Clam lighting question

[iFisch]

Hey guys, in the future, I'd like to have one or two very small 1"-2" clams in my 14g Oceanic.

However I am debating on the lighting. I'm not sure which way to go.

Problem: Tank is 77.5-78 with no lights, 79 with actinics and 80 with both 24w PC lights and fans going.



Considered:

MH - but too concerned it will further increase the temp in the tank even with a small fan. Don't want to invest in a 1/15 chiller.

T5 - just as expensive or more expensive than MH, depending on the fixture. If I go this route, how much T5HO is recommended for a 14g Oceanic?

PC - currently have 48w PC in stock hood. Can grow everything but SPS/Clams with current lighting. If I boosted that up to 96w of PC, would that be enough for a small clam or two? I don't want anything big, clam wise. Just the baby ones, and let it grow. Once it grows and ages and outgrows my tank, I'll gladly swap it out with a local club member.


I am just thinking down the line. This isn't happening now, or next month. We're talking months down the line.

What do you recommend I do?

 

[Thunderstruck34]

I wouldn't try to keep a clam with pc's, the smallest of the tridacna's is a crocea clam but they also require the most lighting, i'm goin to assume you have a biocube. T5's are the way to go and you would need say a 4 bulb fixture with HO bulbs not sure on the wattage but four High output bulbs should do the trick. Keep in mind of clam placement as well rock dwelling clams (crocea & maxima) should be placed up higher on the rockwork where as sand dwelling ( squamosa & derasa) should be placed on the sand. Just remember that they are calcium hogs as well, I dose my tank everyday to keep calcium stable.

 

[iFisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14955539#post14955539 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Thunderstruck34
I wouldn't try to keep a clam with pc's, the smallest of the tridacna's is a crocea clam but they also require the most lighting, i'm goin to assume you have a biocube. T5's are the way to go and you would need say a 4 bulb fixture with HO bulbs not sure on the wattage but four High output bulbs should do the trick. Keep in mind of clam placement as well rock dwelling clams (crocea & maxima) should be placed up higher on the rockwork where as sand dwelling ( squamosa & derasa) should be placed on the sand. Just remember that they are calcium hogs as well, I dose my tank everyday to keep calcium stable.

I've been doing some research on keeping clams. However the lighting issue is somewhat vague. MH is obviously recommended, then T5's, but not much is said about wattages. And with a smaller tank like mine, I was unsure, and decided to ask you clam gurus.

Also, I've read that T5HO is 1.6x more effective than PC. Well if I got the fixture I want, it's only 96w of T5HO. Which is nearly equivalent to 130w PC fixture.

The reason why I am considering the higher lighting of PC, is because "quality" T5 bulbs seem to run $20+ a piece. So now I'm looking at $300 for a T5 fixture with quality bulbs. Yeah it runs lower wattages and according to the article I read is 1.6x more effective PAR rating than PC. So to get the same PAR, I would need to get around 150w PC to have the same PAR output as the 96w T5HO.

Correct?


EDIT: 70w HQI MH a better option? I just don't know how much light 70w HQI MH is, equivalent to the two above.

Is it more light than 96w T5HO or 130w PC?

 

[Thunderstruck34]

hmm let me put it another way... I bought my first derasa under the idea i could keep it under power compacts... I was wrong... eventually died... I even had it up in the rockwork so it would get more light...I have my current derasa under 4X24W T5 HO and its on the sand bed...alive and well...power compact bulbs don't last as long as a T5 bulb either...and they are about twice the price for a bulb... PC's also run "hotter" more likely to increase your temp .There have been people that have kept clams under PC's but it isn't the best lighting for them.

 

[iFisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14955983#post14955983 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Thunderstruck34
hmm let me put it another way... I bought my first derasa under the idea i could keep it under power compacts... I was wrong... eventually died... I even had it up in the rockwork so it would get more light...I have my current derasa under 4X24W T5 HO and its on the sand bed...alive and well...power compact bulbs don't last as long as a T5 bulb either...and they are about twice the price for a bulb... PC's also run "hotter" more likely to increase your temp .There have been people that have kept clams under PC's but it isn't the best lighting for them.

You have clams under 4x24, in a tank twice my size, 29gal, correct?

So theoretically, I should need 2x24 T5HO for my size tank, since it's half the size. Or am I wrong in the thinking?

 

[docsky]

I think i read somewhere the longer the t5 bulb the more par they have. I know the watt's incease also but i think get more par to watt with the longer bulb. 24" is pretty short. FWIW.

If you go MH DE pendant you could raise the light higher from the tank to decrease heat and maintain a good par.

 

[iFisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14957100#post14957100 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by docsky
I think i read somewhere the longer the t5 bulb the more par they have. I know the watt's incease also but i think get more par to watt with the longer bulb. 24" is pretty short. FWIW.

If you go MH DE pendant you could raise the light higher from the tank to decrease heat and maintain a good par.

Since this is a bedroom tank, I don't want the coverage of raising a 150w MH. You know.

Plus I like the built-in LED lighting on T5-PC fixtures. And I don't have gobs of money to spend either.

24" is the smallest T5HO they make. PAR on some of the "quality" bulbs is 320+ per bulb.



How much PAR is a normal 14k bulb from a 150w MH putting out? Or where can I find PAR info regarding reef MH lights?

 

[mustang51js]

theres got to be a 24 inch light cheaper than that, look on ebay, $320 is more than i paid for both my lights,i dont have separate reflectors but its still very bright. You could also look in the selling forum on here or go diy.

 

[iFisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14957690#post14957690 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mustang51js
theres got to be a 24 inch light cheaper than that, look on ebay, $320 is more than i paid for both my lights,i dont have separate reflectors but its still very bright. You could also look in the selling forum on here or go diy.

Just too a quick measurement of my tank.

Uhh, I have no idea where I got 20" wide from. It's 14" wide. There's no light, except clip on MH that will work.



Oh well. I like my 14, and I'd like to avoid upgrading, because I am a student, and it's going in bedroom. It's not like it's the "main" display tank.

I take care of mine, and enjoy it immensely. I'd like to stay where I am, tank wise.

 

[phil519]

At the risk of raising the ire of all small tank owners -I fail to see the joy in placing "giant" tridacnid clams in a 14 gallon nano tank. I would say pass on the clams and wait until you have a bigger tank.

I'm not a lighting guru so I prefer not to repeat internet rumors/legends - but wattage does not dictate how deep the light can penetrate a tank.

 

[iFisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14970178#post14970178 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by phil519
At the risk of raising the ire of all small tank owners -I fail to see the joy in placing "giant" tridacnid clams in a 14 gallon nano tank. I would say pass on the clams and wait until you have a bigger tank.

I'm not a lighting guru so I prefer not to repeat internet rumors/legends - but wattage does not dictate how deep the light can penetrate a tank.

Good point.

I'm part of a very large reef organization, and it wouldn't take but a few days to trade off the clam once it outgrew my tank.

The pleasure is seeing it start from a little baby and grow to a few inches. Replace with new baby clam or try something else.


If any clams, it would be the Maxima's, but since I am not going MH route, I will wait until I move to a 20g L.


I'd rather get honest opinions, then to see me waste my money and have something die on me, due to improper lighting. I'll gladly hold off until I get a grip on the SW life again.

 

[Fsurocks99]

I have 2 clams in my biocube 14. One crocea and one maxima. I am using a 150watt MH with no real heat issue because I have a fan that blows on the surface of the water when the light comes on.

 

[iFisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14971850#post14971850 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fsurocks99
I have 2 clams in my biocube 14. One crocea and one maxima. I am using a 150watt MH with no real heat issue because I have a fan that blows on the surface of the water when the light comes on.

Then I will miss the LED's and dusk effect with the actinics. I will wait. I would like to keep my hood stock. And I cannot afford Nanotuners at the moment. However I will consider them when I do upgrade my tank to a 20L/28/29. If I do...

 

[bgraves]

I have 4 T5HO on my 55 tall tank and I was told if I added 2 more bulbs I should be able to keep just about anything as long as I placed it in the right spot in the tank.

 

[iFisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15020717#post15020717 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bgraves
I have 4 T5HO on my 55 tall tank and I was told if I added 2 more bulbs I should be able to keep just about anything as long as I placed it in the right spot in the tank.

I ordered 4x18" (20w) T5HO from Current USA. Gives me 80w of T5HO and should allow for a very small clam months down the line.

The fixture has individualized reflectors, however there isn't much to choose for bulb colors as of now. But I will try first with a SPS frag, and see how I do.

 

[Thunderstruck34]

nice...go for it! just remember clams are going to benefit the most from something like a 10K actinics do very little for them... it wouldn't be a bad idea to swap out of the actinics for another 10k or something similar.

 

[iFisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15021773#post15021773 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Thunderstruck34
nice...go for it! just remember clams are going to benefit the most from something like a 10K actinics do very little for them... it wouldn't be a bad idea to swap out of the actinics for another 10k or something similar.

Thanks for replying.