<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8572174#post8572174 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ezcompany
if there are countless examples of people who have been successful with clams under other types of light, then there must be an infinite amount of people that lose their clams because of inadequate lighting, water params and other reasons set aside.
Yes there are countless (not infinite) explanations for the demise of a clam including, inadequate photosynthesis, water chemistry, bacteria or viruses, genetic predispositions, and environmental shock. Please also note, the amount of living people is not infinite.
how do you explain the enormous number of clams lost by seasoned clam caretakers by moving them to lower light? you can be technical and scientific, but statistics have meaning too.
Yes, statistics have meaning too.
From a scientific standpoint, the same reasons listed above for the demise of a clam are valid explanations. There are many etiological reasons, which alone or via interactions, will cause the loss of life when moving to a lower light level including....
1) Insufficient photosynthetic reactions to sustain biological requirements
2) System shock
3) Bacterial and or viral agents
4) The inability of the organism to adapt to the changes in water biochemistry
The absolutes being espoused by some prolific posters in this forum on lighting requirements and mantle extension are over simplifications, for the complex biological systems such as a clam.
1) Yes you can maintain a clam under different types of lighting if such systems are biologically and chemically sound enough to allow the clam to generate enough energy via photosynthesis to sustain it's requirements for life.
2) Yes, mantle extension is a means in which a clam increases its surface area for light reception. One should not automatically conclude that it is unhealthy or a sign that a clam is not getting enough light. By examining Pmax of the subject can one determine if a clam with mantle extension is 'getting enough light'.
Bottom line………………in real life situations outside of the laboratory, growth and cellular reproduction are typical signs of a successful organism for a given biological environment. And yes, metal halide lamps can deliver a higher intensity of photons at a set distance for a given wattage relative to PC or other lighting sources, but it is not the “Holy Grail†as some may have you believe. Many have been successful without MH because of valid scientific explanations.
Regards
RFC
only because these are living creatures, and the overextension means it wants more light. Other then that, the clam looks fairly healthy.
(I'm just glad I wasn't the first one tosay it 
