Clam MH Lighting Advice?

[Eels&Lions]

Hey guys I'm currently running a 60 gal tank right now.
I have 1 Corcea, 1 Teardrop Maxima, and 1 Deresa.

Tank is 4ft long x 18 deep x 16 wide. Lights sit about 12 inches above the water surface.

I was running 2 250watt with SE 14000k bulbs.
I had a 3rd MH in storage that I decided to use.

So now the tank has 3 250 watt with 14000k bulbs.

Should I switch the middle bulb to a 10000k?

Or should I just leave it with the 3 14000k bulbs?

 

[Lightsluvr]

Wow!

Wow!

That seems like a lot of light (and heat) for a 60 gallon tank...

What temp does your tank run?

LL

 

[ezcompany]

you should be fine with the 14k. it also looks better than 10ks

 

[Eels&Lions]

Lightsluvr - My tank runs at 80 degrees with the lights on. I think its cause I have the lights 12 inches above the water line also have 4 fans in the canopy. The canopy is also wide open in the back for more air circulation. When lights are off the tank drops to 75 degrees. Luckily I have wooden floors through out the house and so my house stays very cold. Just this past weekend when the temps where hot my tank got up to about 84 degrees and everything seemed fine but being the person I am I went ahead and just added some cold packs into my sump and brought the temps back down to 80.

Ezcompany - I've read the write up that Barry did on clams over on wetwebmedia were he says "Bulb temperatures of 6,500K-10,000K are ideal, and will provide the spectrum the clams need for growth, and will help maintain optimum coloration in the animals." Thats why I thought I'd switch the middle bulb out to a 10000K. But thanks for your advice. I'll keep the 14000ks haha cause they make my tank look nice.

 

[thysrof]

E&L,

A 5 degree temp fluctuation is too much for your tank. You should try to keep it under 2 degrees fluctuation.

happy Reefing

 

[Eels&Lions]

Thysrof - Thanks for the advice. I'll turn my heaters up to 78. I really didn't think that the 5 degree temp change really affected the clams.

 

[Fish_wiz2]

Really spectrum to me doesn't matter 6, 10, or 20K still grows em just fast or slow but i rather have it grow and look nice than grow and ugly so i used 12K reeflux, from reviews they have a nice color and good growth that's why i have now 4 clams (wish me luck ) but yes if you have the urge than go 10 but for some reason i love 6,500K bulbs but no money for equipment needes.