sponge refugium

[rodd1rj]

I have heard about people using a sponges in there refugium. My question is what conditions are idea for sponge growth. i.e. lights, flow, ect.

[dendro982]

I have hitchhiker sponges and colonial turnicates (can't guarantee who is who) in the well-fed tanks and in separate refugium, fed by water, filtered through 100 micron filter sock.

All are at low light (PC, 2-6W/gal, but away from lights).
Flow - different sponges have different requirements, some are growing in the cave (the black one with white specks), the big white root-like - in a high reflected soft flow (Mini-Jet 606 in 6g cube), right after gorgonian and chili, others - fuzzy blue, pale blue, encrusting orange, yellow and browns of different shades - in a low flow (reflected wide stream of MJ400 for 5g refugium), under the layer of chaeto.

Basically, IMHE, where you have the foraminiferans, sponges should grow too. And, just and observation, I could be wring, but where alkalinity is higher, than 8 dKH, there are more sponges and turnicates.

Feeding - the tanks ate heavily fed by frozen and dry food, all inhabitants are choosing themselves, what is suitable for them.

If you mean keeping the big ornamental sponges, I was not so lucky with them, but orange tree sponge, orange ball sponge, and spiny orange sponge lasted longest. The blue one was gone first, in less than week. Much higher flow, than for hitchhiker sponges.

Links:
Steve Tyree (http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/show_article.php?article_id=544), Duplex sump concept (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=969713), photos of cryptic sumps/fuges (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1020248), cryptic zone pico (http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=49601&view=previous&sid=fa340566c73cf3ecbd1447c2782d9061), sponge care basics by Jane of Baden (http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=96820), R. Toonen - Sponges (http://www.reefs.org/library/article/r_toonen11.html), some observations (http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=26162&hl=).

Hope, it helps.

[DouglasTiede]

I never thought about that, would sponges and feather dusters and all the other filter feeders make for a good fuge? Anyone have experience doing this???

[dendro982]

Would sponges and feather dusters and all the other filter feeders make for a good fuge? Anyone have experience doing this?
Here:
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=969713
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/show_article.php?article_id=544

Generally, as a part of the fuge, not it's replacement. Also good for unlit part of the tank - uses not occupied by corals space and helps with filtering the small particles.

[trae]

Don't sponges like high flow and low light? Besides the die off would kill anything around.