agoutihead
Member
these things look so cool! are they hard to take care of? what special things should i know about before putting one in my tank. ive never even seen one at any of the lfs in my area. are these expensive or something? thanks!!
clams... are they hard to care for?
- Thread starter agoutihead
- Start date
agoutihead
Member
well i have the best possible light you can buy for a 55 gallon... it was like 400 bucks.. it is a
48" coralife deluxe series double linear strip w/lunar aqualight consisting of two 65 watt true actinic 03 blue, two 65 watt 10,000k day light straight pin compact flourescent lamps and three 3/4 watt lunar blue moon glow led lamps
would this be sufficient for clams??
also what are the water perameters that the clam needs to live in. what does it eat? and are they expensive? thanks!!
48" coralife deluxe series double linear strip w/lunar aqualight consisting of two 65 watt true actinic 03 blue, two 65 watt 10,000k day light straight pin compact flourescent lamps and three 3/4 watt lunar blue moon glow led lamps
would this be sufficient for clams??
also what are the water perameters that the clam needs to live in. what does it eat? and are they expensive? thanks!!
agoutihead
Member
what is the difference of the metal hallide lights compared to what i have? my guy at the lfs told me that this light is more than enough for a reef tank. umm its just a normal 55 gallon tank... so i think its maybe what 2 feet deep??
yaksplat
Member
your 55 is 21" deep
For clams you need MH lighting
check out this thread : https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/show...hreadid=147552
For clams you need MH lighting
check out this thread : https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/show...hreadid=147552
mpls man
Active Member
I think for what you spent on lighting, i have 542 watts for my 75 and i didn't even spend $350.00, i have 2-175MH'S and 2-96 watt pc's, i guess i would of went with MH'S , and shopped around . from what i've understood from MH'S you can get better growth and they have a better kevlan rating for the bulb, check around on this website to see what other people say, just my 2c.
infalable
Member
Hey MPLS Man, Can I inquire where you purchased your lighting. I am in the initial process of changing my lighting and most products I have seen are significantly more $$$$$$. If innappropriate for this forum, please e-mail at Blairf@ameritech.net. Thanks.
tony detroit
Active Member
I'm not going to call myself an expert, rather just call myself experienced. I've killed every clam I've ever tried to keep after a period of 5 months or so. I think about 6 clams.
jacknjill
Active Member
400 for those lights and they arent even metal halide? you got seriously ripped off. those arent the best possible lighting you can get, metal halides are. thats what ive got on my 55 along with two vhos and i think im gonna try a clam soon.they need halides to survive long term nad if you get small ones you have to hand feed them.
agoutihead
Member
hmm i really dont know if their metal halide or not... i think i read everything off of the box. the guy said that it was the light needed for a reef set up, so maybe it is?
thangbom
Active Member
im no expert or even close but i dont think they are halides...... well.. look at the bulbs yourself (light off pls) hehe anyways.. do u see any bulbs the size of a beer bottle?........ cuzz they could be vho or halide... if not.. im really sry to say owch..... 400 is a lot of $$$$ for some pc's....... the lights are probaly good enough for a reef... but probaly not enough for the high maintence and lighting coral...
smarls
Member
Agouti,
I run a similar set-up, 260 watts (50% 10k, and 50% actinic 03) over a 55, and it is tons of light for certain corals (softies and LPS corals). They are not hallides, they are PC lights.
So the guy at your LFS was accurate...to a degree...it is good enough for a reef, but not good enough for certain high light corals. You could easily keep softies, and most LPS etc.
BUT, it is NOT enough light for SPS corals or for most clams...just not enough light, and not intense enough.
Also, I am not sure how mature your tank is, but you would want to avoid clams until you had a pretty mature tank and have stable water parameters.
HTH
Stewart
I run a similar set-up, 260 watts (50% 10k, and 50% actinic 03) over a 55, and it is tons of light for certain corals (softies and LPS corals). They are not hallides, they are PC lights.
So the guy at your LFS was accurate...to a degree...it is good enough for a reef, but not good enough for certain high light corals. You could easily keep softies, and most LPS etc.
BUT, it is NOT enough light for SPS corals or for most clams...just not enough light, and not intense enough.
Also, I am not sure how mature your tank is, but you would want to avoid clams until you had a pretty mature tank and have stable water parameters.
HTH
Stewart
agoutihead
Member
hmm, my tank has only been up for maybe 3 months... so i know i still got a ways to go. water is perfect though!
golfish
Active Member
Originally posted by tony detroit
I'm not going to call myself an expert, rather just call myself experienced. I've killed every clam I've ever tried to keep after a period of 5 months or so. I think about 6 clams.
There was a time a few years ago that just about every clam out there was bound to die no matter how good your tank conditions were. Once you had an infected clam the rest were doomed. Even now you have to be a little carefull where you get your clams from.
I had great luck with clams back in eary 1999 to 2001, then around late 2001 we started seeing problems that lasted for 12-24 months. From what I've heard from my expert clam buddies these problems are all gone. If your still having problems its coming from your locals who have not "sanitized" thier tanks.
tony detroit
Active Member
I just flat out gave up on them. Love them, killed them.