would someone please help a newbie out and identify this

[lryan30265]

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class="gc-images" title="sponge.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:400px" /></a> I got this piece from a woman breaking down her tank. she said it looked like a hand with fingers growing upward but the fingers broke off. I am still learning and don't know if it should be in the sand, in the rocks, lighting needs low, mid, high? all she told me is she thinks its some kind of sponge. so i'm hoping to get by with alittle help from my new friends and figure it out. i could not find it looking on websites of coral for sale. thanks for any advice.

Lenny

 

[picoreefguy]

it kinda does look like a sponge but its hard to tell for sure does it feel like a typical house sponge? if it is a sponge it will be a little soft. they are filter feeders so after you identify it properly make sure to add a little food like brightwell aquatics' reef snow or some phyto or zoo plankton. but since you said youre a noob i have to ask what size tank do you have?

 

[lryan30265]

hey picoreef guy, thanks for helping me. yes it is sof like a sponge. i just didn't know if it had a specific name and needs. I have a 75gal currently feeding dt's phytoplankton.

 

[rhyerob]

+ 1 on sponge.

 

[add540]

Big fish pooh!

 

[mcphock]

That sponge will be pretty difficult to keep, especially for a newbie. Not a knock on you, just the truth. It already has algae growing on it from the wound.

 

[swfk44]

add540;862723 wrote: Big fish pooh!

:doh: :lol2:

 

[picoreefguy]

like mcphock said sponges are not the easiest things to keep. but since you already have it make sure that there is plenty of flow in the tank but dont point the power directly at it. make sure you watch your parameters and dont let your ammonia nitrite or nitrate swing a lot if you see a spike do a small water change to counteract it. and as mentioned that algae is not your friend in this situation so try to get rid of all phosphates in the tank if possible and maybe try gently removing that algae. since theyre not photosynthetic i would kill the lights too at least for a few days to help kill off the algae. and when you feed make sure not to over do it as that will lead to excess waste. you'll know if you're over doing it by the parameter swings.

 

[lryan30265]

add540 I was waiting for the pooh and pecker jokes! LOL! picoreefguy thanks so much for helping. I purchase some live rock from someone that had some green bubble algae. so i siphoned it out keeping the bubbles whole. bought some emerald crabs to help. the algae was worse but has been reducing since i put more snails and crabs in there. I wonder if i am running my lights too much? i have a 6 bulb t5ho unit. 3 1200k 3 blue actinic. i have them set up 2-12k 1-blue turning on at 2pm then 2 blue 1 12k on at 3pm they cut off at 10pm then moonlights run during their off times. i have a aqua c remora protein skimmer with a danner supreme power pump, and a marineland magnum 350 canister. i'm trying to get an overflow and sump to replace the canister. just got an ro unit so i no longer have to buy water from the local petshop. I could never afford a saltwater tank and started several months ago with a purchase of a 90gal drilled tank, with a cherry cabinet,and matching hood from a meth head on craigslist. got it for $100 bucks then sold it for $450 to someone who also gave me their 75gal tank and stand. used the extra money to start buying stuff. I bought another used complete setup on craigslist that had the magnum 350 and a hydor koralia circulationpump for $150 i kept the canister and circulation pump then sold the rest of the tank for $100. so with all my haggling, buying and selling i got a tank that i never thought i could have. i had a 29gal bio cube for a couple years. nothing fancy at all, just some live rock and the basic nemo starter kit for my kids. I wanted to get into corals. I like them more than the fish. love the tank i have but i find myself consumed by it now. I'm either on arc or looking up info on the web. everyday! The family loves the tank and so do i. Just wanna learn as much as i can to keep it going! I appreciatte the advice i get on here and knowing i am not the only one obsessed with this. ****! that was like a small novel! sorry to ramble on so much! thanks again. gonna try and cut the lights off for a few days

 

[jennm]

It's a red tree sponge... or at least part of one. If it got exposed to too much air it might not make it. Some sponges can tolerate air exposure but this is not one of them. Needs lots of flow, and as someone else mentioned, it is not photosynthetic so it has to filter feed from the water column.

What are your parameters, if you're having an algae issue?