piercho
New member
I've got a 7-month old tank and I'm trying to evaluate if I can created suitable conditions for Tridacna. I'm hoping for some responses to specific questions:
pH stability: My tank gas exchange is not keeping up with photosynthesis during the day, driving my pH as high as 8.6 with a typical swing from 8.2-8.6. I know that is too much swing and my coral are telling me it's too much swing. My question is, is it really necessary to nail the pH stability down to the 8.1-8.2 number that I've heard quoted that Tridacna need. That is a pretty tight parameter to achieve in a brightly lit tank, IMO. Anyway, a system mod is underway that should stabilize the pH and I'd just like some experienced opinions of how stable is stable enough.
Lighting intensity: presently I have a single 250W Iwasaki DL bulb in a spiderlight mounted to illuminate a 36"X18" footprint. That puts the bulb at 12" above the water with a sandbed at 21" below the water. I also have a flat rock surface about 13" down. After the system mod I should have enough total water volume to double the wattage and still keep my daily T swing below 2.5F. The species I had been leaning toward has been crocea because my tank is only 65G and the other clams get so large. If I add 196W of 50/50 PC light to the existing 250W Iwasaki is this enough for a crocea placed on the rock at 25" (12"+13") from the DL bulb? Would a squamosa on the sandbed (33" from MH bulb center) or a maxima on the rock be a better choice? Lighting option B is to ditch the spider perp reflector, add a second 250W DL bulb, put both bulbs in a 36" parallel reflector with 2 linear flourescent and find a way to deal with the heat.
TIA
pH stability: My tank gas exchange is not keeping up with photosynthesis during the day, driving my pH as high as 8.6 with a typical swing from 8.2-8.6. I know that is too much swing and my coral are telling me it's too much swing. My question is, is it really necessary to nail the pH stability down to the 8.1-8.2 number that I've heard quoted that Tridacna need. That is a pretty tight parameter to achieve in a brightly lit tank, IMO. Anyway, a system mod is underway that should stabilize the pH and I'd just like some experienced opinions of how stable is stable enough.
Lighting intensity: presently I have a single 250W Iwasaki DL bulb in a spiderlight mounted to illuminate a 36"X18" footprint. That puts the bulb at 12" above the water with a sandbed at 21" below the water. I also have a flat rock surface about 13" down. After the system mod I should have enough total water volume to double the wattage and still keep my daily T swing below 2.5F. The species I had been leaning toward has been crocea because my tank is only 65G and the other clams get so large. If I add 196W of 50/50 PC light to the existing 250W Iwasaki is this enough for a crocea placed on the rock at 25" (12"+13") from the DL bulb? Would a squamosa on the sandbed (33" from MH bulb center) or a maxima on the rock be a better choice? Lighting option B is to ditch the spider perp reflector, add a second 250W DL bulb, put both bulbs in a 36" parallel reflector with 2 linear flourescent and find a way to deal with the heat.
TIA
