Help!!!

[chris88]

Help me please! I have had 1000's of small white sponges growing in my sump and probably all through my overflow and return lines. The problem is that over the past few days the sponges have literally been melting and turning into a white slime. The slime is clogging up my skimmer, reducing the flow in my overflow, and sliming up my filters. The corals, fish, and inverts are all fine and the water quality and clarity in my display tank is normal. The only thing that I have changed in the past few weeks was an increase in my calcium dosing because my corals have been using it up so rapidly. I dose with aragamilk and kalk.

What would cause these sponges to all of the sudden go from rapidly increase to all dying off at once. Will it affect my water and what can I do about all of this?

[belzebuth]

They could be Pineapple sponge. They usually die off on their own and are beneficial. I have had a fair amount of them in skimmer and sump but not enough to clog anything.

Do you have a picture ?

[michika]

In the very least, up your skimming by skimming wet, and start running filter socks & carbon if you have them. If not find a pair of panty hose and go that route, but change them often.

[fishytime]

Originally Posted by michika

If not find a pair of panty hose and go that route, but change them often.

Good advice. I hate wearing dirty panty hose

[chris88]

thanks a lot. i knew they were benifical but it can be to helpful when they die off this fast. they were multiplying like crazy and today i noticed there is white slime everywhere and the sponges that are left are turing to mush. all the tank inhabitants are perfectly fine. does it have anything to do with me trying to raise the calcium or throwing off the cal/alk balance?