suggestion for beginner clam and sps

[aggiereefer]

Im finally upgrading to halides on my 20H, 175 watts. I still havent decided on what temp bulb i want, i really like the 20 k's but they have a low output.

 

 

Ive been reefing since thanksgiving, I would say i'm in the "novice" stage. Can anyone suggest a type of clam or sps? From researching, it looks like monti's and acro's are fairly easy to keep, is this true?

[movingshadow]

montipora spp. are mostly relatively forgiving, as far as acropora goes I can't really say the same. While there certainly are hardy specimens, the sought after (super-colorful fiji) acros are usually fairly sensitive to their environment (nutrients, water params...).

I'd suggest trying some montipora spp. and when that does well "upgrading" to acropora an other harder to keep species. This also allows for ample time between adding corals and will help limit negative side effects.

 

 

If you feel your tank is mature enough and has enough lighting for a clam, I'd suggest you go buy Daniel Knop's book "Giant Clams". It's fast reading, ultra informative, easy to understand and an extremely valuable book to have on hand at all times when keeping clams!!!

 

If you've read that book, researched some and plan to provide proper husbandry, I think you could go for any of the tridacnids (crocea, maxima, derasa, squamosa). However you could try a hippopus or "low light" substrate dwelling species like squamosa or derasa "for starters"...

 

hth

[Aiptasia]

Clams are sensitive to water chemistry fluxuations and it's probably best to go with the hardier species first, such as a nice blue lined derasa or a prettily patterned squamosa. Your light is probably enough to handle a maxxima or crocea, but you might want to try keeping the hardier clams first to see how they adjust and how you fare with keeping them alive. They will require an aged, stable reef tank with high calcium, supplimental phytoplankton feedings and a little nitrate in the water, especially when young, to encourage rapid growth. Remember, that's a "little" nitrate (5-10 ppm) not a lot of nitrate.

 

In fact, a lot of people are experimenting with clam filtration, using them in their refugiums in lieu of DOC algaes to pull nitrate out of the water.

 

For SPS corals, research individual species first before trying to keep them. Montiporia, Poecilliopora and hardy mid to high water Acroporas should adapt well to that lighting. Glue your frags to the reef structure with cyanoacrylate gel glues (locktite) in an area of strong light and high current. I've placed mine so they get the full force of my powerheads sweeping across them and they love it. They'll also need to be fed zooplankton and given high amounts of calcium to do well. Keep your calcium levels in your tank up around 425-450 ppm.

[Arden]

People might yell at me for this but I find clams to be among the easiest animals to keep once acclimated and as long as they have enough light. I was misinformed when I started my tank and added a bright blue blue maxima to my tank when the tank was only two months old and had only pc lighting. That was more than two years ago and the clam has grown and thrived. I now have 7 clams in my tank, my best maxima is in the substrate, and they have survived all my growing pains. I have lost only one clam because it was damaged when I bought it. I must admit that my clam tank is not a nano but a 46 gal bow, with an extra 25 gal sump, and I have upgraded to MH and pc lighting, but the first little maxima lasted for more than 4 months under pc alone and was none the worse for ware.

[Aiptasia]

The main risk is in acertaining the clam's health long term. Under weaker lighting, several clams can adapt and survive, but they'll often "Brown" out and lose some of those famous neon colors the way some acroporas can.

 

I've had very little troubles with my squamosa clam in one of my tanks. He's a recent addition but appears to be happy as a... well... a clam.

 

I run 130w. of PC light over the tank and he's adjusted quite nicely. The clam has a beautifully patterned mantle, opens and extends fully and actively filter feeds all day long. I feed it the same diet as my corals: Marine snow, Kent phyto & zooplanton, pulverized flakes and baby brine shrimp. I feed the tank twice a week at dawn and shut off the skimmer for an hour.

 

The tank also gets a brief amount of sunlight in the morning, but the clam seems to prefer the 20,000k light better. I've seen him close up a little if he's hit by direct sunrays, only to open up fully once the morning sun has passed. But then again, the clam's probably a tank raised clam and is acclimated to my lighting setup better than direct sun.

 

On the whole, I think clams are extremely cool and perhaps a little hardier than people give them credit for.