Clams under T-5's

FishFatty

New member
What kind of clams do people think I could keep under 324 watts of T-5 on my 75 gal?? The light doesnt have reflectors around each bulb, but it has one big reflector for all the bulbs.

Thanks
 
squamosas and derasas only. just my opinion, i havent actually tried this. but i will be soon. about 6.7 w/g T5 HO 22g.
 
I wouldn't try any unless you plan on putting a clam up on the rockwork, nearer a bulb. That's really not much light for a tank that's 18" wide and deep...

If anything, you could try a derasa, which has the lowest lighting demand, and look for good shell growth. No growth means not enough light (assuming water quality is up to par, etc.).
 
I have a 90 Gal tank (no sump, 24" deep) and using 4 T5HOs for lighting.
* 2 on an ICECAP 430 ballast (no reflectors)
* 2 on an Generic ballast (with SLRs)
I have a Corcea Clam (3") on the bottom of my tank. Its been there for 6 months now. I'm sure it would enjoy more light but it is growing.
 
From another post:

"Here's why every once in a while someone shows up and says "My crocea is doing fine under PC/T5":

All croceas are not some sort of genetic clones of each other. I'd think a doctor would understand that. Under IDENTICAL conditions, I've seen some individuals that have grown over twice as fast as others on farms - and I'm talking about clams that came from the same parents.

It goes on from there - under identical conditions all croceas don't grow at the same rate, they won't all reach some magical maximum size, they won't all have the same girth, they certainnly won't all look alike, they won't all have the same size byssal opening, etc.

And they won't all have exactly the same metabolic rate or the same lighting requirements either.

If you look at them in the wild, almost all of them are found in very shallow water, as in less than 10 feet. However, there are occasional individuals (not many at all) that can live down to about twice that. They're the tough ones that didn't die as post-metamorphic larvae due to lake of illumination.

Tridacnids are spawners, and the larvae can be carried around by currents/waves for days before settling to the bottom, which means they settle to the bottom at all depths - not just in shallow water. If they settle at all depths, but almost all are found in less than 10 feet, what does that tell you about how much light MOST of them need?

RFC, would it make sense to you that your clam likely has the right genes to be one of those that can live at or near the species' maximum depth/lowest illumination?

Yes, if yours is living - you got lucky. You happened to get a "tough" clam.

This in no way implies that ALL croceas can tolerate the same lighting conditions that you have.

The only way I would ever even attempt to keep a crocea under fluorescents of any type would be under tightly spaced bulbs, and in a very shallow tank. No, I take that back, I wouldn't even try that. Croceas look best when viewed from above, not at a low angle. Kind of defeats the point of having one if you can't see it at a good angle..."
 
I've only posted my current experience. I'm sure it would do better with MH over my existing T5's. My plans are:
: Will add additional T5s and SLR (up to a total of 6/8).
Will I ever switch or use MHs? No. I do not plan on using MH for the following reasons-
: Heat concerns
: Power Consumption
There are many tanks out there using T5s now. There is also a move to switch to LEDs (even though at the time it is to costly).
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8627108#post8627108 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by critterkeeper
I wouldn't try any unless you plan on putting a clam up on the rockwork, nearer a bulb. That's really not much light for a tank that's 18" wide and deep...

If anything, you could try a derasa, which has the lowest lighting demand, and look for good shell growth. No growth means not enough light (assuming water quality is up to par, etc.).

6x54 watt T5HO setup over your tank is only gonna be enough light if you add individual reflectors.

Jesse
 
why would you get t5's without individual reflectors?


also there is one extremely misinformed post in this thread

a tootsie roll if you can pick it out
 
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