef, they reduce nitrates and remove small solid particles. you should see my sump, its basically one big sponge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 I've got all kinds of small sponges and tubeworms growing in my sump, though nothing like your first photo (which is kind'a gross, in a hobby that has a fair bit of kind'a gross stuff). I don't worry about them, they're all filter feeders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 That looks like a booger (laugh) I have all sorts as well. Don't bother a thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wegotjs Posted March 7, 2007 Author Share Posted March 7, 2007 Do the sponges, if that is what they are reproduce that fast. I went from none a month ago to about a hundred small ones now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 yeah, that sounds similar to what I saw... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tidalsculpin Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Yeah fast. Consider your tank a mini ecosystem. Natural succesion processes are occuring in your tank. We all see new things popping up on occasion. Just part of the fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Since sponges are nutrient sinks I guess it makes sense to 'harvest' a portion of them when the population gets large. That way, if the sponges start to crash you reduce the total amount of nitrogen and phosphorus that would return to the water column. Just thinking out loud here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbrownies Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Steve tyree has done a bunch of research on these, and from what I understand they aren't really "nutrient sinks", but they actually break down the organics (nitrates) into energy, much like we do sugar, and tissues. I would remove any that die off, but when it comes to sponges its really the more the merrier, and they grow too slow to respond well to much harvesting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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