2.5" ORA Maxima under 111w PC in a 12 tall?

[B16A2NR]

Alright I've done a lot of research in different tridacna clams particularly blue maximas. I have read peoples questions and answers to PC lighting and clams but I need some input for my system. I managed to stuff 111w of PC in my 20" custom canopy. 32w 50-50, 28w 50-50, 36w actinic, 15w 50-50 and 4w led moonlighting. I understand this high of evaporation levels leads to fluctuation of salinity so I made an air driven top off system with a float switch. I also lined the entire canopy with aluminum foil which gives off an excellent shimmer and more efficient reflection of light. I want to put in a 2.5" ORA cultured Maxima on the sand bed of my tank. I would feed once a week in a container with kent chromaplex, any other feeding comes from the top off (kalk, lugols, strontium, coralvite). Tank has been running for over a year, very stable conditions. I am worried that the lighting intensity isn't great enough to support the mantle's vibrant color long term. Has any one had any similar experiences with this setup? I literally have no more room for PC lighting under the hood, I might be able to fit a 70w halide 20k bulb but my evaporation level is already through the roof. Someone give me the green light or the red light weather or not I can support the clam.
Thanks
Todd

http://www.nano-reef.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=492&password=&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

 

[Peabody]

I wouldn't do it. I had a 15gallon (short) tank and upgraded to a 175mh just to get a maxima. The danger isn't that the clam would lose it's color, it's that the clam would die. (They usually look great and then are gone the next day).

I've seen clam after clam after clam at my local LFS die under PCs in their show tanks (10g, 15g, and 75g, all with tons of PCs) alongside thriving corals and inverts. 99.5% of the time, maximas don't live for more than a little while under PCs, and NEVER on the sandbed.

Hate to say it, but unless you put a MH bulb over there (and even 70w is low for a tall tank and highk bulb), I wouldn't do it....it's just probably not fair to the animal.

Best of luck!

 

[piercho]

Todd,

welcome to RC. I looked at the pic of your very nice 12G but have a hard time gaging light intensity from a pic. None of the inverts you currently keep have especially high light requirments.

My opinion is, its not how many watts of light you put over the tank, but how much light energy makes it to the bottom. You will need to push the light intensity past a threshold level where the clam can make use of it. Less watts in a superior reflector will punch much more light to the bottom of a tank than lots of watts with a flat-panel reflector.

I've used PC for clams (with a parabolic reflector) in a small isolation tank and managed to keep a Squamosa in that tank for a couple of months with no loss of color and an increase in shell size. During that time I fed the tank DT's phytoplankton. I've also seen a large derasa grown from a baby to 9+ inches under VHO with no feeding. So, some clams can prosper under flourescent light.

The more colorful clams also need higher light intensities than browner clams, at least to maintain their color. My gold max, and my green squamosa seem to be fine in much lower light intensity than my blue max.

My gut feeling is that you have enough light, but I'd provide the clam some additional nutrition over what it gets in the tank. What you are using for phyto wouldn't be my choice. DT's, Tahitian Blend, and other live, inert, or cryo-preserved inert phytoplankton work and are in wide use in the hobby. I would also be cautious when using lugols and strontium. These might be benefical, but can be toxic if levels are pushed above natural levels.

So:
I'd go ahead and try it. IMO your chances will improve with feeding (that works). You might re-think your choice of clam. You might re-think your chemical dosing regimine.

 

[rbattle]

I may be mistaken, but it looks like you are putting strontium, lugols and coralvite in your kalkwasser. The kalk just precipitates the strontium for sure, and I dont think any of that is necesarry for any tank, besides the kalk. Chromaplex is almost worthless bottled water as well. If you are going to keep a clam, I would upgrade your lighting, get good alk and calc reads steady by testing regularly, and stop adding all of those things you can't test for or are not much of anything. I do believe that DT's is great for clams (well, I know it is). Hope this helps!

Rush

 

[john76]

I didi it in a 15gallon long under 2x65watt pc's. I broke this tank down and moved the clam to my 55 though. I got sick of taking care of two tanks.

 

[B16A2NR]

How long was the maxima in the 15 long before you moved him into the 55?

 

[holeinone1972]

111 watts is simply not enough.

Beyond lighting you have other things to worry about.

Water chemistry. Trying to keep salinity, temp and calcium levels very steady in such a small tank is tough.

Rob

 

[Peabody]

If you don't listen to me, listen to a clam dealer Rob is correct....wait until you have a tank with appropriate lighting, etc.

In the mean time, it sounds like you have the start of a killer little tank! It's just not right for clams.

Best of luck!

 

[john76]

The clam was in there for about 5-6 months before I moved it.

Nice tank by the way............

 

[joereefer]

can anyone reccomend a clam that would do well in a 46 gal reef w/ a pc that has2-96 watt bulbs (1 white,1 actinic)?

 

[Peabody]

You're limited to Derasa, Squamosa, and Hippopus. But, the light is still on the low side. THey would maybe survive, but "do well"? Probably not. If you add another 96w 10k you might be fine. Try a hippopus if you really want a clam

 

[B16A2NR]

Another question regarding lighting. If I added the 70 watt halide would my colt coral, toadstool, frogspawn, gsp, or zoos suffer because of it? They are all placed 10-15 inches from the light source. Of course I would run a very short halide period to begin with and gradually increase over a few months.

Todd

 

[Peabody]

Nope...that would be just fine!

 

[Pyrrhus]

hate to argue with everyone who is against keeping clams under pc lighting but i asked Dr. Ron Shimek this same questoin about my 10g nano he said the light was sufficient for the clam to thrive but until it reaches 6-8 inches in size it will need LOTS of phyto plankton. MH is just not necessary unless you need to penetrate a lot of water depth.

 

[Pyrrhus]

heres the direct link to my question directed to Dr. Ron
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=342967

 

[Peabody]

In all due respect Dr. Ron is not correct. He has never kept a clam in his life (he has stated this many times). Small tank after small tank with PCs has lost clams. This is due to lack of light and instable conditions usually. Most perish within 6 months....not a smart buy unless you have sufficient light and a VERY stable tank.

Case in point...my LFS has had a 10g with 96w PCs setup and doing well for years. Clams die after 4-5 months in it. All other corals do just fine.

 

[Peabody]

If you don't believe me, look at what the clam dealer above said .....enjoy keeping other animals and save the clams for other tanks

 

[Pyrrhus]

Ok so pc is not sufficient light. What if I were to put for instance and 75w halide, with supplemental actinics would that somehow be better? Im not really understanding how? I do have the time and effort to keep all parameters in my tank stable lighting is IMO the only parameter that i may need to address.

 

[Pyrrhus]

I mean isnt a 10k bulb a 10k bulb whether it is mh or pc? penetrating 10" of water doesnt seem like much work for either.

 

[piercho]

I mean isnt a 10k bulb a 10k bulb whether it is mh or pc? penetrating 10" of water doesnt seem like much work for either.

Absolutely not. And a "10K" bulb isn't a "10K" bulb even when they are both MH, either! The intensity and spectral output of any two makes of bulbs, even bulbs adverstised at equal color temp, varies widely.

MH originates as a point source, and with a good reflector, can be focused to produce more intensity at a 10" distance from the bulb than light that starts as a distributed source, like PC. The key is an effective reflector. Intensity from PC lighting can also be improved with a good reflector, but it's not possible to produce as intense of light with PC because PC starts off as a distributed source.

I'm not as convinced as some other participants of this thread that flourescent can't be used for clams. I've done it short term, and have seen derasas grown to adult size under VHO in person and in pictures.

My concern for your clam is that it gets enough to eat and that your tanks water chemistry may kill it in such a small water volume. The "phyto" you've suggested to use is not useful for clams, IMO. Keeping parameters like salinity, pH, and temperature constant in a small tank is difficult, and clams can be sensitive to these parameters. You are adding stuff to the tank that could kill the clam (strontium, iodine) if not dosed with care each time you use them, and I'd wager that you are not checking the levels of those chemicals in your water before you use them. Remember that Lugol's is used as an antiseptic - it can be a potent toxin.

As far as adding a 70W MH bulb to your set-up, why not just purchase a 150W MH bulb and be scrap the PC? The cost for a 150W setup will likely be less than a 70W setup, and there are more 150W bulbs available than 70W bulbs.