Well this has been a fairly over-dramatic read lol...
I am a clam lover, have always loved keeping clams, and will always want to incorporate them into my setups. I would personally never put a Maxima or Crocea under anything less then HOT5 lighting, and certainly don't condone those two species being kept under PC lighting.

That being said - here are some suggestions to help deal with the situation.

Things I noticed:
The clam you have there is TINY! Clams under 3" tend to be a little bit harder to care for. It has been debated many times over, but in my own experience, young T.maxima fair better when supplemented with live, or DT's phytoplankton once or twice a day. I find that it speeds up growth & the hardiness of clam provided all other essential elements (calcium, magnesium etc.) are in order.
The clam looks like it is on the bottom of the aquarium! For the time being, place the clam as high up in the aquarium as possible. These are rock dwelling clams, most photos of these clams in the wild show them on reef shelves amongst sps coral, or even in low tide areas. The sand will not hurt the clam by any means, but in this situation, getting the clam as close to its light source as possible can only increase its chances of survival. As light travels through water, the PAR decreases dramatically - the closer to the light source the clam is, the more light it will receive.

Best of luck with your attempt.
I do hope you find the clam a better environment if things start to go south.

TJ

Thanks for the apologie. I know you were only trying to help, but I felt like I was being kicked when I was already down. I really do appreciate that your big enough to apologize.


Anyway, after being convinced that I need to bite the bullet and get a new light I found the Nova Extreme SLR T-5 fixture. It is 40 watts and only costs 50 dollars. I dont know much about T-5 lighting so I am not sure if this will be enough for my clam. Anyone have any thoughts?

This is the light

T5 will give you a lot more light regardless of the wattage......get the whole watts per gallon thing out of ur head!!!


the novas with the SLR's are pretty good lights......best of luck and keep us posted

I do . Honestly and it died. When I first started keeping reefs I had a clam under a 130 watts of pc bulbs in a 26 bow. It was on the top of my rocks roughly about 8 inches from the light. Not proud of it , but it is the truth! Pc bulbs can not sustain a clam in the long term. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

haha I knew it was a mistake to use watts per gallon the minute after I put that first post up. So you think I should be good with that light fixture?

under a 3 gallon pico?? yea i think that would do the trick

You aren't going to have a good outcome either way! If you get a t5 or metal halide fixture, than you are going to have salt, temp, and pH swings. You will have to get an ATO system to control evap, which will cost you about 200 dollars. If you keep the lights you have, the clam will die, creating tons of nasty nitrates, thus ending your dream of a reef tank. The end.

You can get ATO's for less than 100. JBJ for $80 Don't think that includes a pump though.

I have a cover over my tank so I am not to worried about evaporation. Is the verdict that the 40 watt T5 will be put out enough light for the clam? I want to make a decision soon just to get the clam under better conditions, but I only have one shot to get a new light so I really need to make a good choice.

It will give the clam a better chance than it has now.

If you have a cover on your tank, you're going to have to deal with pH issues and heat issues. Seriously, a setup that can keep a clam is expensive. It's not just what light you have.

what about the 18" nova extreme T5HO? 2x20w and HO, for $10 more than the t5

Okay, I have a relapse on everything said put into a summary:


















































OP is and IDIOT for trying to keep a clam under PCs! Sell clam! NOW!

No, not this again... He admits a mistake, now let's help him out so he can save the clam.. He said he will give it up if he can't make a healthy enviornment for the clam.

if you can afford the upfront cost, def go LED

if you're near chicago i'll save the littke guy.

i agree with tim on this one, beating someone up for their mistake (or in this case, for their inescapable attraction to the beautiful and mysterious world of giant clams) is never a nice thing to do.
plus they are trying very hard to correct the mistake by providing for the clam as best as possible.
lets help them....

as far as i can tell the clam will do fine in your system as long as you upgrade the lighting fairly soon. it will survive just fine under your pc lights for now, but you will want to upgrade lighting in the next week or 2. i would def go with LEDs -- they are BRIGHT, run cool compared to MH, and they can be made to have adjustable color temps which will be really cool for your pico! if you cannot do LED because u cannot find 1 available or dont want to go DIY or whatever reason, you should look into a small (70w) mh fixture that you can hang at a decent distance above the tank. FISHNEEDIT.COM sells 70w ones for a little over $100 brand new with everything you need to plug it in and GO.
despite wat others have said in this thread, mh will not require you to use a ATO or a fan. if mounted high enough, it will not heat the water significantly.
if you do want to use a fan to be safe...
i have a 70w mh over my 5.5g aga pico and it does not raise the temp much at all. the temp in that tank is usually 78F, lights on or lights off...
HTH

also, just to reitterate, DO NOT PANIC, the clam will be fine for a few weeks. just look into what you want to do and upgrade and the clam will love you for it for years to come

also, not trying to get tomatoes thrown at me, but i have heard of and seen maximas and croceas kept under PCs, even under VHO's... they were always very high up in the best lit area of the tanks, but i have seen it done successfully... so once again DO NOT PANIC, dont let these a holes on here get you down, and just upgrade to something better soon if you want the best shot at this clams survival
if you do not upgrade lighting to MH or LED and go with a PC or VHO lighting, AND you keep the clam high up very close to the light source, i will put a few bucks on it that the clam will survive just fine
HOWEVER like i said its always best to provide the best we can to ensure the best survival rate as we can and more light the merrier so id upgrade if you can afford to do so....

no no no keep the clam!
all you need to do is get a brighter light
forget the ATO
forget all this mumbo jumbo ppl are telling you
MH does not cause THAT much heat, especially 70w. yeah if you put a 250w MH over a 3g tank youre gona have problems, but a properly elevated 70w pendant shouldnt cause any trouble to you.
given the time restraints (u want to get this light upgraded ASAP) i would go with MH. you can get one easily and fairly cheaply either new or used.
you can check fishneedit.com... or craigslist...

but ya if i were you i would do a 70w MH

plus once you do that, you can add all kinds of cool sps to your reef that you couldnt keep before!!

how is the lil clammy doing BTW???

The clam is beatuiful. I just took this pic a minute ago, check it out

Click to view attachment

In your opinion with the Nova Extreme SLR T-5 fixture be enough. Its 18 inches, 40 watts and very inexpensive. I havent been able to find an MH fixture that was within my budget of under 100 dollars. I am also looking in to LEDs. Even if the T-5 isnt the best option, is it something I can fall back on if need be?

move it up higher. put it as high as you can get it in the tank.

It's better then what you've got.
This is better twice as much light/4 tubes of T5HO for $150 shipped.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...fm?pcatid=16770
I'd really think ahead,
it's 24'' meaning when you upgrade that light will work in the future.

Just jumping in here -- I read through the rest of the replies, but I don't think it was addressed why PC's are so much worse than T-5's or MH -- it's because the light source area of the T-5's and MH is small enough that you can basically reflect the full output of the light back into the tank. Ordinary PCs are large enough that they block the reflected light from the back of the bulb (which emits light in a 360 degree fashion around the bulb) so you miss out on a fair amount of the output.

So a 40 watt T-5 is going to be much more light than a 40watt PC (standard size), because you can reflect most of the light into the tank due to the smaller size of the tube.

Everything I have read in all of the arguments about lighting points toward T-5 as being equivalent to MH, and I have seen a fair number of SPS freaks switch to T-5.

You will really want to look at PAR values to be sure of what you are getting in terms of the 40-watt T5 as compared to the needs of the clam, but I figure you will be better off getting a higher-output T5 lamp b/c it's a blue maxima, which seems more built to defend against over-lighting (by reflecting all the blues) as compared to a brown clam, which is a darker color to absorb more light over a broader spectrum.

The nice thing about getting a nice powerful light is that your tank will color up more, and the brighter light will show off your tank's inhabitants in a very nice way, especially something as stunning as your blue maxima.

Wow its pretty!
the nova may work just fine, but i would def go with a 70w MH...
the fish need it one (www.fishneedit.com) is only $110!
thats what i am running over my 12" cube...
or you can usually find pretty cheap ones on the site here maybe try to find a 16.5" sunpod....

im telling you though that fishneed it one is BANG for your buck (and not much buck, at that)
check my 12" cube pics and u can see the light in action

actually bright blue and green clams require the most lighting all clams i believe

yep you are right and thats what oceans was saying... "which seems more built to defend against over-lighting"
he or she meant that those clams are nearly impossible to provide TOO MUCH light for.... i have my crocea about 5" from the 150w effectively 10000k light... at first i thought it was going to be over kill but man this clam is in heaven

telling u man go with the fishneedit 70w 20000k bulb (itll look much whiter than 20k)
YOU WILL LUV IT

havent read through this so im just responding to the original question from the OP

you cannot keep a maxima in those conditions for multiple reasons

1. your lighting is not suffiecent, the wpg rule may work for fw tanks, but seldom does it translate to sw. you need a metal halide or led array which will provide enough par to sustain your clam
2. you dont seem experienced enough for this. many of the experinced members here would not attempt a clam in a 3g as it depletes the trace elements at an alarming rate
3. as stated, with out the introduction of suffienct nutrients your clam will die

solutions are simple
1. get a better light
2. get a fuge or sump to increase the abundance of elements in the water
3. remove the clam

I have a question for the op. What are your plans for when that clam (if it does survive) outgrows that tank? If you create an environment where that clam thrives in this small tank it will grow fast. You will then have sunk alot of money into this 3g with equipment that probably will be to small for the size aquarium you will need and want in the future. Why not try to sell the clam to someone who has what it needs now. You can keep the set up you have now and practice reefkeeping with simple corals and such. The whole while you could save your money then build a bad ass tank and have all the clams you want.
If you decide to keep it. Go with l.e.d. lighting. Like was mentioned above with a lid you are gonna have serious heat and ph problems. Don't set yourself up for failure....it's the easiest way to get sick of this hobby.


Just my 2 cents...good luck with whatever you decide.

I am hoping to get to the point that it will outgrow the tank. I would definitly consider that a victory. In that case I would find someone to give it to. When the clam in the 3g gets to be to much I will do the right thing and provide it with a bigger home. I believe that I can give it an environment where it can thrive.

In terms of l.e.d lighting, what would be my best bet? A lot have people have suggested l.e.ds, but no specific setup.

Start here:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=186982

Evil has done several l.e.d. group buys and I think he has a new one coming up soon. He is the master of l.e.d's. If you p.m. him or respond in one of his threads I am sure he will put you in the right direction.

Remember that light is only part of keeping clams. They need steady params, right flow, and food especially when they are that small.

Oh and here is the old group buy thread to give you an idea of what your looking at as far as price and sizes and such.
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=194886

I would do that. I have a 70w running on my 5.5g (I made the mistake of getting 14k, and it looks 10k haha) and it is really nice. I plan on diving into the world of clams pretty soon. I do have another tank that is perfect for clams as a back up though...

I have chosen to go with the JBJ Viper 70 watt trying to do the right thing.

Right choice?

I wish clams were legal here.
I'd pay big bucks to be able to buy them legally.

Thats a great light. Well you have half of what is needed. Now you have to stay on top of your paramters. You should test your calcium daily (and alk) and you will most likely need to dose the tank but make sure you test and re-test before you do. Keep us updated, I am glad you are doing the right thing.

Get an auto top off.

There are very few people on here who can handle keeping parameters stable enough on a pico to keep things like that. I would say wait until you get some experience, trade the clam to a local reefer or something. There are plenty of resources you can use here to find a better home for your clam. And in the future, it's always good to do some research before you pick anything up. You can learn from people who have learned the hard way. That's what NR is for.

the fishneedit lights are pretty good.....

Will I be able to keep coral in such high lighting. Keep in mind the tank is only 3 gallons and the fixture I have coming is a JBJ 70 watt viper. I havent seen that many people that put MH fixtures over such a small tank.

Thanks

yeah, you'll be able to keep coral. it might be pretty intense for some softies, but other than that, you're good.

Alright cool. All of my reef tanks use power compacts that are much less powerful than this light and are bigger tanks so I was a bit worried that corals may get bleached or something like that. Hopefully the Viper will come within the next week, I am pretty excited for my first MH fixture.

Moving forward u may have an issue acclimating new corals to the intense light for a 3 gallon! Congrats on the light man!! U really don't have to buy a super expensive ATO, I have a JbJ on mine and I think i would of bought one from http://www.autotopoff.com/

dont buy a ATO make one for 30$

also a 70 watt viper is fine but watch your temps now. that also means your night time temp. a swing in that small tank will hurt clams. you need a ATO for salinity swings, thats worst than your temp. and you might want to looking into a limewater drip to keep ph,calc, and alk up.

as for the light argument. im going to throw out there about PC lighting. if using the right type and right placement you get the right par for it. clams are possible, and thrive. the only good pc fixture i know of is the us current dual satellite 2x18watt light. sadly its not longer made but you can still find it if you talk to the right people.

clams in a pico have been done many times but is very hard. you must watch every thing, do alot of water changes and dose correctly. but evenly so you dont have dose swings also.

ive skimmed most of tis thread, and if this is your first clam it will be super hard. i have had experience with clams in my big tanks but im working on my own pico. http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=202486
there hard, and ive had the ability to test everything before hand, knowing it will work before moving the clams in. if your clam ever dose get to the 6" mark you will have to have a new home for it. but that will be awhile so dont worry about it.

im running the current system and everything is good. i havn't moved my clams in yet for im not done making my dosing drip systems. but even i (knowing my par level is ok, for i tested it) will upgrade soon to evil led lights, when he dose a order again.

if need any help ask and here is a great place to ask. http://www.reefaquariumforum.com/forum.html


good luck -J0hn

Thanks man. I'm having a glass cover made for the tank. It should cover about 95 percent of the tank, is an ATO still going to be nessisary?

lol, what's wrong with this forum?!

nice choice, never had a vioper but the 70w MH will be great for it and it will really make ur tank!

im telling u tho check out the FISHNEEDIT one its only $100 BRAND NEW!!


and ato wont be necessary and neither will the glass lid -- i had lids made for all of my nanos and theyre all sitting in my closet unused...
they cause the heat to stay trapped in the tank and temps get high
for topoff i just make sure to add a little water everyday when i wake up and when i go to bed so it stays pretty consistent
its up to you and i would get a lid just to have, but i wouldnt recommend using it unless it doesnt make ur temps get to high then keep it on there...

There is a lot of talk about dosing. What does everybody use? I have a three part set from DT that adds calcium, magnesium and ups alkalinity. Is this sufficent or should I be looking into other suplements?

Find a sturdy water bottle,
some airline tubing and some silicone glue then you've got a ato.
Dirt cheap and it works well.
Might even be able to add some sort of dosing to the top off water,
I don't know much about dosing and calcium hungry livestock though.

i use ESV b-ionic but i dont use it much, its easy to dose too much
i have 3 clams in my 5.5g and theyre pretty large (4"-10" in size) and i dont does much in that tank even, just keep up with water changes and they will get all the Ca they need if you have a proper salt mix
i use Oceanic but most reef salts should have good ca and alk...

I HAVE A QUESTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! can you keep clams in a 10 gallon aga (20x10.5x12.5) with 4x18 t5ho?? is it even close to enough lighting?

yes....just keep the mid to high on the rock work and WATCH YOUR CALCIUM!!!!

i wouldn't do more than 1 in a 10

what kinda clam??? also.. 2 of the bulbs are actinic the other 2 are 10k