Caring for my big sponge tree

[Handegard]

Summary-
How much light? What to feed? How? How often? How much flow? Should I give him to someone else?

I have a large orange sponge. Looks a little like a orange tree sponge from pics online, but it's more slender.

I've had it awhile, and I don't think I'm caring for it right. The last owner told me to put in in a low-medium flow area of the tank, and spot feed it.

Well, It just seems to get covered with detritus. No matter how clean the tank is, this guy turns brownish.

And, it took a few good blasts of air everytime my return pump started sucking air this hot summer.

So, am I doing the right thing? I tossed it in my sump, in the unused refugium, but I'm not sure if it needs light (it gets a good deal still, the tank is barebottom)


Thanks guys, I'll try to get a pic later...

 

[Shoreliner11]

To be honest, there's not a whole lot you can do to make it survive long term. It doesn't photosynthesize at all, so you can put it in as little light as you like. You can spot feed it phytoplankton but to be honest a sponge cannot feed fast enough to benefit from spot feedings in the long run imo. Sorry for the dismal outlook. Sponges in general that are large that you specifically buy don't do well in the home aquarium unless a habitat specific tank is set up. Often times if you can find a blue to purple-ish sponge they can be photosynthetic. This is a generalization, so there are probably quite a few exceptions.

Aaron

 

[nanshaw2001]

So much of this is ouch...I'm a newbie reading,reading,reading. Good luck Chris !!!!!