Now can I keep clams??

[katara]

I just ordered 2x175 mh's to combine w/2x96 pc's, will this be enough to keep a clam in my 55 (long)?If so, am I going to be limited to a squamosa??Thank you in advance for any help.

 

[bdhough]

most definitely. If you are unsure keep them directly below the light where its most intense and then if you want to move them spread them out. You should be fine

 

[katara]

My tank has been up for 1yr & 9months and my ca is at 400 and don't know about alk .Trites/trates undetectable,ph 8.2.
LotsaSofties and 1 lm blennie,1 coral beauty,1 pj cardinal,2 percs.
6"dsb,60 lbs.lr,No probs in at least 1 year except some hair algae that has been gone for months.
Huh,huh,huh..can I??lol.

 

[bdhough]

The guys at work keep a stunning sps 120 display. There are two 10 inch clams in there. They frag all the sps's all the time. They add kents essential elements and coral vite every now and again. They keep the calcium and kh up. Clams are very much photo synthetic. Their color is a symbiotic algae. I think they need strontium but if you add essential elements or do water changes that may take care of that need.

 

[katara]

Woohoooo!!Thanks to you both!

 

[katara]

Wait, I forgot to ask, what are ORA clams?Can I get any kind of clam I want?

 

[katara]

DvSkin:
"Clam Adventure" sounds great to me Thanks for your help.
Can anyone tell me if I can keep any clam or am I limited to certain ones???

 

[john reed]

I sold a friend of mine my 65 gallon reef. when he took it home and set it up he purchased 3 clams not sure what kind but my old cleaner shrimp, fire shrimp & sally light foots ate them. Just for what its worth.

 

[bang guy]

The clams sold here at SWF.COM are also AquaCultured and I agree, that's the way to go. With your lighting I'd start with a Maxima and pay close attention to (read - document) the growth rate. If you have excellent growth rate you could try a Crocea. I don't recommend a Squamosa because they quickly get too large for a 55 unless you turn them sideways.
Get an ALK kit and research the ALK - Ca relationship. Broomer did a post a while back that explained it very well.

 

[katara]

ok..now I feel more comfortable taking the "clam-plunge".
Thanks again everyone for your input,I think I'll start w/a maxima since squamosa's really don't offer too vibrant a color variety.

 

[wrassecal]

Katara - just a thought. Since you are adding 2 175 mh's your softies may have to adjust to the new lighting instensity. If they have any problems you may have to acclimate them by decreasing your lighting time quite a bit and then bringing the time up. You might want to make sure your softies are happy witha full lighting time period before buying the clams. Oh yeah, and I'm jealous, I don't have my mh yet so no clams for me

 

[bang guy]

Wrassecal made an outstanding point. Wish I had thought of it.

 

[katara]

Ok..thanks wrassecal & everyone else.
I was gonna change my 2 pc's to actinic for ballasts,should I wait on that and keep them 50/50 to use while slowly adding the mh?
Geez..so many ???
By the way wrassecal, there's no way I'd have these mh's but I ran into a hell of a deal..$165 shipped and only used 2 months
It's my anniversary gift to myself

 

[wrassecal]

I'd make the full change at once and acclimate them to the "new setup", then no other acclimation needed, although that particular change won't make near the impact of the mh if any.

 

[wrassecal]

Originally posted by Bang Guy
Wrassecal made an outstanding point. Wish I had thought of it.
I'm going to frame that and put it on the wall