Help my nerves

[halamaya]

I have jumped into to things too quickly and went off my model plan. I got a Derasa clam with my tank only 5 weeks old. I have 327 watts of reef 50/50 lighting. Does my poor friend have a chance?

I have not tested magnesium, iodine, or any other trace elements except calcium which is about 550. My nitrates are zero with everything else but my ph is fluctuatin from 8.1 - 8.4 might of even hit 8. When lights are off ph is higher and lower when on (like normal.) Also it has gotten a lot colder and my temp is going to between 76.3 - 77.4 or .5. Should I get another small heater? Mine is underwater, rated for 75 gallons and I have a 55gal. I also got a fire shrimp at the same time ordered them from SWF.com. They came in great health hope I don't hurt them.

 

[yosemite sam]

Originally Posted by Halamaya
When lights are off ph is higher and lower when on (like normal.)
This should be the reverse. My PH is about 8.18-8.15 right before the lights come one and 8.4 right before lights out.
As far as your clam goes, take it back to the store, or if you bought it online, find someone locally to take it off your hands. Your tank is way too young to have a clam, and your water parameters (your calcium is too high, for example) are not stable enough. I would wait minimum of 6 months or so before adding anything like a clam.

 

[rldavisou]

Are you sure your test kits aren't malfunctioning? I just attended a lecture on calcium/alkalinity by a college chem prof, and he said 450 calcium was almost saturated. Unless your alk is low, I'd think you'd be having a lot of precipitate in your tank. Don't mean to hijack your thread, just making sure that's not a typo.
Agreed that 5 weeks it too young of a tank for a clam. It sounds like your tank is fully cycled, but it takes a long time to fully stabilize.
Oh, yeah, and Ph should be higher when lights are on. One reason is that photosynthesis stops at lights out. Photosynthesis removes CO2 from the water, and CO2 lowers Ph really quickly.

 

[halamaya]

I did purchase online. My LFS would not have let me make this mistake. Is there anything I can do to help my clam out or em I doomed to watch him die? This is not what I want, I will do another calcium test tomorrow. The ph does seem to be down after the lights have been one for a few hours though and up later at night. Thanks for all teh help as you can see i need it. I em learning a lot everyday.

 

[yosemite sam]

Originally Posted by Halamaya
Is there anything I can do to help my clam out or em I doomed to watch him die?
Try and take him to the LFS for credit, or find a local reefer to sell it to.

 

[dennis210]

You may or may not be in trouble with the clam. Your tank ia young, but with good husbandry you may prevail. Monitor tank daily. Concentrate on just the basics - Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, alkalinity, calcium, and pH.
Get a heater that will get your tank up to 79 - 80 degrees F.
Every time either Ammonie, nitrite, or nitrate shows up perform a 5 gallon water change. You want all at zero!
Find a buffer system you can easily use. I like Kent's Turbo Calcium and
Good luck

Dennis

 

[halamaya]

Thanks Dennis this is what I have been doing, Heats up in the tank now. This is the method I have been using so far. Wish me nad my clam luck.

 

[yosemite sam]