clam keeping

[reefer21]

Could I keep a clam under 420w of VHO light? Also what clams are ideal for beginners?

[Caesar777]

What size tank is it? Height? How long has it been up? How's the alkalinity/calcium balance? Crocea is the most difficult clam; avoid it.

[reefer21]

What size tank is it? Height? How long has it been up? How's the alkalinity/calcium balance? Crocea is the most difficult clam; avoid it.

 

Well the tank has not been setup, but the tank size will be a 100g (60x19x20) and I will probably be waiting at lease 12 months before i get one. Should I get a calcium reactor? Also if it is possible to keep one, should it be placed up high in the LR?

[Caesar777]

Will need to be up high; the fluo rays won't penetrate thoroughly down to the bottom. Do some reading on clams, maybe pick up a recent (from the past eight years, preferably--things change a lot) book on the subject. Derasa is a good species to start with.

[inkblue]

...believe it oR not, i have a Corcea cLam in my 72 bow and itS under T5s 300W and iTs fine. GARF method, lotS of additives and i doNt really touch it much... a lot of people saY this and that about caring for cLams, but i hardLy test my water, and itS thriving...

[elklown]

Derasa & Squamosa are the easiest to keep, but my personal prefrence would be for the Squamosa because it is much cooler looking. It is a shame the Corcea is so hard to keep since it is the smallest and therefore fits best in most tanks.

[bobioden]

...believe it oR not, i have a Corcea cLam in my 72 bow and itS under T5s 300W and iTs fine. GARF method, lotS of additives and i doNt really touch it much... a lot of people saY this and that about caring for cLams, but i hardLy test my water, and itS thriving...

 

You hit the nail on the head. You have the Crocea in a 72g under 300w of t5 and it is FINE. FINE is not good where clams are concerned. Why are you adding LOTS of additives and not testing. Perfect example of what NOT to do in this hobby.

 

If the clam is under 3", it might be OK. Over 3", and it is just a matter of time before it starts going downhill.

 

Bob

[Caesar777]

Yes, how long has it been? Is it really doing well? I can't help but doubt.

[Cetra324]

I'd post my relevant clam experience, but I don't want to get yelled at.

[TTU_reefer]

No clams under non-MH....i learned the bad way. Good luck if you try tho, but i wouldnt.

[Pili]

I have a Crocea in my 40g under 6x 39w T-5s and it has actually improved in health and color since I got it from Dr. Macs (was gapping slightly). Clam is on the sand bed, is about 4 inches, and i've had it since early October. I know this is not very long but i have no reason to believe it will not do well in the long run. My tank is only 16 inches deep though.

[shao-lin nano]

Can someone give a link to a picture of a clam that is gapping?

[Scissorhand]

I think I still have a pix of your clam somewhere, shao. I'll dig it up.

[Caesar777]

Look up any photo of any clam under fluo and you'll see a clam gaping.

 

PS, a month is NO time at all. 6 months, MAYBE, if not a year.

[elklown]

Maximas probably do need MH, but I've seen them grow bright and strong if they're really close to alot of /VHOs/PCs. Croceas, in my opinion the most beautiful, however need MH and probably 250w at that, there is no way they will do well under non-MH. Deresas and Squamosas will however do fine under strong PC or VHO lighting and with proper placement, there are also very hardy and available species. Hippopus and gigas are other vlams that don't need as much light (relatively speaking), but I don't know much about either.

 

Check out clamsdirect.com and its forums for more clam specific advice.

[Pili]

Mine crocea isnt gapping, will post pics for the skeptics

 

Oh, and if the months thing was directed at me, it has been 2.5 months, not 1 (difference of 250% there). I agree not that long but it is very healthy.

[Cetra324]

Look up any photo of any clam under fluo and you'll see a clam gaping.

 

Well, here's a picture of my Crocea that I took for a friend (who wanted to know what my tank looked like) a couple nights ago. (In tank for 6 months, now)

 

[reffer9391]

I think clams should only be keep under MH or T-5 and alot of them VHO you can do it but it isnt recomend

[Caesar777]

There should have been a wink next to my last post. Chill, bud,

[Samc]

T-5's are more intense than metal halides. Grim just posted his latest par readings:

 

So I finally got some regular T5's (54 watt 4 foot lamps) to play with. I did PAR measurments 18.5" below the surface at the sandbed. The lamps were about 2" above the water for the test. The lamps were D&D, 2 Aquablues and 2 Actinic Pluses ran in Ice Cap reflectors. Tested with Apogee Quatum meter, Amps tested with Craftsman True RMS meter.

 

Workhorse 7: 1.5 amp draw, PAR reading 126

 

DYnamic T5 ballast: 1.4 amp draw, PAR reading 135

(spec T5 ballast)

 

Ice Cap 660: 4.1 amp draw, PAR reading 183

 

My 6x80 watt T5 system was 145 with an amp draw of just under 6. Seems to back up my theory that the shorter T5 lamps are way brighter when overdriven.

 

3x250 watt DE halides. 14K lamps on good e-ballasts about 7" higher, 6 amp draw, PAR reading 95. And people wonder why I am going back to the fluorescents

 

I am going to do some "dry" test where I can run the lamps for about a half hour to get a better idea what happens with the amp draw and output once they have ran longer. These tests were ran for around 10 minutes but things seemed stable.

 

Sam

[frag]

I think that advising beginners that sometimes clams are hardy enough to be kept under sub par conditions is bad practice. Sure you can sustain a clam for a limited amount of time with crap lights, but is this good husbandry? These are the same people who take pictures of their sun corals after 2 months and state how fantastic they are doing. Would you also recommend not feeding sun corals and support this with anecdotal advice? Beginners should not be lied to about lighting requirements for clams. How many of you reefers have had a clam for over 2 years under anything other than MH? Even with MH many reefers have met with problems when they attempted to keep clams alive long-term. Make an informed decision; do not listen to only the things that you want to hear.

[inkblue]

like with anyThing in life, if it worKs, dont question it. am Sure a LOT of yoU are experts but if my cLam is alive and thRiving, wh0 am i to question that... iF i dont wanna test my water, that is MY decision and wiLL be MY mistake... i'Ve seen SO many experts in this HOBBY (not a CULT) with awesome tanks but crappY homes and bad attitudes... if that is what happens when i become an eXpert... i'LL stay a novice and be frndly and supportive to everyOne

 

just my .02 centS

[frag]

Inkblue:

 

We are just trying to help. I think that it is great that your clam is doing well for you. However, it is not fair to recommend that someone else try to duplicate your anomalous results. If I had an elegance coral in my tank that was thriving, I would not advise others to run out and try them for themselves. The truth is that almost all of clams kept under sub par lighting do not survive long term.

[inkblue]

i agree frag... i hope my 54 x 6 Tek lightS arent sub paR lighting

[Lingwendil]

There's no rule for lighting clams though, T5 HO is excellent according to many people that I know, and they have the growth and results to prove it. In this hobby it's really up to the one wanting to keep an animal about how they will keep it. While some of what they're told may feel like a smack in the face/wallet, they are ultimately the ones to decide.

 

IMO, MH and T5 are the only lighting that are sufficient for clams, VHO isn't actually as bright as they are said to be. If you invest in a good MH or T5 fixture you'll be better off, as will the clam.