What else? Clam questions!

[Masoch]

Hi all,

I'm currently cycling my oddly-sized 30ish tank (24x18x18). Right now, I'm pondering my lighting options. My prefered lighting option is 6x 24 watt T5 + Tek reflectors, and my prefered centre-piece for the tank is going to be a clam (don't worry, to be added in late winter / early spring). I could go MH ... but I like the colour options and low heat transfer I can get with T5. MH might also nuke some of my other critters.

I'm thinking that maximas and croceas are marginal under this light, but how 'bout derasas? I know they can get big, but lining up a suitable home in Toronto wouldn't be much of a pain if it gets too big before I get the monster tank.

I'm also just about to start up a phyto culturing station in anticipation of the clam. If I were to grow just one species of phyto, what should it be?

TIA!

 

[crzy4reefs]

don't know about the phyto but the T5's should be fine for maxima's and you could do the derasa..........if i'm wrong others will chime it

 

[Masoch]

Perfect!

Thanks for the reply. I can't wait for the clam

 

[Scuba Dog]

yep t5s are margional, but effective, if you get the maximas or croaceas, have them high up in the rock work....

 

[jda]

If you grow one type of phyto grow the nannochloropsis (spelling is probably wrong). It is the smallest and the clams can filter it out.

Go with the MH for lighting. Maxima and crocea will love you for it. If you keep it in a pendant then heat should not be an issue.

 

[seafarm]

The most commonly grown algae at commercial shellfish hatcheries are Isochrysis and Chaetoceros. I would not recommend Chaetoceros because it's a diatom and you would need to add silica to the media to make it grow. Isochrysis is relatively easy to grow and the perfect size (5-6 microns) for any type of bivalve shellfish. Here are some places that you can buy pure cultures of Isochrysis:

http://www.aquaculture-supply.com/parta.pdf
http://www.reed-mariculture.com/cultures/index.htm

 

[jdieck]

Regarding the clams a derassa will do with that lighting but you must consider that within a year to year and a half it will grow to foot-ball size so it will occupy most of your tank. Also you will need to place (any clam) high in the tank were clams look the least atractive as they are better seen from the top so for viewing purposes you want them as low in your tank as possible than negating the possibility of using T-5s.

 

[Masoch]

Howdy,

Thanks for the advice, folks!

Over the last couple of weeks, I've started culturing phyto (nano) and have been doing more reading ... here, a local board, and Clams Direct. Other than feeding your young clams phyto, there's an awful lot of conflicting information. Fortunately, since I'm months away from adding any sort of clam, we should see what the mid-term survival / thrive rate is for different species of clam under T5s. I know that a somewhat local store to me is going to start to experiment with clams and SPS under T5s.

I still don't think I'll go for MH. The cost / benefit / aesthetics factors line up better for me with T5 than MH. If it turns out that T5s suck for clams, I'll look elsewhere for my centrepiece invert. I'm not going to "push the envelope" and keep a critter in marginal conditions.

Thanks for the help!

 

[mygreengoldfish]

I recently got a nice crocea and it has been doing great. It is at the bottom of my tank which is 24 inches from the surface and I have a 250 watt metal halide. So in my opinion, clams are not too hard with basic care. I would also like to encourage you to go for metal halides. They may be a little bit more expensive they support more life giving you more options for your tank and have the nice effect of looking more like sunlight and making "glitter lines". If cost is an issue, take a look at www.hellolights.com. They have metal halide retrofits that cost as much as VHOs or power compacts. As for heat, a cheap fan pointed at the top of your tank fixes most problems. I hope this helps you, this is what I have learned through trial and error.

 

[Bayliner]

Hi Masoch,
I am not sure about the T5's but I kept a squamosa under compacts and VHO's for over a year.. It is still with me today but under MH's now..

Actually I noticed more growth under the PC's and VHO than with the MH.

Do you have a calcium reactor or are you going to supplement ?

Cam

P.s. I am also from the Toronto areaââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦.well actually Stoney Creek.. But I work in Mississauga.

 

[Masoch]

The squamosa would outgrow the tank in short order (its footprint is 24x18)

For calcium, I'll be using good ol' kalk + calcium chloride. I just hooked up my auto topoff this afternoon, and will probably DIY some kind of kalk reactor for it. A full-blown calcium reactor hurts the wallet too much ... but ORG did get a HOB reactor a while back ...

Have you checked out http://www.aquariumpros.ca ? It's a whack of folks from southern Ontario (mostly the GTA). All sorts of goodies for sale 'n' trade there.