What is growing in my sump?????

[DeepBlue45]

Can anyone tell me what is growing on the rock in my sump???  It started out only on this one piece of Carib Sea Life Rock that I grabbed from my LFS to get some "seeding" started.  Now it's spread to other areas of the sump and there are small while pods showing up everywhere.  I have yet to see anything in the display but they're throughout the sump and also in my external biopellet reactor.

 

This tank is approx 4.5 months old and I havent had any other issues except some minor hair algae in the main tank sand bed. Parameters all stable and right where I want them.

 

Anything to be concerned about?  Should I pull that piece of rock?

 

Thanks,
Jay

[WheresTheReef]

Sponges. They are safe.

[DeepBlue45]

Great, thanks.  Thought that might be the case....especially since the main colony that appeared started growing like crazy a few weeks after I started dosing KZ Sponge Power....go figure.  My last tank was about 10 years ago and only FOWLR but I don't remember seeing anything like this.

 

I'm a microbiologist by training so if I found this on land I'd be saying fungus or some strange bacteria, most likely toxic so run the other way.....

 

Appreciate the reply!

Jay