Old Gregg Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 My 55 gallon fowlr tank has beautiful deep red sponge growth exploding and spreading throughout the tank. It's color is so deep it appears black at first glance. Now I don't plan on removing them even if they grow over every inch of the rock lol so my question is: Do sponges provide any benefit to the tank? As far as filtering the water, nutrient dump, food for any critters? I've had this tank for a month or so, it was badly neglected by my older brother who had it for 5 years. And I'd like to know more about the odd little things that sprout up every now and then lol. Link to comment
bitts Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 the main benefit of having sponge is there filtering ability. they like clams are like little protien skimmers. possibly filtering the tanks volume several times a day. depending on the amount thats present. Link to comment
Rymah Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 are you sure its not cyano? it can look just like you are discribing. Link to comment
bitts Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 actually that is a good point. does it look like these. http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=e...q=&gs_rfai= Link to comment
Old Gregg Posted December 21, 2010 Author Share Posted December 21, 2010 are you sure its not cyano? it can look just like you are discribing. It's most definitely not cyno. I'll snap a picture with my phone and post it Link to comment
megan Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 It's most definitely not cyno. I'll snap a picture with my phone and post it Dude, if that's not cyano, then I don't have a drinking problem. Link to comment
Rymah Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Dude, if that's not cyano, then I don't have a drinking problem. u should go to AA sorry greg but that REALLY looks like cyano.. Link to comment
saralear Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Is it growing on your sandbed too? That's normally a dead give away... Have you made any attempt to remove it or detach it from the rock? Cyano typically is woven together and will peel right off of stuff... Link to comment
Old Gregg Posted December 21, 2010 Author Share Posted December 21, 2010 Thanks everyone for giving me a swift kick to the head and setting me straight. Although I'm not glad it's cyano... I'm thankful for knowing just what it is lol. I'm still a newbie hehe. The water params are consistently pristine. 0 nitrates, ammonia, nitrites, 8.2pH. This leads me to believe there's a phosphate problem because a friend of mine gave me this tank 3 weeks ago which he's had for 4 or 5 years, horribly neglected. I haven't invested in an ro/di system yet and I've been topping it off with tap water treated with Prime water conditioner. Is it growing on your sandbed too? That's normally a dead give away... Have you made any attempt to remove it or detach it from the rock? Cyano typically is woven together and will peel right off of stuff... So far it's only growing on my rocks. Should I physically remove it all? One more question. The sump has, what I'm assuming is 5 year old activated carbon.... Would those be releasing nutrients back into the water being so old? The carbon's coming out tonight when I figure out how to scoop it out of all the crevices. It's going to be replaced with chemi-pure elite which I just ordered. Thank you! Link to comment
bitts Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 the cabon can be maxed out with in 24 hours & begin to have things leach back out shortly there after. don't worry about how old it is simplest to just swap it out & run it for a week or two. Link to comment
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