Who keeps Maxima's or Crocea's under 150w MH's or Less?

[reefnewbie54321]

Anyone doing this?

I now everyone goes light crazy and says you need 250w MH's minimum but I've seen them fare under VHO and even PC's

I'm not even looking for growth (obviously they will grow) I just want them to survive. I dont want to be a stressing it out either I want it to be happy.

I have 2 150w 15k MH's and 4 65w PC (2 actinics and 2 65k)

I plan on centering 1 of the MHs in the middle of my 2 island aquascape and place the calms directley under it. Tank is 22 1/2 inches tall and sand bed is 4.5 inches.

Also does anyone have pictures of there clams mounted to rocks, I might want to try this but I rarely see it done so I always figured I would place mine in the sand.

 

[cristhiam]

Here are pics of my crocea and max have them for almost 2 years or more. I have a derasa and gigas on the sand.
My set up is 4 40W 6500K and 2 110W Super Actinics. All run by 2 icecaps 660. On the 55G I had 3 40W 6500K and 1 110W Super Actinic. Run by 1 icecap 660.

This is a pic of my old 55G
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~pinatas/fulltank003.jpg

 

[MadTownMax]

it's possible to put them on rocks - that's how they grow naturally - and it will be better for your clams than at the bottom of your tank (due to depth) - 150W just doesn't penetrate as far as 250W - so put them up near the top - as long as you are in the top 1/3 or 1/4 of your tank, they should fare fine under that lighting.


Pictures of my clam on a rock are in my gallery - the trickey part is to get them on there in the first place - I'd suggest putting the clam/rock combo somplace that it can easily attach to start with for a week or two untill it has attached firmly, then place your rock where you want it in the tank. The clam will adjust its position/angle in the tank to get comfortable after that

FWIW - Clams can "survive" for a long time (year) in sub-par lighting, but the true measure of success is shell growth - even under a 400W halide my crocea wasn't putting on shell until I moved it about 1/2-way up in my tank (same depth as your tank) - so you may want to consider putting yours about as close to the top as you can.

HTH-

 

[cristhiam]

Some growth pictures
Is not just light what makes them growth, good calcium, alk, water quality... etc...
Little Max. still attached to the same shell. it was about 1.5" now is about 3" this was on 2004 around February

Crocrea still attached to the same rock. I have it since 2004 around July. it's about 5"

 

[spoiledcats]

I have my crocea under 150W MH. The location is about 3-4 inches below water surface on a rock. My light is about 8" above my tank, so I think it gets good light. I've had it for about 4 months and the shell has grown 3 new ridges (sorry don't know how else to measure shell growth). I think that maybe translates to less than 1/4 inch. But it's growing, so I figure it's happy. Here is a picture of it if I can do this picture thing right. Sorry, not good quality picture. http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i113/spoiledcats/HPIM0238.jpg

 

[spoiledcats]

Well I did it wrong. Let me try again-

 

[Snprhed]

This is a 150w HQI, in a holding tank of mine.

[/IMG]

 

[-TS-Vash]

Mine is under a 150 but i also have T5s.

 

[reefnewbie54321]

So let me get this straight .. clams dont need light it just makes them grow???

What if I were to buy it at the size I want it and keep it under what some consider low light (bottom of tank under pair of 150 MH's and 4 65w PC's)??? What are the negatives t this aproach?

 

[Lures and Jigs]

This guy's been kept under a pair of 150w HQI's and two 130x Actinics for about a year now. It's showing signs of growth.

 

[-TS-Vash]

So let me get this straight .. clams dont need light it just makes them grow???

WHO TOLD YOU THAT CRAP????? Yes they need a lot of light.

 

[MadTownMax]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7400605#post7400605 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefnewbie54321
So let me get this straight .. clams dont need light it just makes them grow???

What if I were to buy it at the size I want it and keep it under what some consider low light (bottom of tank under pair of 150 MH's and 4 65w PC's)??? What are the negatives t this aproach?

Living things grow or die - if they're not growing, it's just a matter of how long until it dies

In a shallow tank - 16-inches or less - you'd probably be fine, and it would be a healthy, growing clam.

On a tank deeper than that - you'd be taking your chances

They can last for up to a year in sub-par conditions before dieing in a few days for no apparent reason - although the will show signs of stress (over-extending their mantle) if they're consistently "reaching" for more light.

 

[reefnewbie54321]

I was thinking of it like a fish ... you can underfeed a fish (which most of us consider good portions) and it will grow alot slower then if you were to feed it a ton. Even though it is growing faster it still isnt going to die. I guess thats not the case for clams ... I dont want something in my tank thats going to die after a year so I will just atach them to my rock work.

What kinds of clams could fare well in my sand bed

The tank is 25" deep but the overflow is at 22 1/2" and the sand bed is 4 1/2" so from sand bed to water level is 18"

I think someone told me sasquama (cant spell it) would do good

 

[reefnewbie54321]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7400761#post7400761 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lures and Jigs

This guy's been kept under a pair of 150w HQI's and two 130x Actinics for about a year now. It's showing signs of growth.

How deep is your tank?

I have 2x 150w MH 15k, 130w of Actinics, and 130w of 10k PC

 

[MadTownMax]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7405397#post7405397 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefnewbie54321
How deep is your tank?

all-glass 75's are 18-inches deep - looks like about a 2" sandbed (including the depth below the frame) - so probably about 14-16" deep - depending on water level in the tank

 

[MadTownMax]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7405386#post7405386 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefnewbie54321
What kinds of clams could fare well in my sand bed

The tank is 25" deep but the overflow is at 22 1/2" and the sand bed is 4 1/2" so from sand bed to water level is 18"

I think someone told me sasquama (cant spell it) would do good

squamosa would do well, as would a Deresa - which have more colorful mantles than squamosa's

FWIW - if you get a clam- make sure you check it out from the side of the tank - and not just top-down, so you can see what it will look like in your tank-

 

[Lures and Jigs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7406784#post7406784 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MadTownMax
all-glass 75's are 18-inches deep - looks like about a 2" sandbed (including the depth below the frame) - so probably about 14-16" deep - depending on water level in the tank

That about sums it up. The fixture is about 4-5" off the water.

 

[reefnewbie54321]

I think I will keep the maximas on the rocks but squamosa and Deresa's on the sand bed.

What do you think clam promximity should be? I kind of want a cluster of maybe 3-4 clams on my rocks.