Sponge overcoming my Zoos

[Captain Squid]

Anyone have an idea on how to save one of my zoo colonies? Its on a rock that is about half a tennis ball in size, and shape so they are on the rounded side.
Problem is a grey sponge that has been growing up between the zoos for a couple months or so. Ive taken the rock out before, tweezed out what sponge I could, did an iodine dip and put the zoos back and they always bounced back nicely, now the sponge is getting more widespread on the rock, choking out my zoos. Id hate to lose them but not sure how I can get them off the rock without chopping the rock apart.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. TIA

temp 78
calc 450
nitrates 20
mag 1350
sg 1.025
180 gal w / 75 gal sump
ASM G4X
Brightwell Katalyst with microbacter. ( still seeding but algae has dropped. )

 

[ukguy]

If you can't remove the sponge from the rock, can you frag the zoos off the rock instead?

 

[Captain Squid]

Thats what I was wondering, how to safely do that on a curved rock like this. Ive read about peeling them off, but I have no nails. lol went out to buy a X-Acta knife, might use that to cut them off. Seems i have no choice, cut them and hope for recovery or let them get overgrown with sponge.

 

[ukguy]

I bought a scalpal for doing zoos, some peel off, others you can use the scalpal blade to scrape at the rock and peel them that way.

 

[GotSopranos?]

Most sponges die when they come in contact with air. Cant you take you rock out and leave it out for a few minutes? The zoas wont die. In the wild during low tide many are out of the water for hours and survive

 

[66deuce]

Razor blade will shave them off and is great for fragging.

 

[tent boy]

The sponge will die in the air. Just leave it out a little bit longer. You have to shake it off alittle to get water off. Zoanthids will be fine. I have done this before and worked very well. Picking of sponge completely is almost impossible. You are going to miss some and it will be back.

 

[mayjong]

+1 --- air that sponge out!

 

[rustyjames]

Kinda like this?