Required K?

IMO the ideal k rating for clams is 6500k to 10k. people keep them successfully under all different k ratings. i look at it this way,in the wild clams are found in relatively shallow water and the lighting that most closely matches these shallow waters is 6500k to 10k
 
Lighting is the only real place that MB and I have any real disagreement it seems. I think It takes an assesment of the particulars in each case.

I am putting together a new tank this week (75 gallon) It is going to have dual 400's (SE) being run by a PFO HQI ballast. I plan on running 20K bulbs and I think the PAR will be excellent. I have access to a meter and will test it at the water level.
 
Yes, I think its feasible. I will admit thats it may not be the best, but I think you can get good growth and clam health.
 
So if I got 12K, it would still survive. I would just have to have a good bulb and good water quality, right?
 
30L x 12W x 18D. Will have a 250watt MH over the tank by the end of august (not planning on getting a clam until then).

Hey mbbuna, care to chip in you're two cents on this discussion (prove his theory wrong, support it, or just anything else that will help me keep a clam)?

Thanks
 
i hate talking about lighting:) it seems that people take it really personal.

anyway as i said earlier 6500k to 10k better represents the lighting that clams have adapted/ evolved too(imo if clams liked 14k/20k they would be found that deep in the wild) clams also house 5 or 7(cant remember) different types of zoox, and they all have slightly different needs, so a fuller spectrum bulb can meet there needs.

higher k bulbs are less intense then lower k bulbs of the same wattage.clams need this higher intensity and full spectrum to keep there zoox population high (clams house 10x the zoox per sq" when compared to say an acro)so that the zoox can feed them sugars. the clam will also eat the zoox so intense lighting is needed for fast reproduction of the zoox.

again people use these higher k bulbs successfully with clams.
 
The best temperature is probably 6500-10,000K, really I think 10,000K allows you to keep different types of clams well. Many T. squamosas and T. derasas are deeper water organisms and therefore appreciate a slightly more bluish tint to the light. T. maximas and T. crocea need a whiter color, even yellowish. The 10,000K would provide enough PAR for clams, probably suiting most organisms in a shallow water environment well.
 
By the way Vish, I don't disagree with MB at all. The logic process used is more sound than mine. I do how ever keep several of the deepwater species (derasa & Gigas) , but for growth of almost everything a lower K light is better. There are some higher K bulbs like the Radium 20K (400w) that is really good. It had higher par than a couple of 10K's.
 
? Earlier you said that lighting was the only place that MB and you disagreed about, but know you are saying that you don't?

Anyway, you are saying that if I got a good 12K bulb or a Radium, the clam would survive, but would grow slower, or use more nutritents from the water?
 
I have been doing a lot of research on Sanjay's sight. The radium 20k has better par than most Teen K bulbs and some of the crappier 10k even (like the coralvue). It has an interesting comparator so you can graph 2 bulbs against each other (spectral) and gives you the PPFD (photosynthetic photon flux density= PAR)
 
you mean cnidarianreef.com? Yeah, that is a good website. I really like how he did a whole bunch of ballasts too, so that people can get more accurate results.
 
the color of a clam is best viewed under a 10k light imho.

here's a pic for ya

wholetankangle2.jpg


wholetank2.jpg


wholetank.jpg
 
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