Am I Ready For A Max?

[Tang_Puffer]

I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL SAY SOMETHING ABOUT MY VHO'S, I WOULD APRECIATE IT IF NO ONE DOES, I KNOW SOME WILL THINK IT IS NOT ENOUGH LIGHT BUT I HAVE MANY PEOPLE I KNOW THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESFUL AND I WILL TRY, IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT IT IS MY LOSS, I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT EVERYONE THINKS AS FAR AS BEING READY FOR A CLAM

PH: 8.3
ALK: 12 DKH
CA: 390
AMONIA: 0
NITRITES: 0
NITRATES: <10

TANK HAS BEEN UP AND RUNING FOR ABOUT 5 MONTHS, I AM GETTING 1 WELSOPHYLIA, 1 BLASTOMUSSA, 1 ZOOANTHID, AND 1 FUNGIA FROM LIVE AQUARIA TOMORROW, WILL POST PICS IF I GET MY DIGITAL TO IMPROVE ON PICTURE QUALITY, BUT WAS JUST WONDERING IF I LET MY TANK ADJUST FOR ABOUT 1 MONTH TO THE NEW SPECIMENS AND THEN MAYBE ADD A CLAM

sorry for the caps, i am not yelling, but i am too lazy to retype it,lol

 

[brianlena2000]

If you are going to try a maxima then I would strongly suggest placing it at least halfway up the tank. There will not be enough lighting for one to thrive long term on the sandbed.

 

[Nick17]

I do not own a clam at the moment, but i'm in the process of getting one. This is what i've learned so far..

You need "like" a minimum of 5.5wpg.. just to start you off..

What size tank? What wattage of VHO? sand bed or CC?

I agree to a point with brianlena2000.. but i've heard that clams will make there way down to the sandbed.. falling from the rocks..

Considering your lighting situation, it would most likely be best to place on a rock.. unless you have a smaller tank. (where you could switch the lighting and add the clam to the sand bed)

Are you going to be setting up a larger tank any time soon?

I would say your calcium needs to be 420+ Some would recommend 400.. but I say 420+.. and your nitrites are a little to high (I would assume.. not knowing TOO much about clams) but I would do like a 10% water change and see if that helps.

Amnonia, Nitrates and Nitrites need to be at 0..


Hope this gives you SOME idea.. i'm not a professional clam keeper or anything, but just some various things i've read on these boards.

Clams also need "mature" tanks.. ie. 8-12 months.. just a thought!

-Nick

 

[Zigzag Man]

I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL SAY SOMETHING ABOUT MY VHO'S, I WOULD APRECIATE IT IF NO ONE DOES, I KNOW SOME WILL THINK IT IS NOT ENOUGH LIGHT BUT I HAVE MANY PEOPLE I KNOW THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESFUL AND I WILL TRY, IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT IT IS MY LOSS, I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT EVERYONE THINKS AS FAR AS BEING READY FOR A CLAM

Please don't take this as a flame, but telling people you don't want to listen to what they have to say, while at the same time asking a question that should take into account what you don't want to hear, isn't a good way to get an answer.

You'll definitely have to have the clam near or at the top of the tank with VHO lighting.
Fluorescent just don't have the light penetration of a good halide, so the clams won't be as happy as they would be under a halide lamp.
Even my squamosa, which is a lower light clam got much happier once I upgraded to halide (the upgrade was specifically so I could keep maximas).
Definitely get your calcium levels up, but otherwise your parameters don't look too bad. Good luck.

 

[chipmunk]

I kept a crocea under PC's. I placed the clam an inch below the water surface. I'd suggest you place the max as high as possible.

Too bad they don't show their colors as nicely when placed high.

Since then, I've gone MH and will never go back! You can place the clams on the sandbed - they look so beautiful at that angle. the colors are vibrant.