Clams under PC's

[blindmelon]

Im really interesed in getting a clam for my tank. All water parameters are top notch and everything looks great. Will maximas be okay under 4 power compacts??

 

[ebsochin]

What size tank? How many watts? If you do, place it near the top of the tank and watch for any bleaching in color!

 

[sato]

Well the problem with PC lights is they dont penetrate as far down into the tank as VHO or MH lights so your going to need to place the clam at least in the middle. Clams need alot of light, at a minimum 5 w/g. Your best bet would be to take a cup shaped rock and place it somewhere near the middle/top of the tank and then fill it with sand, place the clam in that. Clams ar much happier when laying in a sand bed rather then just sitting wedged in rocks.

 

[sweetreef]

does it have to be a maxi clam?they have other lower light clams in my books are just as nice and you would have a better chance of it living like the maxi and other hi lighted clams will live with that light but will never keep there color..as if they where under mh lights

 

[nm reef]

If you are confident everything else is in order and if you have knowledge of their requirements I'd say a squamosa and/or derasa may be a consideration. Personally I'd avoid any of the other like maximas and crocias....they just require too much light to be considered under PC's and/or VHO's.
I attempted my first clam under 4x65 PC's and 2x110 VHO's in a 55 reef with success...but under the new MH and VHO lighting in the new display they have radically improved.
It is possible to keep carefully selected clams under less than MH's...but care does need to be taken.:thinking:

 

[bdhough]

Ill second NM Reef. No maximas or croceas. Try a squamosa or derasa preferably a derasa. If you get either you will have to place it mid level or higher. Keep in mind the derasas get big.

 

[blindmelon]

thanks alot for the replies guys:joy:
Yeah I'm pretty knowledgeable about what Im doing this is my second setup, my first being two years back. It was a 29 gallon with alot of soft corals, and some perculas....but then I upgraded this past august because i was working and i could afford it. Yeah it doesn't have to be a maxima, anything would do really Id just like to have a clam lol. I have additional room towards the front of the tank that I could devote some more lighting to, should I do that??? Should I upgrade my lighting before I even think about keeping a clam? I'll understand if you say "dont try that s##t!" or something lol.

 

[sato]

If you can upgrade then you should. Clams like light, the more light the better.
Also as they said earlier a Derasa would be a good choice, they are big and not as light intensive as Maximas and Croceas.

 

[sweetreef]

here is one of mine derasa you can do this clam with the light you have!!!

 

[blindmelon]

How could I set it up with like, 2 MH's? What would be a good amount of wattage and lighting to not only let the clam survive but get it to grow and prosper.
Sorry I have another question but it goes along with the other one...
What would be the suitable and ideal environment for a clam in a 46 gallon aquarium as far as lighting was concerned????
I haven't had any problems with water parameters on this setup and I'm confident that theyre ideal or else i wouldn't even think about investing in a clam. But the problem is the lights....

 

[blindmelon]

sweetreef thats NIIICCEE I like that haha which size aquarium is that in, your 45 gallon?

 

[sweetreef]

yes its in my 45 gallon...Blindmelon iam running a hamilton 1x250 mh 10k with 2x65 act pc lights on my 45 gallon tank and i have a crocea clam doing very will with the lights i have he is still up about 3/4 on the top of my tank crocea and maxi like it more on the rock work then being in the sand Dersera squamosa like it more on the sand bed but the do get big in time so if you have a happy dersera are squamosa in time they get pretty big the one in that pic is about 6 inches and thats still a baby...lol

 

[sweetreef]

And if you ask nmreef he has very nice pics of some clams he has in his system..

 

[sweetreef]

here is the pic of the light iam using

 

[blindmelon]

how much was that light fixture?? Id much rather have it on the sand bed rather than on a rock, so if theres anyway around that id rather go that route.