Question about aqualight.

[longx412]

I have a 48" aqualight double stripe. My question is how long should I set it up for? Tank is been set up for just a lil over 2 months. I have 2 clams, and 4 other type of easy to take care of corals/mushroom. Before I used to turn them on for about 7 hours. 1 hour of the actinic and then 5 hours of the power flouresent then 1 hour of actinic again. But today i'm starting a 1 hour actinic then leave one hour of space inbetween til the power flouresent comes on. Leaving that light on for 8 hours and then leaving another one hour of space and turn on the actinic for the last hour. So total of 10 hours. What do you guys think?

 

[cope787]

i dont think that is enough light for the clams

 

[bdhough]

Um. You should run the actinics one hour before and after the 10k goes on and off respectively. Leave both on at the same time? It sounds like you turn the actinic off which is a no no. I do a 10 hour cycle with actinics one hour before and after the 10ks go off.

 

[longx412]

Yeah I turn them off when my 10K goes on. I made it clear to the fish store guy if I should turn both on at the same time? Ok I guess I've been doing this all wrong for the past month. OUCH on me. So my clams won't be too happy with my light?

 

[dzones]

I have been told VHO or Metal halides for clams. even the lower wattage halides require the clam(s) to be up higher than the sandbed. They may survive under lower lighting but they will not flourish.

 

[sammystingray]

260 watts right? The clams are doomed in the tank.....sorry, but the truth. 260 watts spread over 4 feet is nothing for a clam. If you are set on keeping them.....which I don't recommend......leave EVERY light on for atleast 12 hours........dawn/dusk effect doesn't matter with weak lighting......high powered halides are when it matters more. PC and VHO? dawn/dusk matters little except to the human eye......260 watts coming on all at once will not shock anything......burn them all....i would rather you took the clams back, but that's up to you......