NanoAmyDee Posted February 18, 2004 Share Posted February 18, 2004 Anyone do a lighting retrofit for a two gallon and a clam? Wanting to see if one can be set up for my office (very little desk space) and I need to do a tinsy wintsy tank. 2g too small for a small clam? As it grows I can move it to one of my other tanks and put in a new one. But how in the hell do I get good enough lighting for it? I am just imagining a honkin pendant hanging over a tiny tank. Link to comment
onthefly Posted February 18, 2004 Share Posted February 18, 2004 The problem I'd forsee is the stability of the 2.5ga. I just got a copy of Kopps book and he "preaches" stability. A 2.5 is very susceptilble to environmental changes (Temp, pH, Ca, and Alk). So that would be my first concern. Next would be the available nutrients for the clam. I read everything from clams NEED a small amount of NO3 and dissolved organics to thrive to they'll be fine in a sterile tank. So you'd have to ask yourself what else would you put in there to maintain nutrient levels? I tried to get Barry over at Clamsdirect to warm up to an idea of the clam in my 5.5 and he consistently worried about the nano environment. That being said, Brooklyn Johnny and others have showed that it can be done, but their systems are "aged" established ecosystems basically. Link to comment
movingshadow Posted February 18, 2004 Share Posted February 18, 2004 I absolutely agree with onthefly's wise words!!!! The problem would be the stability of the tank, and I think even with various equipment like an auto topoff and halides, the tank would run "out of whack". I currently have 2 baby squamosas in my 5.5g, though my tank is well established, has great water params (due to skimmer, fuge, halides, open top, auto top-off, etc.) and I have done about 6 months of research on clam husbandry before I took the dive... I also have 2 other tanks I could move them to and my lfs's owners cell phone number for 24/7 emergency service (he's cool like that... ) all in all, I'd recommend something a little less sensitive for a nanoreef environment of that size... hope that helps! Link to comment
Korbin Posted February 25, 2004 Share Posted February 25, 2004 Movingshadow - What is your alk drop like in about 24 hours? I have 2 small clams in my 25 gallon system and with kalk topoff my tank still drops 3 dkH in 24 hours. A clam in a 2.5 - the calcium and alkalinity would drop so fast you would have to constantly add suppliments. In 2.5 gallons of water you would be adding the suppliments right on top of the clam. Not good. Link to comment
movingshadow Posted February 25, 2004 Share Posted February 25, 2004 really?! I've found there to be almost no difference (at max. 1+° dKH, though seldomly) with kalk top-off. I'm pretty constant at 12° though have never dropped below 10 since having clams in the tank. I do have a bottle of "Knop KH plus" on hand just in case though... Link to comment
Korbin Posted February 25, 2004 Share Posted February 25, 2004 Must be something other than my clams then. Maybe SPS? hmmm. Link to comment
Reefmaniac Posted February 25, 2004 Share Posted February 25, 2004 If your alkalinity is dropping, you need to try looking at something else. Corals and clams, etc, will cause your calcium to drop as they utilize it, but an alk drop is something else entirely. You might need to do a gravel siphon and get rid of some built up detritus/dissolved organics. As they build up and turn into acids, they will cause the buffering capacity to drop. Link to comment
Korbin Posted February 25, 2004 Share Posted February 25, 2004 Hmmm good idea. I'll try it. I do have a lot of crud built up between the baffles of my sump. Link to comment
NanoAmyDee Posted February 25, 2004 Author Share Posted February 25, 2004 scrapped the idea. gonna use the 2.5 for GSPs and a teeny fish. I like the idea of letting the GSP overgrow the tank and carpet everything... Link to comment
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