Lighting for Clams and Anemones

dustybuddy

New member
Anemones and Clams are probly the coolest saltwater creatures to me... i have a 4x96 PC lighting kit from Current USA. i was wondering if i could take care of a BTA and perhaps a squamosa clam.....most people said clams are way to hard without MH but i just cant afford it....seeing as how i am only 16 with no job. a $90 bulb getting changed every 4 months is way to expensive for me.... the BTA since its a rock anemone can live up higher in the tank im guessing but does the squamosa need to stay on the sand bed.
 
how many gallons is ur tank? and i am only 16 too but i work at a fish store so it is a little easer to buy things, but as long as your tank is not something like a 110 tall like mine and the lighting can still be enough at the botton just make shure you have about 5 watts to the gallon on your tank and you should be fine depending some things.
 
I squamosa would do best if placed on rock also. keep it as close to the light as possible. I had a derasa and crocea for quite a long time under VHOs. Derasa stayed at the bottom of the tank. BTA should also be fine, just be sure to feed it on a regular basis.
 
you really dont need to change MH bulbs every 4 months. they claim that HQI/Double ended Burn the bulb hotter or brighter, so the lighting starts to decrease after 6 months.
 
I've kept a carpet anemone and crocea clam under 192w of PC for about 8 months now, both of which have grown quite a bit.

Clam is on rocks, anemone is on the sand.
 
My clams and anemones are under NO lighting and have been for 12 years. To qualify, it isn't just a pair of lamps, it is wall to wall lighting so that I have 8 fourty watt lamps over my reef tanks. Still a long way from 5w/g mentioned.
The squamosa does really well and obviously doesn't need as much light as the croceas do as they still grow but not like the squamosa.
 
thanks for the replies. i really appreciate them. my tank is 50 gallons and it is 2 feet deep. is it ok to put a squamosa on the rock though? and i heard the 5W per gallon thing doesnt really work...and wont the squamosa also be less bright due to less zooxanthae or watever.
 
Well, watts/gal as a measurement just doesn't make logical sense. I think it probably originated as a useful rule of thumb given lighting technology of the time and typical tank configurations. However, if you take the same size tank in gallons, but make it taller, obviously the light at the sandbed will be less. Also, as new types of lighting is used, some of which provide more light output or better penetration, then that further throws the whole watts/gal thing out of whack.

jds
 
i agree with bureau, watts per gallon isn't a good measurement, it should more likely be intensity and something about distance to speciman, i'm only 16 too, MH is wanted here too
 
i have t5s also (4*54w on a 72 bowfront). i just bought a squamosa, do you know how close minium it should be to the light? thanks
 
Back
Top