Metal Halide and clam requirements?

[hurt]

Would two 175w be enough for clams, or would I have to get 250's. I currently have 260w of pc over my 55g. I want to get clams so naturally I'm gonna have to get MH. I also plan on incorporating at least two of the four pc bulb into this new setup. Also, my tank is 21 in. deep. Thanks.

 

[marvida]

If you haven't bought them yet, I would suggest you go with 250 watt HQI's. Clams are light eating monsters!

 

[tizzo]

Yeah, I had the 175's and he started getting all splotchy. I had to (inconvenient to me) move him to the very tip/top rock. I recently upgraded to 250's now when I redo my tank, I am free to put him where I want. There isn't much of a cost diff between the two anyway...

 

[brooklyn johnny]

I also recommend the 250 watt HQIs which I keep on my 24 inch deep 65 gallon with all five species of clam on the sandbed... you could go with 175s but with those you'd be limited to derasa and squamosa on the sandbed and crocea and maxima would have to be up high in the tank...

 

[sailfin]

If you are in the buying stages and money isn't an object get the MH's. Check around. I have seen many tanks with all different clams w/o MH's. They are doing fine also. There's another forum you may want to check out. E-mail me at antnyh@msn.com.

 

[hurt]

I wouldn't go as far as to say money isn't an object, but at the same time I don't want something cheap that is going to break. It looks like I will go with 2 250's. I found a complete retro kit on e-bay for 215. This include the ballasts, sockets, and mogul bulbs. Is this a good deal or are they cheap. The ballast are 2 Advance M58 magnetic ballasts. I plan on making a canopy and putting in the MH with at least 2 65w pc and possible 4 65w pc. Would this be too much light or should I just use two pc's.
http://cgi.----.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ayphotohosting

 

[hurt]

anyone?

 

[marvida]

Those look pretty good. Hopefully, in the next year or so, I'm going to put a frag tank together & when/if I do, I plan on using that retro kit.

 

[reefer44]

although john knows much more about clams then me i have to disagree.........i had a 2 inch maxima (at very bottom of tank) grow into a 4 inch in about 6 months (slow but still shows its doing fine) under my dual 175w 10k Xm bulbs on my 55.............................although in my new tank i have expanned my collection to three maxima's (going for about 10) that are doing very good under 250w's.....so if you want to spend more money go with 250 but if you want softies and clams go with 175w
Brad

 

[flatzboy]

Originally posted by Hurt
I wouldn't go as far as to say money isn't an object, but at the same time I don't want something cheap that is going to break. It looks like I will go with 2 250's. I found a complete retro kit on e-bay for 215. This include the ballasts, sockets, and mogul bulbs. Is this a good deal or are they cheap. The ballast are 2 Advance M58 magnetic ballasts. I plan on making a canopy and putting in the MH with at least 2 65w pc and possible 4 65w pc. Would this be too much light or should I just use two pc's.
http://cgi.----.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ayphotohosting
I have that same retro but the 2x175 watt and it workd great go with the 13k bulbs because there kinda cheapo bulbs and I got the 13ks and they look like a 10k. I was gonna go with the 250 watt ones but I was worried about heat and don't have the money to spend on a chiller.

 

[flatzboy]

Originally posted by reefer44
although john knows much more about clams then me i have to disagree.........i had a 2 inch maxima (at very bottom of tank) grow into a 4 inch in about 6 months (slow but still shows its doing fine) under my dual 175w 10k Xm bulbs on my 55.............................although in my new tank i have expanned my collection to three maxima's (going for about 10) that are doing very good under 250w's.....so if you want to spend more money go with 250 but if you want softies and clams go with 175w
Brad
Also reefer44 i'm dieing to see pics of your 180g. tank!!! Please make another thread and put lots of pics in it. Also how was the color of your sps under the 175 watt halides? What about the growth? Did the clams show a good color?
Later,
Rhett

 

[golfish]

Originally posted by Hurt
. The ballast are 2 Advance M58 magnetic ballasts. I plan on making a canopy and putting in the MH with at least 2 65w pc and possible 4 65w pc. Would this be too much light or should I just use two pc's.

That's a sweet deal. I've seen that posted a few times on different BB's. IMO, you can't beat it. I'm even thinking about getting a set for another project.
I think two Ushio 10K bulbs and 2x65 watt actinics will give you a sweet looking tank. You can always add 2 more PC's later on.
I know people are not going to like this but here a link to a pic of a Crocea clam I had in my old 55...The lighting was 4x55 watt PC's and 2x40 watt NO actinics. The clam was only about 5" from the top
http://hometown.aol.com/golfish49/images/crocea.jpg

 

[flatzboy]

Originally posted by golfish
That's a sweet deal. I've seen that posted a few times on different BB's. IMO, you can't beat it. I'm even thinking about getting a set for another project.
I think two Ushio 10K bulbs and 2x65 watt actinics will give you a sweet looking tank. You can always add 2 more PC's later on.
I know people are not going to like this but here a link to a pic of a Crocea clam I had in my old 55...The lighting was 4x55 watt PC's and 2x40 watt NO actinics. The clam was only about 5" from the top
http://hometown.aol.com/golfish49/images/crocea.jpg
Yeah mine running good so far, and goldfish is that green star polips growing on the clam if so that is sweet!!!!

 

[hurt]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their input. These message boards have been a huge help to me and my reef is really starting to come along.

 

[smickied]

Off topic: But I'd like to thank you about the E-bay lighting company I've been cheking out their 250w 75x2 retro for about the last month and have been a little "sketchy." Today my wife got me a gift certificate for e-bay to buy the retro kit and I feel a little more confident hearing from people who have gotten their lights!
Thanks

 

[hurt]

Also, would installing all of my current pc lighting be too much in addition to 2 250 MH's. That would 260w of pc or should I just use 2 pc lights for 130w pc.

 

[golfish]

Originally posted by FLATZBOY
Yeah mine running good so far, and goldfish is that green star polips growing on the clam if so that is sweet!!!!

yeah, GSP on one side and if you look close you can see Xenia growing on the other side..That clam did real well in that tank. I had to get rid of it tho, when I setup my old 150 (way back when) I didn't wan't the GSP in there (sps tank) and by that time the clam had really burried itself in the rock..
BTW, who's goldfish?

 

[phoenixrising]

BTW, who's goldfish?
Hmmm...reaching into the recesses of the memory banks...AKA Golfish or BigMac?

 

[wrassefan]

IMO, it depends on what type of clams you want to keep. Squamosas and Derasas need less light. They can be on the sand with 175s. The crocea and maximas need more. On the rocks 1/2 way up the tank should be fine. 250's are nice if you didn't already have the 175s. I have a squamosa under T5s on the bottom sand (22" deep) and a max and crocea on the rocks about a 1/3 of the way up in a mostly sps dominated tank.

 

[flatzboy]

Originally posted by golfish
yeah, GSP on one side and if you look close you can see Xenia growing on the other side..That clam did real well in that tank. I had to get rid of it tho, when I setup my old 150 (way back when) I didn't wan't the GSP in there (sps tank) and by that time the clam had really burried itself in the rock..
BTW, who's goldfish?
oops, sorry I must have not of been thinking!! lol my bad

:hilarious