Clam lighting

[kris_willard]

Do you all think that 71watts of pc lighting in a 5.5 gal nano would suffice for a clam. I was thinking of one of the easier clams like a dersa or squamosa. The tank ins only 10' high and prob 8' to the sandbed. What do you all think? Please provide an Explination for your answer!

[Rikko]

I see a lot of people saying "YOU NEED METAL HALIDE TO KEEP CLAMS ALIVE!" but I find most of the time it is the staunch MH defenders who take little interest in exploring the newer lighting technologies.

 

My opinion? Sure, go for it. That's a ton of lighting for a shallow tank - I would say the only significant problems you'd have would be water quality (ie. the light wouldn't be severely detrimental).

 

Take that with a grain of salt - I've yet to keep clams and probably won't for some time.

But I can anecdotally mention a buddy who kept them under NO fluorescents - about 8 tubes over a 150ish gallon reef. He said he placed them towards the top of the reef and they did well but "they invariably migrated to the bottom, and sulked."

 

FWIW.

[kris_willard]

Thank you for the detailed post! I have read that dersa clams are the easiest to keep, and beiing filter feeders they like to have lots of dissolved organics in the water. I know that the need to have prestine water params and this shouldnt be a proab with weekly water changes but i will wait at least 6 moths before i put one in just to be safe. MORE OPINIONS PLEASE!

[vangvace]

Go for it. That should be plenty of light without the costly overkill.

[ifynanceu]

i keep 2 maximas in my 12 gallon nano with (what used to be 80w of pc lighting), but i just increased it to 100watts...i have had 2 small maximas in there for months with no problems...my water is very nice, but they move when they want to, otherwise are happy with lots of extension and no gapping.

[USFnano]

That should be enough light, but be aware, squamosa's and derasa's will grow to ~16"+

[smoothlarryhughes]

Gilman keeps a squamosa in 32W of lighting...Do you think this lighting is too little ????

[jferebee]

I have a small Maxima in a 12G with Coralife 65W PC's. I keep it at the bottom at it moves around a little. One thing I learned from the Clams Direct web site

 

http://www.clamsdirect.com/cart/customer/h...home.php?cat=10

 

is to take it out of the tank a couple of times a week and put it in a small bowl with water from the tank. Put just enough DT's in the bowl to turn the water a light green. I leave the clam in there for 30 to 45 minites. I find a spot in the natural sunlight to put the bowl. It will open up and "eat" the Dt's. Clams direct says that we shouldn't keep the very small clams but if we do this is a must for them when they are young. It is doing well and is very healthy.

[kris_willard]

Sounds like i would be ok even with a maxima. Good stuff ! More expperiences plz or even pics of your clam under the pc light.

[kappa]

I hope your clam dose well! Please update from time to time.

 

Oh by the way I read a useful post somewhere. If you have a very small 1 inch clam or so, a healthy way to keep them healty is to take them out of the water, and put it in a bowl of the same tank water, then add some Dt's phytoplanton in the water until it is slightly green. Leave the clam in there for about 30-45 mins. This way the clam will recieve maximum amount of food to stay healthy, then place the clam back into the tank on a level surface. I think you have to do this once or twice a week, I forget.

 

Don't forget what I said a couple months down the road when you finally get the Maxima clam!

[BKtomodachi]

Sweet katakana you have goin on there!