want a claim, yes or no

mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
Ok I always wanted a claim but since I don't have MH or a large tank, I have held off. But since reading several threads with BtlDreef saying the success he's having now I want one.
Tank peram.
20gal long, set up for 5 years
PC light 55wat 10,000k daylight & 55wat actinic
live rock 18pounds
crush coral substrate
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
PH 8.3
salinity 1.25
temp. 82
tank mates
hammer
disc coral
pumping Xenia
Zoanthid
all are doing well and my disc coral has reproduced 5 times.
Can I get a claim?
 
nycbob

nycbob

Active Member
lets not get wise here. all of ur corals r not light depending. with 2 pc bulbs over a 20, its gonna to be hard for clams to be happy. i cant say 100% certain u wont hv success. if u hv the $$, go for it. if u dont try, u wont know. let me warn u though, the clam could do well for 2 months, and all of a sudden it could just deteriorate. everyone's tank is different, so if u r confident, gv it a shot.
 
mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
lol, love spell check spelled claim correct. Just as I thought will need to up grade. T5 are confusing they are much less watts, do you still need about 4.5 watts per gal. in T5's?
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Yup, mine is doing great.
I'm on my phone, I will give you a write up on how I'm having success when I get home.
 
mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
Thanks, BTLDeef I did the math you are running at 3.43 watts per gal and I have 5.5 watts per gal. How close do you have it from your light, it must be on a rock so is it in sand or directly on the rock?
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
It's not so much the watts as quality and par rating given off them. I agree with Power Compacts not being a good clam light. They're ok for softies and leathers and that's about it IMO. Highly overrated in reef lighting -- plus they need to be changed out more often.
 
wangotango

wangotango

Active Member
Originally Posted by Mr. Limpid
http:///forum/post/3212830
so if I go to T5's what size bulbs and how many? Is there watt per gal scale for T5's?
There isn't for any lighting.
Four 24w T5ho would be enough. TEK makes a pretty good fixture for the price.
-Justin
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator

Originally Posted by Mr. Limpid
http:///forum/post/3212795
Thanks, BTLDeef I did the math you are running at 3.43 watts per gal and I have 5.5 watts per gal. How close do you have it from your light, it must be on a rock so is it in sand or directly on the rock?
Well, I don't consider it to be that many watts per gallon, I try not to count the actinic at their fullest since they're not that beneficial to corals or clams. PC's are fine for our smaller tanks, if you keep the clam close to the light, you should be okay. By the way, I only change my bulbs once a year (1 24 watt 10K Coralife daylight and 1 24 watt 420nm Coralife Actinic). I do not replace the bulbs at the same time and it takes about a week for the daylight to break in and reach it's full potential. What's even more important than the lighting is the water parameters, they MUST remain consistent. The clam needs consistent water parameters and Ca and dKH must be perfect. Mine are around 460-500ppm Ca and 10dKH. Yes, I dose (see below).
My clam is about 2/3 the way up on a rock. It has a tiny dab of glue keeping it in place because my evil clownfish kept knocking it down (I do not recommend doing this, and when I say tiny dab of glue, I mean I could pull the clam right off the rock). I had done a lot of research about this clam before I bought one and a lot of what I was reading said that Maxima clams can attach themselves to the bottom glass in the tank as they grow, especially if you do not have 4" or more of depth to your sand bed (something most of us don't have in a nano) so I chose to keep it in the rocks. I also wanted to try to keep it as close to the lights as possible.
Here's my thread so you can see where the clam is placed: https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/vb/s...d.php?t=369045
My actinic ballast went bad and I'm waiting for a new one, I'll take pics again when I get the new ballast, but the clam is still continuing to do really well and is growing like crazy.
Lighting schedule:
7am-9am Actinic only
9am-6pm Daylight and Actinic
6pm-8pm Actinic only
Dosing
**Weekly 15-20% water changes**
Brightwell Aquatics Calcium and Alkalinity 2 part Reef Code A and B. I dose about once a week, if that, I always test before dosing.
I also add CaribSea Purple Up once or twice a week. (Before I get scolded for this because I know this is controversial on this forum: I use a tiny amount and I have used this product for years without an issues. I know many other people that use it as well. The people that have issues with this stuff are the ones that follow the directions and in doing so, overdose their tank. If you're going to use this stuff, you need to use a very small amount. One 16oz bottle lasts me over 9 months for both my 14G and my 155G).
Feeding
Brightwell Aquatics Reef Snow - 2x per week (only about 5-10 drops mixed into 8oz of tank water)
Boyd's VitaChem w/ Omega-3s - EVERY DAY - 5-10 drops mixed into fish food (2x per day) + 3 drops to tank 1x per day
**I firmly believe that the vitamins are really helping**
TiggerPods - 1x every 2-3 weeks - hard to find where I live
There is plankton in the food that I feed my fish, so the clam may also be catching a little of that each day, but it would be a very minimal amount since I don't feed very much to this tank.
Water Parameters - as of 5:45PM
Nitrates: 0 or undetectable
Phosphates: 0 or undetectable
dKH: 10 (if this drops to 9, I add a buffer - it's really the only time I dose the buffer)
Ca: 500ppm at the moment - did a water change AND dosed yesterday on accident

Ph: 8.3
SG: 1.025
Temperature: 80F (remember, the lights have been on all day at the point - starting temp in the morning is about 78.5 and I do run a heater on this tank)
Other things I use:
Brightwell Aquatics Coral Amino - 1-2x a week (just starting using this in the past two weeks)
Brightwell Aquatics Koral Color - every day (also just starting using this in the past two weeks and just now I'm starting to notice a difference)
My filtration
10lbs live sand
20lbs of live rock
NO SKIMMER
ChemiPure Elite with filter foam on top, change the filter foam weekly and the ChemiPure Elite every 2 1/2 months.
Currently no refugium or LR in sump
 
nycbob

nycbob

Active Member
we measure success by how long the livestocks live in our tanks. long-term, clams just dont do well under power compact. doing well means its growing and thriving. a clam can slowly starve and die over period of months. 4 t5 bulbs over ur 20 gallon should be sufficient.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
It is growing and thriving AND this is not the first clam I've kept in this tank. When they reach about 4", I sell them. (I buy them at 1- 1 1/2 inches). I've kept maxima clams under PC's in this tank for years, this is just the newest one I'm doing it with.
By no way am I saying that everyone should go out and buy a clam and stick it under PC lighting. It's not the norm at all. But if you really want to try it, look for a healthy specimen and give it a go. Some people have success, some don't. I currently am and have in the past as well.
 
nycbob

nycbob

Active Member
u probably hv a lot more experience than the average hobbyists. the average hobbyist should really get better lights to increase the chance of success. but like i said previously, if he/she has the $$, go for it, bc you never know.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Originally Posted by nycbob
http:///forum/post/3213028
u probably hv a lot more experience than the average hobbyists. the average hobbyist should really get better lights to increase the chance of success. but like i said previously, if he/she has the $$, go for it, bc you never know.
Agreed.
It sounds like he really wants to give it a go. I wouldn't recommend it to the average or new person in the hobby.
To the OP: You really have to be on top of the tank (my husband and I basically live with our hands in the tank). If you're set on getting on, I highly recommend shopping around and finding a very healthy specimen. More than likely it will be under halides. You want to look for a specimen that will most likely be under halides, but very deep in the tank. DO NOT buy a specimen that is under halides in a frag tank, it will die when you try to place it under PCs. Acclimate slowly and properly. Keep your water parameters steady and pristine. Daylights on for at least 9 hours a day, the clam needs every ounce of the light.
AND one of the biggest mistakes that people make with clams, especially small ones: DO NOT OVERFEED OR FEED PIECES THAT ARE LARGER THAN THE CLAM CAN HANDLE! It can "clog" the clam and it will die (basically chokes to death).
 
mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
Thanks to all for the great response. I think I will wait till I get the T5's lights. I rather wait then take another life, one thing I learned in this hobby is patience and has the right equipment.
One more thing BTLDeef you said "water parameters, they MUST remain consistent" mine do except salt levels. I top of about 1/2 to 3/4 quarts twice a day, range between 1.025 to 1.029. I have no top on tank for maximum light to coral. Is this problem for clams?
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
Calcium and alk do not need to be perfect to keep clams. If you want to grow them yes -- but to survive no. I have let my calcium slip down to 280ppm before without ill effects to my crocea, derasa or maxima. Granted they didn't grow they also didn't suffer. A healthy clam in a healthy environment with ample lighting should be a piece of cake to keep.
I do keep my calc around 420ppm, alk 10 dkh and mag at 1350 now and dose for them but it hasn't affected the health of the clams, just causes them to grow faster which with a 7-8" derasa running out of room may not always be a good thing. Guess I'm moving out live rock :)
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
Originally Posted by Mr. Limpid
http:///forum/post/3213556
I have no top on tank for maximum light to coral. Is this problem for clams?
I prefer this approach to my tanks. Maximum light exposure and great for gas exchange. It's the only way I'd run a saltwater tank.
 
mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
That is the main reason I don't want a derasa because I only have a 20 gal tank it wont be happy when there is more clam then water. So jackri you also have allot of evaporation then must not be a problem for your clam?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top