Sponge not doing well...with picture

[Rippin]

Hi all,

I've searched the site and found some info on sponges but I thought I'd post a new thread and list my specific circumstances.

I bought a blue sponge on Saturday and today (Monday) it's turning white!!

1. I did not expose it to air - neither did the fish store.
2. It's in a med-high flow area with a lot of light.
3. The area that is turning white is the frontal area exposed to the water flow.
4. I did a water change and added reef buffer and calcium yesterday - could that have affected it?
5. When I did put the sponge in (with other new corals) my protein skimmer went a bit crazy and was putting a lot of micro bubbles in the water. Could that have done it?
6. Is there any way to recover this sponge? Will it ever get it's colour back?
7. How far should I let it go before it is considered unsafe to leave in the tank?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Obligatory picture:

[Scavenger]

About all I know of sponges is I wash the car with them, but perhaps you can find an answer here.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/sponges.htm

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Trim the necrotic (white) tissue away and see if it recovers. My guess is that it was exposed to air at some point, even if you're not aware of it.

[Farrmanchu]

The Sponge seems to be growing on an SPS? At least it looks that way, maybe the SPS is making a comeback, and fighting off the Sponge.

[1bigstud]

Maybe try putting it in an area with less flow as this would decrease exposure to micro bubbles from your skimmer. By the way did you get that from king ed's?? I think I may have been contemplating getting the same one.

[Psyire]

I had some sponge like this and it loved the dark. (in over hangs and crevices)

[Rippin]

Originally Posted by Farrmanchu

The Sponge seems to be growing on an SPS? At least it looks that way, maybe the SPS is making a comeback, and fighting off the Sponge.

Yes, the sponge is on some sort of SPS. But the piece of spong was at King Ed's forever and it only started turning white since I got it.

Originally Posted by 1bigstud

Maybe try putting it in an area with less flow as this would decrease exposure to micro bubbles from your skimmer. By the way did you get that from king ed's?? I think I may have been contemplating getting the same one.

Yup, King Ed's. I was very careful not to expose it to air. I just moved the sponge to a new location but there are few areas in the tank that do not get some type of micro bubbles.

[Rippin]

Originally Posted by Psyire

I had some sponge like this and it loved the dark. (in over hangs and crevices)

I just repositioned it under an overhang - hopefully less exposure to micro bubbles there and less intense light.

[BCOrchidGuy]

Air (microbubbles too) and light are the enemy of most sponges. As Iron Chef said, I'd cut off the decaying part and move the intact colony to a place with less direct flow, NO microbubbles and away from light. I'm not familiar with blue sponges though so it's just my opinion.

Doug

[Rippin]

I don't think it's decaying as yet, it's just white - should I still cut it off?