Maxima under power compacts in a 3 gallon

[TJ_Burton]

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

[evan484]

I'm def not trying to bully anyone dude.....and if you're serious about keeping a clam find a small 70w MH light that will suit your needs

 

we're all friends here with one common passion.....i just don't want to see anyone make a stupid mistake (especially when there are ppl here trying to help) i'm very passionate about my hobby and i'm glad you're going to do the right thing for your clam

 

try ebay and craigslist if you don't have any luck here.....that's where i got my fixture and ballast

 

good luck and again.....i was never trying to be a bully.....just wanted to make you understand the right way to go about what you're trying to accomplish.....i'm just not as nice about it sometimes like other ppl here......my apologies

 

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

[Rockfish]

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

[SmittyCoco]

If anyone does have experience putting clams under PC lighting I would really like to hear about it

Thanks

 

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.

[evan484]

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

 

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?

[Rockfish]

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

[octoman]

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.

[Rocket]

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.

[evan484]

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.

[Deleted User 6]

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.

[ihatesears18]

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

[octoman]

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!

[LivingStrong08]

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.

[corallineadam]

If you go with a MH on a 3g tank, you're going to need to do fan cooling, which then means you're going to need an ATO for evaporation. It all adds up quickly, which is why I would instead go with LEDs, which end up being cheaper in the long run anyways.

if you can afford the upfront cost, def go LED

[poidog]

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

[corallineadam]

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.

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

[corallineadam]

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....

[corallineadam]

honestly man, in a pico i would consider just selling the bivalve. when you upgrade the lights, it typically means more evaporation on top of the cost of the light, more evap means more salinity swings daily in a pico, and a pico is hard to keep even as it is, to counter act this you would need to buy an Auto Top-Off to automatically re-dispense evaporated water. so youve turned a simple "softie" style reef tank into a fully modified mixed sps/clam reef and that is alot of expensive equipment for a 30-50 dollar clam. let us know how it goes

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???

[evan484]

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

 

 

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?

[Deleted User 6]

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

[jm82792]

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

 

 

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?

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.

[ocean_of_mirth]

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?

 

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.

[corallineadam]

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

 

 

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?

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

[Rockfish]

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.

 

 

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

[corallineadam]

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