H.Barbouri with chalices

[mtc1966]

yes tree sponges are great. check out
http://www.sealifeinc.net/catalog/index.php
look in the reduced shipping section

 

[The River Reef]

Here is an image I took recently to give everyone an idea of where I am at.. I want to add a tree sponge or two and some red grape macro to brighten things up

 

[The River Reef]

yes tree sponges are great. check out
http://www.sealifeinc.net/catalog/index.php
look in the reduced shipping section

Awesome link! Great prices

 

[The River Reef]

Sponges are a pain in the butt..
Maybe try the refugim look with some nice macro algea

I have heard this in a few threads, some say they are some say no problem... What was difficult about keeping them in your experiences?

 

[JoshMO]

I have heard this in a few threads, some say they are some say no problem... What was difficult about keeping them in your experiences?

From what I've read, sponges can be an issues because they are filter feeders and require "dirty" water (so there is something for them to filter), and that generally keeping your tank that dirty would not be good. They also require silica, which having excess of might stimulate diatoms. However, I have seen photo's and videos of peoples' tanks who have sponges that are seemingly doing well in what appears to be "clean" water. I'd do a lot of research before getting a sponge though.

 

[mtc1966]

that being said seahorses are messy eaters and a sponge can act as a natural filter. my sponges have done well except for one that got covered in a nuisance algae i was battling hoping it will come back.

 

[The River Reef]

that being said seahorses are messy eaters and a sponge can act as a natural filter. my sponges have done well except for one that got covered in a nuisance algae i was battling hoping it will come back.

That was my hope... I have read when Seahorses eat they blow a fine cloud of waste food out their gills. I would think a feeding station in the right spot would keep the sponges well fed?

 

[TamiW]

The biggest problem you'll have with sponges is keeping the nutrient level high enough to feed them while keeping it low enough to keep nuisance algae from growing on them. It's also not necessarily the nitrate and/or phosphate levels but the dissolved organics. Unfortunately, dissolved organics can cause health problems with seahorses, so it's a tough call.

I'd say if you do go with a sponge, just keep a close eye on it and make sure that there is a good amount of flow going by it to keep it clean, while not blasting it. Wet Web Media has a lot of information on both successes and failures keeping sponges: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/sponge.htm

 

[mtc1966]

good info as usual . my tree sponge did succumb to a slime algae battle . i am now running a tlf reactor and problem is under control . there is a small piece of it left i hope to have rebound.

 

[The River Reef]

I will read that article, thank you... Well I think I want to try a red tree sponge and see how it goes. If I was willing could I blast feed it with Plankton 2X per day with my Seahorse feedings? Or do the need all day supply of food?

 

[mtc1966]

i think once or twice a week would suffice.

 

[rlpardue]

I'll add my two cents of advice:

I love my pair of H Barbouri, I got them from Dan at seahorsesource.com. I'd also give everyone fair warning regarding strong-stinging corals: my seahorses got stuck in LPS once. I keep SPS and gorgonians in the system now. (although they grow very slowly since it's cold in the SH tank). Also, I'd be afraid to put peppermint shrimp in with my seahorses, but my peppermint shrimp are evil, wicked little things that eat things they're not supposed to lol. They now live in my reef tank's sump. One idea is to throw in some slowly-acclimated ghost shrimp as scavengers. I put a dozen of them in the SH tank once as a treat, and the three largest ones survived the Pony vs shrimp battles. They now putter around the tank frightening the seahorses.