Is a 120gal tank to deep for clams?

[NOLACLS]

I am in the way way WAY beginnings of tank planning but I do know I want clams...and I would prefer to be able to keep them on the sand. The tank I would like is a 120 (48"x24"x24") as far as a sand bed I don't know how thick yet...lets say 4" deep so the clams would be 20" away from the light....well maybe 28 if I have to keep the bulbs 8" from the water. I am planning on running MH but what size would I need....2 250w with 2 4' VHO actinic (would it be a good idea to maybe run 2 blue and 2 white) or would I need 400's? Like I said I am in the very very early stages of thinking what I want. I just know I would like clams and on the sand if possible. Also if I had enough light for clams on the sand would that be to much light to keep some LPS corals...would I have to have mostly SPS?

Thanks for any input

 

[Fish-o-holic]

Assuming your 120g is 24" high, 250w mh will be fine. I'm running the same lights on my 24" tall tank and my clams are doing great. Having 400watters would be nice but then again there will be extra heat you have to deal with. Unless you plan on doing all acros, montis and clams, 250w bulbs IMO are enough.

 

[NOLACLS]

Yeah I might have a chunk or 2 of some acros and other sps but I also want some brains and leathers and whatnot. But I want to keep any clam i want and would prefer on the sand so I can get the most out of the colors. So I was thinking I have a ice cap 660 so I could run 4 4' vho (2 white 2 blue) and 2 250 MH maybe 10k's I guess. The 120 is 24" tall tank. I am thinking I would probably need a chiller but have not even looked at that part yet and I dont know that much about them. I have only had reefs with VHO's so never need a chiller.

 

[NOLACLS]

I just looked at your tank pics....that is just how I want it...not to cluttered so everything can grow BIG

Would you do just 2 250MH and 2 4' VHO blues or would you throw another 2 VHO's on?

Also what type of filtration are you useing?

 

[Sardaukar]

Ya your lights should penetrate 24" just fine.

 

[alde]

250's should be just fine for what you want to do.

To answer your question about it being too much light for LPS and softies, I have 2 400 watt bulbs over my 120. I keep clams and SPS, but I also have a big Toadstool leather half way up in the tank and brain corals and frogspawn and other LPS. They are all thriving under the 400's. I also have a bubble coral that may be getting too big for my tank. I use it to divide the tank between SPS and zoo's, xenia and mushrooms. Nother will grow in the path of the bubbles sweepers so it is a kind of no man zone.

 

[NOLACLS]

Yeah I dont really want to go to 400's but if I needed them for what I wanted I would have. I just want a nice mix of lps sps and clams on the sand with some fish

 

[Fish-o-holic]

NOLACLS, the pics on my gallery have changed since. I had to rearrange all my rocks so my aquascaping looks even better now. Just gotta update my gallery again that's all.

250w mh will be fine for what you're doing. I am keeping a leather or two without any problems. My tank is a mixture of thins btw. 2 vho's actinics and 2 250w will be plenty. If you want more blue, you could do 4 vho actinics and 2 250w. It's a win-win situation either way.

 

[NOLACLS]

Well I was thinking not 4 blues but 2 blues and 2 whites. But I could always play with it...like do the 2 250MH and 2 blues...then if I want more blue I could add one or 2 more...or one more blue and a white or 2 and 2 untill I get the color I am looking for.

What do you think 10k's with the blue VHO's?

 

[Fish-o-holic]

Again it depends on how blue you want your tank to be. If you want max blue, go with 4 actinics and the 2 250w 10k's. If you want a hint of blue/more white, 2 actinics/2 10k's and the 2 250w 10k's. Just gotta mess with the lighting combo a bit that's it. JMO

 

[NOLACLS]

Yeah thats what I will do....one day when I get it all together.

Thanks for the info....now update your pics

 

[Fish-o-holic]

Some of the pics I did update. Take a look again in my gallery, 1st page mainly.

 

[NOLACLS]

That is one nice looking tank...thats what I want...some different corals and openness for some fish to swim. You think the 120 is big enough for a naso? Its not as long as yours but its deeper from front to back.

 

[Fish-o-holic]

I had a 90g before upgrading to a 180g. My main reason of upgrading was for more corals space plus room for my naso to grow. Personally if it were me, even though a 120g is big, it's not quite big enough for a naso. It will be okay for a purple, yellow, kole, or any other tang with that body shape. JMO.

Thanks for the comments about my tank again. I'm sure you can do it with alot of hard work and money. LOL

 

[NOLACLS]

Yeah thats what I was thinking about the naso...but I also want a purple so I will just do that.

Yeah I know I can...I just need to save some cash up. I have a 110 reef but its like a wall of rock and corals and no beach front property and I run 4 4' VHO and 2 NO blues. I know the 110 is 5' but its a reef ready and its 4' between the towers.