Lighting

[gspgretchen]

I am currently running 6 NO lights 4 6500K, 2 Actinic, above my 55G reef. It equates to 4.37 watts/gallon. Xenia, schrooms,and green star polpys all growing well. Would this lighting be anywhere near enough to keep clams? Reefer for one year, still learning, trying not to kill everything.
Thanx Mike

 

[Potsy]

I don't think you have intense enough lighting for clams. The watts per gallon rule of thumb is really a misleading measure of lighting intensity. For example, a 50 watt n.o. bulb by itself over a 50 gallon aquarium cannot sustain corals or clams. Put that same 50 watt bulb over a 10 gallon aquarium and you have 5 watts per gallon. Does that mean acros and clams can be kept in the 10 gallon aquarium... nope. 5 watts per gallon of n.o. bulbs is nothing compared to 5 watts per gallon of metal halide lighting/pc/vho lighting. The corals you have in your aquarium adapt well to dimly lit aquariums and that is why they are growing in your aquarium.

Clams are not at all forgiving of inadequate lighting conditions. Clam experts recommend that tridacnas be kept under intense metal halide lighting - maximas and croceas on the rock closer to the light source while deresas and squamosas can rest on the sand.

Look into metal halide pendant lighting. The prices aren't all that bad.

Erik

 

[Peabody]

No clams can be kept under those lights. Sorry. PC lights (enough of them) can keep a derasa or squamosa. But, the really nice clams, maximas and croceas demand Metal Halide.

Sorry to say it but no clam until you have better lights. They are the most light demanding creatures out there.

 

[gspgretchen]

lighting

lighting

Thanx for the input. Now I want kill any trying. Will look into MH

 

[MattL]

I don't have a intensely-lit reef tank; it isn't what I was getting into. However, just out of curiosity, about how many watts of MH over a 55gallon would keep a maximas or croceas clam? I currently have my soft corals under 2x65W PCs (end on end, in a strip along the tank). One thing I have been looking into is the possibility of upgrading to MH lighting. What wattage should I add to the tank if I don't want to fry the mushrooms and polyps, but if I do want to add a clam? Is this possible? Or can you not have it both ways (polyps, xenia, mushrooms, colt, leather + clam)? Just asking,

Matt:coo:

 

[Peabody]

2x175 or 2x250 would be fine. I'd still lean towards 250! The price difference is almost nothing. Plus you could keep anything with that light! (With 175s there are some things you shouldn't put low in your tank)

 

[MattL]

Thanks for the advice,a nd sorry for the long delay in getting back to you. You don't think I'd scorch anything with 2x250W MH's? I'd heard anecdotally that coralline algae can be lost in higher lighting, and I also have polyps and mushrooms down low. I have some shady spots in my tank regardless. Do you suggest moving these lower light organisms? It would be nice to have a clam,

Matt

 

[JPfish]

Which clam with PC lighting?

Which clam with PC lighting?

I currently have 4 X 96 W PC's in my 55 gal tank and do not intend to purchase MH lights for the time being (until I get a chiller).

Which type of clams could I keep under these conditions? A Squamosa? which others?

 

[Peabody]

Squamosa or derasa
Wait for maxima and crocea until you get MH.

(FYI - you don't need a chiller for MH. If your canopy is vented properly you'll be fine )

 

[kennerd]

I'd heard anecdotally that coralline algae can be lost in higher lighting, and I also have polyps and mushrooms down low. I have some shady spots in my tank regardless. Do you suggest moving these lower light organisms?

Initially, your coralline may bleach out somewhat, but will certainly return if your parameters are maintained. Worst case, it may come back a different color. Certainly a decent trad off for the wider spectrum of livestock you'll be able to support for sure!

When I went from 4x96 pc's to 2x175 MH & 2x95 VHO's on my 65, my shrooms got HUGE, then went back to normal, with some of them up near te top slowing growth a bit. Zoos certainly took a while to adapt, but are actually doing much better.

The key to eveything being happy is definitely going to depend on gently acclimating everything. In this sense, raising your MH lighting a bit higher and gradually bringin it closer to the tank is going to be your best bet, as opposed to changing/shortening the photoperiod.

 

[JPfish]

I've been told by 2 clam distributors that my 4X96PC in my 55 gal tank will do fine for any clam. My tank is about 19" deep. I just want to make sure, because I cant afford MH yet.

I'm also certain that I might need a chiller (if I go MH) because with my current lighting my tank goes up to 83F with a turbo fan blasting air towards the front of the tank (in the winter!)

I would like to hear from people who have or had clams (i.e. maximas) under PC lighting.

Thanks!

 

[kennerd]

hmmmmm....distributor in my area sells dendroneptheya as low-light photsynthetic soft corals.

I have a squamosa that someone had under PC's, but the color is kinda dull.

In terms of your heat issue: you have a fan blowing in: is there an exhaust area? ie: a plac for the heat to actually go? I had 4x96 on my 65 in a CSL hood with a po-dunk little 2" fan in the fixture, with open area around the rest of it and never had temps go over 79 at its hottest.

 

[Peabody]

hmmmmm....distributor in my area sells dendroneptheya as low-light photsynthetic soft corals.

Yep, and my LFS tells people that moorish idols are easy beginner fish! They also have Maximas under PC. They are terrible looking and sickly. Their mantles are hyper-extending to try to get more light. I bet they will be dead by the end of the month.

4x96 would be perfect for a squamosa or derasa. They would be fine. A maxima or crocea are different. They just won't usually acclimate to those lower light levels Sorry to say it JPfish, wish I could tell you to get all the clams you want!

 

[JPfish]

I just want to be sure about the lighting because the two distributors I'm talking about are pretty well known internet distributors that are mentioned a few times in this forum, I really don't think it's cool to mention their names here, but I can PM anybody who's interested.

They both stated that "I'll be fine" & "You'll have no problems as long as your water parameters are fine" This is in regards to keeping maximas with 4X96 PC's

 

[JPfish]

I'll stick to squamosa for now.

 

[CJ]

Sorry for jumping in.

Is anyone successfully keeping maximas or croceas under 2 150W DE bulbs supplemented by 2 VHO? My tank is a 75 gallon and I would like to keep clams on the sand. 20" deep tank with 3" of sand, so the clams would be in 16" of water. The halides are 5" about the tank.

 

[kennerd]

I have a squamosa that someone had under PC's, but the color is kinda dull.

Update a week later on this squamosa: contrast is getting better on it's spots: more toward black and dark beige vs 2 shades of brown with very slight purplish blue tint beginning to show in the dark spots. Also the edges of the mantle are turning emerald green.

This is only two weeks after acclimating the little bugger from 2x36 PC's in a 10 gal to 2x175MH + 2x95VHO's. Yep big difference so far.

 

[firechild]

Kennerd,
The reason the coralline algae dies back then comes back a different colour is because there is a transition of species. Different species live at different depths and this is reflected by light intensities in the tank.

CJ,
I kept squamosa and maxima clams under 150W DE 10K in a 24x12x18" tank with no problems. However maximas and croceas are boring clams and should be placed on rockwork, not the sandbed.

 

[CJ]

firechild:

Thanks for the reply. Was your tank 18" deep or wide?

I'm going to put them on shells on the sand. i don't really have decent spots on the rockwork.

 

[kennerd]

Kennerd,
The reason the coralline algae dies back then comes back a different colour is because there is a transition of species. Different species live at different depths and this is reflected by light intensities in the tank.

Yep: gotcha. Didn't realize that it was an actual change of species. Neat....I had the most beautiful, plating coralline in my 5 gal mantis tank with the crappy NO lighting: rich purple and red plates like a monti cap. Changed the lighting to little 13w 50/50 PC's and I've got mint green orange and bright yellow now.