Clams with MH How Long???

[hypertek99]

How long should i keep metal halides on for calms???

 

[dad]

This is a loaded question. It depends on the bulbs that you have and where the clams are located?
A good guess would be the same as for your reef though.
Between 6 to 8 hours a day.
The best advice i can give is to keep a good eye on the clam/clams and watch for any color changes aroung the edges.
Also watch its mouth. If it opens up very large; it is probly very happy.
HTH in some small way,

 

[kc36330]

Originally posted by dad
Also watch its mouth. If it opens up very large; it is probly very happy.
HTH in some small way,
a clam that is gapping (intake spread open very large) is in stress and by no means happy.
kc

 

[007]

Originally posted by kc36330
a clam that is gapping (intake spread open very large) is in stress and by no means happy.
kc
agreed . . . . but also as previously mentioned, need to know a lot more info than what you gave us. i.e. type of clam, where it is in your tank, what size tank (depth in particular) and what kind of MH we are talking about.

 

[hypertek99]

I have a 29 gallon the clam is in the center on the sand. The sand is about 3 inches high. I'm using 250watt Metal Halides with 10K coralvue bulb. I ordered a Hamilton 14k so i'll put that on as soon as that gets here. The clam is a Crocea. Very pretty color is very blue and turquoise. I'll get a pic soon. What do you guys feed your clams and how often??? I have been dosing DT's every Wed and Sat. Is that ok???

 

[007]

Dosing the DT's is perfect . . . never spot feed a clam. You can cause serious even fatal damage if you do.
I would just leave the lights on for at least 6 hours. That should be fine.

 

[kc36330]

Originally posted by 007
. . . never spot feed a clam. You can cause serious even fatal damage if you do.

what do you concider spot feeding?
any clam under 3" in size needs to be target feed by placeing in a bowl of tank water and then haveing food added in an abundance to the bowl for it to feed. i prefer placing a 2 ltr coke bottle with the bottom cut off over my clams then use a turkey baster to add phytoplankton to the inside of the bottle and put the cap back on, let the clam eat. the water willl clear in about 2 min.
kc

 

[007]

Thats exactly how I do it . . . . allow the clam to consume the phyto by their own siphon.
When I said "spot feeding" I was implying using a turkey baster or similar device to force phytoplankton into the incurrent siphon. Not a good idea at all . . . .

 

[007]

BTW . . . I like the coke bottle method! Never thought of that one . . . I have been pulling the clam and its attached rock out of the tank and putting it into a bowl of tank water . . . the coke bottle is a much less traumatic method I think.

 

[overanalyzer]

Originally posted by 007
BTW . . . I like the coke bottle method! Never thought of that one . . . I have been pulling the clam and its attached rock out of the tank and putting it into a bowl of tank water . . . the coke bottle is a much less traumatic method I think.
I've been doing this on my new little fellow but I have not been closing the lid ... should I??? The bottle top looks like it is smoking a bit - so you think I am losing too much DT's?

 

[kc36330]

yes put the top back on or you'll loose a lot of the phyto as you have noticed. you can watch the phyto in the bottle as the clam feeds, it causes currents to flow and it's pretty neat to watch.
kc