Clam lighting

[DonW]

I certainly agree on the owner part. However, I notice that you are starting your next tank with dead rock and dead sand, removing any of the potential problems I was talking about. Using imported live rock in particular, toxins from slowly dying organisms can definitely take longer than just the completion of the nitrogen cycle. Certainly many people are successful putting in lots of livestock in an immature tank, but the nitrogen cycle isn't the only thing going on.

Josh

That makes no sense. I'd like to speak for Joker. I fully understand that he has a new system and is new to reef keeping. I'm pretty sure he is also aware of this. He has been told time and time again to take it slow. This thread was not started about reef chemistry or bio stability. Wether he wants clams or not I think we can let up on the moving slowly lectures and stick to the subject at hand, which is clam lighting.
Please dont bring me or my beliefs into your misconceptions. I do things the way I do for my own personal benefit and could care less about going by the "book". I want all dead rock and dead sand because I dont trust hobbiest and definatly cant count on that fact that I will get pest free LR or LS from the LFS. If its dead I have no pest. The bacteria and nitogen cycle is the easy part. LR or dead will shed for a long time and the bacteria will keep up with this on its own after the inital cycle period. The rest of the stability issues is up to the owner.
My comment about the owner needing stability was only patially joking and poking fun, it also has a bit of truth. Once a reefkeeper learns to keep the tanks water parameters stable there is no reason why he needs to wait a year to start adding clams and other delicate livestock.
Conversation is a big part of RF wether its repetitive or not. Personally I dislike the "use the search function" type response. This hobby changes way to fast and the archives are full of old outdated inaccurate information.

Don

 

[JoshF]

Frankly Don, I think you're reading something into my posting that isn't there. Let's take that to PM to avoid distracting the thread.

Joker, to be clear, I would like to reiterate the following. We're all rooting for you. There's also lots of great info in the not so distant past threads. You may find some of it changing over time, and some of it contradictory, but in it you may find the opinions of hundreds of aquarists, not just the 3-6 that respond to an individual thread. If it's more than a few years old on a rapidly changing topic, read it with a grain of salt. Also, apparently Don thought I was making fun of you somehow with your inexperience. This couldn't be further from the truth. Regardless, we're all here to learn, help each other, and help ourselves. And frankly, none of us can have too many reminders to slow down and enjoy our tanks for what we have.

Josh

P.S. If you ever get a clam, Don is a great reference as he's grown some beautiful enormous clams over the years and I generally make a point of reading his posts to learn something.

 

[corey]

i have kept clams under PC's in the past. a general consensus (and IME) is it not a good idea. regardless of what you read in books or other people tell you, ALL of the Tridacnids and Hippopus clams are most commonly found in very shallow water. they all are primarily photosynthetic and rely on very intense light to feed the zoox they house, to in turn feed them.

the problem with PC lighting is the bulb its self. PC bulbs have 2 (or more) tubes right next to one another. kinda like this O-O, there is no way to reflect the light with any efficiency. all the light between the quote marks and the hyphen get reflected right back into the bulb "O-O". thats about 40% of the light comming from the bulb that is wasted. this wasted energy that is reflected back into the bulb builds heat which drops the intensity of the bulb and shortens the bulb life.

it is possible to keep even the higher light demanding Tridacnid under PC's long term, but you will need to keep them high in the tank and change the bulbs at least 2x if not 3x per year.

when i say long term , im talking years. keeping a clam for a few months, 6 months or almost a year isnt a success (in my book) it can take clams that appear healthy in every other way over a year to slowly starve to death.

i agreee i have pc lighting and have dersa, crocea, and a maxima and they do great, but you do have to make sure that you change your bulbs at least 2x a year or there color will start to fade, know from experience, also putting in new bulbs will bring the color back, i have had my clams for a good 5 year under pc lighting, so yes it can be done

 

[Reeferdude]

2.5 years under pc's for mine.

 

[briang]

None at all. Even the least light demanding clams require T5HO or MH lighting.

1-1/2 years under 390 watts of PC's, 11 inches deap at the mantel. Growing and very healthy

 

[briang]

My 260 watt light is 10,000 K and actinics, My 130 watt bulbs are 50-50. I guess I'm lucky. Also I might note that my lights are directly on tank. Not raised above it.

 

[trillyen]

great question cause i soon want clams also man. but im gonna have mine under about 500 watts of metal halide 12 k lighting and 220 watts of vho, and moon lighting so theyll always be lite up, but im gonna wait til my tank is about 6 months mature!!!

great thread!!

 

[Barry N.]

but im gonna have mine under about 500 watts of metal halide 12 k

Be sure to acclimate the clam to your lighting to avoid shock.

 

[trillyen]

how do u do that???

 

[skinz78]

Put the clam in the tank on the bottom. Add some "5-6" layers of window screening directly above the clam under the light to create some shade. Slowly remove the layers over a period of a week or two. Then slowly start to move the clam up on the rocks to where you want it to be.

 

[warforged]

The Confrontational feel in here has got to go. These questions help everyday forum trolls like me learn...

So even if some side topic goes one way or another its good information for those of us who just read your posts vs participate in discussion....

Keep the info flowing..and lets stop this confrontational feeling around here please. This isnt the gamers forums full of elite jerks...I wish this place avoid being that way.

 

[warforged]

Well it's just, I want to hear information about what I ask..aka why i ask it! So I mean of course when I hear you telling me to save you guys some time like I'm not worth it or something of course i'm going to take offense

Then grow some thicker skin.. cause I thinks you take things too sensitively.

I know what you mean in sympathy for the way you feel... Some posters here are a bit cold and come off abrasive or down right elite jerkish.

I dont think they mean to ...its just how they communicate text wise...we got to remember Text doesn't truely express communication as well as speach so dont take the sometimes untactful responses the wrong way.

I honestly dont think anyone in here means to be abrasive in there responses or seem so cold... just some people dont realize how they are "Perceived" on the receiving end of a text conversation.

Perception is a beach sometimes....you can get the wrong impression often in a forums atmosphere.


ON TOPIC:

I would like to add im a ******* impatient person after reading all this info.

My tank is 6 weeks old (my new one) .... I have MH and PC Actinics 8.9wats a gallon .....I put a max clam in my tank... and hes deep purple and happy....

Though my tank is still new and probably has more cycling to go through....all my corals and current livestock are doing great....ive only lost a bubble anemone (clown attacks), emerald crab (rock fell on him), and Dragon aka raindeer Wrasse (swimmer crab got him!), SPS coral cause I put it in too early.