Please help..Lighting & PAR Values for a Maxima clam

[chuckdallas]

We just got a maxima clam that is 4-5 inches long. I don't want to kill her (she's a beauty AND cost $200), so I want to give her the BEST tender loving care (TLC).

I bought some PhytoFeast (made by Reef Nutrition) from the LFS. Got home and sucked up about 2-3 capfuls in the turkey baster and squirted it down toward the large hole that is not the upper top hole. She coughed and squirted water out the bottom hole and closed up a bit, like I used too much or was trying to get her to suck up from the wrong hole. Do I need to spot feed her or just squirt the PhytoFeast into the water and let her do all of the work?

Now, as far as lighting goes, I have a 4-bulb HO T5 fixture and a 2-bulb fixture sitting on the plastic rim about 2 inches above the water. All new Geissmann or ATI bulbs, using 3 X Blue Pluses and 3 X 10,000K white bulbs. The maxima sits about 18 inches from the top of the water on a rock shelf, directly below the 4 bulb fixture. I get 1100-1200 PAR from the 4-bulb fixture at one inch below the fixture. How many hours of white light do I need to give her? I have 1 X ATI Blue Plus and 2 X Geismann Actinic Plus. They are supposed to be good enough for coral growth and give a good blue color. I was thinking of using all 3 blue bulbs for an hour, followed by 6 hours of all 6 bulbs on and then 2 hours of blue only. Is that enough for the maxima?

My Milwaukee Luxmeter has a sensor I can submerge and check the PAR next to the clam. What PAR readings are best for the clam? If I'm not getting enough PAR, I want to move her up. If the clam opens up a lot, does that mean it's not ENOUGH light? She seemed to be open slightly more at the LFS 3 inches below the water surface with a MH bulb 18-24 inches over her. I didn't ask him what wattage he had, but I'll check tomorrow.

TIA,
Chuck

 

[seapug]

I don't know precise PAR requirements for Maximas, but I do know they have a pretty wide depth range in nature, from ankle deep water to 40ft, but it's always good to give them the most intense light you can. With your lights, I'd keep it as close to the top as you can without losing your view of the mantle. As duration goes, they use the same sun as every other coral on the reef, so stick with normal tropical daylight cycle of 6-8 hours of "sun."

 

[chuckdallas]

Other suggestions??

Other suggestions??

Bump.

 

[Crawfish00]

200$??? A pic please....
I am assuming you are putting it in your 120. I'd go at least 3/4 of the way up.. As for the par I'm not sure..you could always start were your happy then move around.. I don't use t5 for lighting except for actinic.. I have actually never used it before for lighting come to think of it.. I'm sorry I'm no help.. I'd love to se a pic though

 

[seapug]

forgot to mention-- if you're really interested in clams + aquariums, I recommend james fatherree's Giant Clams book.

 

[Fishamatank]

Don't squirt phyto at the clam. Just add a little to the water, turn the skimmer off for a while, but a clam that size shouldn't need it. You can really pollute the water in a hurry with phyto, so go easy with it.

I have a maxima in my 120 almost all the way on the bottom, I use T5's as well, but have considerably more light, 7 48" bulbs overdriven on 660 ballasts.

I would like to see some pics of this clam as well.