Pineapple Sponges

[chadmace]

I have searched on this forum with not much help.....I have searched online just to get a bunch of pineapple sponge recipies....though I doubt they are using what I have to offer. My question is this....What is the best way to get rid of pineapple sponges? Can I just pick them off with my bare hands? I started with 1 when my tank was set-up about a month ago and now there is probably about 30 or so that are visible.

 

[Boomer]

Why would you want to remove Cue-Tip sponges, also called Scypha sponges, their real name ?

 

[chadmace]

From what I understand they are good, however can be an eye sore.....and an eye sore they are. They are slowly taking over the right side of my tank. One at first was cute...once he brought his 30 other friends I started to have problems with the party in my tank.

 

[Bainic]

Hey, just one question?! WHO LIVES IS A PINEAPPLE UNDER THE SEA?!

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!!!!!

 

[Damsel13]

At one time about 2 months ago I had pineapple sponges everywhere my fish weren't (the sump,fuge,bakpak skimmer) but then I got this hitchhiker mantis shrimp (a small type) with a rock or chaeto or something and slam bam thank you mam I have not a one left. Who would have thought. But you know they may just have been growing for another reason that is no longer there. Anyway I have not even one now.

Repeat after me...this too shall pass.

 

[Curtswearing]

If the sponges are taking over, that can mean a number of things;

• Your tank is fairly new. In which case, the population typically goes down after a while.
  
• Your DOM (Dissolved Organic Matter) in your tank is quite high, or
  
• Your particulate matter is quite high. They are feeding off of something after all.

If the problem is a new tank, the cure is easy.........time

If the problem is high DOM, increased protein skimming and granular activated carbon will reduce this. (Obviously feeding less, more frequent water changes, etc. will also have a large impact).

If your particulate matter is high, periodically running a micon filter sock in your sump will help or periodically using some sort of other mechanical filtration to reduce the particulates.

They can also be manually removed if you want. However, wear gloves. These sponges create spicules made of Calcium and these spicules WILL go into your finger.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Curt, I wonder if it could be also be a sign of high silicates since sponges need them for spicule production.

Chad, do you use RO water? Do you have diatoms present?

 

[Damsel13]

What are silicates? I have never heard of them before.

 

[Curtswearing]

Mike,

Here's where it get's interesting. There are a number of sponges called Qtip or pineapple sponge. The most common is Scypha ciliata. However, there's also Leucilla nuttingi,

Leucandra heathi http://images.google.com/imgres?img...?q=Leucandra+heathi&gbv=2&svnum=10&hl=en&sa=G

as well as a few others. Some utilize Calcium, some utilize Silica, some utilize both.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Curt: thanks!

Deb: silicates are desolved minerals that come from sources like wind-blown clays and silts or volcanic ash that are blown or carried out to sea by winds or turbidity currents and from the remains of sea creatures like diatoms that build glass-like silicate tests (shells). The carbonates consist primarily of the remains of sea creatures like forams and gastropods, etc. that have calcium carbonate shells and will eventually form the rock type called limestone. Some limestones are formed though by directly precipitating calcium carbonate out of solution.

For a longer read:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/silicatefaqs.htm

 

[Curtswearing]

What are silicates? I have never heard of them before.

Deb,

Many people's tapwater contains Silicon in the form of Silicates. If you use RO/DI water, this problem will get fixed by the filtration process. Silica is a limiting factor for diatoms, if there's no silicon present, you'll have no diatoms. That's why Mike made the comment about the RO/DI water and diatoms.

Another thing is that many Ferric Oxide based phosphate removers also removes silicates. Here's a good article. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2003/feature.htm

Interesting factoid.....when you are looking through the glass of your tank, you are looking through Silicon in another form.

 

[Curtswearing]

You beat me by one minute.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

You beat me by one minute.

Been a long term goal of mine

 

[chadmace]

To answer a few things here. My tank has been up for two months. Of the tests that I test for I have a PH of 8.0 (or a little above), 0 Ammonia, Nitrates, Nitrites. I use Instant Ocean Salt, I use only RO/DI water and have sence setup, my TDS meter hits at 0 on the output. Take temp sets around 78 to 81 depending on time of the day. (The Halides heat it up a little) And salinity between 1.025 and 1.026.

I just rock scaped yesterday and banished some of the worst rocks to my sump. It started with one, it didn't look so bad so it sat there and grew, but then I had a live rock that was almost so covered it looked like a marshmellow...it was gross. I scrubbed the best I could with a brush to get them off then tossed it in the sump. I still have a ton of the guys....not to mention my battle with dino algae. I dont really have the brown diatoms on the bottom anymore, I have a gray silt that was under my liverocks...i got most out with the water change but there is some left. I need to make more water before I get the rest out.

Aside from the Dino and Pineapple sponges my tank really doesn't grow much of the stuff I dont want. My Coraline algae is spreading to other rocks, the rocks that had it are getting a darker purple color to them, and algae dont really grow on the glass the way it did at first.

I may add some activated carbon and see how that goes. It may help with my Dino problem too....ya never know.

 

[Curtswearing]

I may add some activated carbon and see how that goes. It may help with my Dino problem too....ya never know.

Kick up your alkalinity and pH with Kalkwasser. Read this article. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-11/rhf/index.php

 

[chadmace]

Yeah I read that. I noticed your pics and posts in this thread. http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20072&highlight=dinoflagellates

I went through and cleaned it off of my sand, glass, and rocks when I aquascaped yesterday, ran a shorter photoperiod and still have it coming back. What all would be needed for a battle with that? Just Kalkwasser and test for PH? What PH levels are safe for fish? When I stop dosing would my PH slowly return to normal or should water changes be performed to help lower it back down?

 

[Curtswearing]

pH will automatically go down over time as organics rise and CO2 levels rise. If my memory serves, I think I went all the way up to 8.6. If you don't have a monitor, watch your fish.....they'll tell you via observation if they are stressed. In other words, this is something to do when you are home. Don't crank up the kalk and then go to work.