For mbbuna

[LBCBJ]

Mbbuna, I was looking through some old threads and stumbled up on this statment...

"if u get a clam u wont be able to stir ur sand, it will clog there gills and kill it"

Is this really true? Are you suggesting that the sand clogs the gills, or the detritus/junk that clouds up the tank when you stir the sand. I do this quite often, like once a week...if this statment is true I will need to stop.


Also, while I'm at it, I have an 18g nano (18"H) with 150w Phoenix bulb. Could I put some maximas on the sandbed? I really dont have anywhere in my rockwork to nudge them in.

 

[mbbuna]

if you repeatedly stir the sand bed it can cause problems for the clam. now the type of sand can play a big role in this. if you have southdown or any really fine sand it can clog there gills. clams can clean there gills but it not easy for them. ever see your clams coughing? thats what they are doing. larger grans of sand arnt as bad but kicking up all those fine particles isn't good for the clam.

thats enough light for a Maxima but with that water volume its going to be hard to keep things stable

 

[LBCBJ]

I have a medium grade sand...too heavy to float, but I kick up a lot of "dust" when I stir it around. I'll try stirring less often and see if I notice any changes. Being filter feeders, I wondered if it may actually be benefical for them, but they may not feed on anything in the sand...I don't know.

This is not my first tank, I've kept Maximas for about 6 years, but I've never kept them under 250's or 400's, so I wasnt sure if 150w's would cut it. I set-up this nano really as an experiment, and so far the water chemistry has been exceptionally stable, more stable than any tank I've ever had. I have several acroporas that are doing well.

 

[COreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7722601#post7722601 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mbbuna
if you repeatedly stir the sand bed it can cause problems for the clam. now the type of sand can play a big role in this. if you have southdown or any really fine sand it can clog there gills. clams can clean there gills but it not easy for them. ever see your clams coughing? thats what they are doing. larger grans of sand arnt as bad but kicking up all those fine particles isn't good for the clam.

thats enough light for a Maxima but with that water volume its going to be hard to keep things stable

I agree to a certain extent...you definitely want to limit the amount of irritans to your clam; however, the oceans are constantly stirred. There is more fine particle matter in the ocean than our reef tanks, and in nature clams are resilient. I doubt stiring the sandbed would kill a clam...perhaps it may slow its growth if done on a cosistent basis, but the presence of larger particles along with the micro, will prevent the clam from filtering the water until it settles.