Can I keep clams?

[SeaSydney]

Here we go,
75 gal tank, 100 lbs LR, 80 lbs LS, good water flow and good skimmer. I want to keep all types of clams but money for lighting is a liottle short. Propesed lighting:-
2 x 175watt MH - 10K
2 x 96watt PC - 71k & 67k or 2 71k
I could possibly add a third 96watt PC.
So, would I be able to keep clams with this lighting setup?

thanks Mark

 

[theringnebula]

Have you already purchased it. I would suggest a more powerful setup if you want to keep all types of clams. The setup you proposed would probably be ok for a derasa or maybe some others if you put them near the top, but more would be preferable.

 

[Moose22]

I'm thinking you might do better saving the money on the extra 96 watter and buying more powerful metal halides. The 250W or, even better, the 250W HQIs might get you closer to your goal. (others here, please correct me if I'm wrong in this)

Even with a pair of 250W MH and the 2x96W PCs you're at the bottom end of lighting for "every" type of clam. Maximas, in my limited experience, like TONS of light. But with that setup, you might do OK for most up near the top.

Derasas should be ok even a bit lower down if they're near the middle of the tank. I got one to grow pretty well under a 175 and some PCs in a 40 gallon.

 

[Freedom75@work]

sydney

I am keeping a very nice looking crocea under 2 175W MH with 10 K bulbs. have had her for about 6 months and she is thriving. So I know the setup you are preposing would work with a crocea

John Wray
freedom75
[email protected]

 

[SeaSydney]

I also notice that you guys use the 10k bulbs, Is that due to the nice blue tint? Do you think that the 2 96 Watt PC attinic will offset the yellow of the 65k's. The reason why I want to gao with the 65k is that I read where a lot of these clams are shallow water and the the 65k is closer to the color spectrum they are use to.
what do you guys think. Thanks for you help, I learn so much from you guys

Mark

 

[Anonymous]

SeaSydney- 10K's aren't blue. It's more white. I combined my 10k's with 2-110 Actinic's from URI. This combination is very natural looking and bright.

I beleive the 20K bulbs are the blue ones. 6.5K is yellow. Right?

Louey

 

[SeaSydney]

Yes louey the 65k's are yellow. I guess that the cost of the 10k 250 awatters are a little steep for me. I already have 2 96watt PC and was hoping that they would offset the yellow of the 65k's. what do you think. I see that you are in FL as well, we could probably meet up one day.
Mark

 

[Anonymous]

I've never tried the 6.5 K's so I really couldn't say. I really don't think you need the 250's. I'd go with 175's and save the money and the heat generated by 250's.

I believe I paid $69.00 each for my 175W 10K Ushio's from Champion.

 

[Sue Truett]

I keep 3 crocea's and 3 maxima's in my 180 under 3 250w 65k iwasaki's. Sorry to me they are not yellow at all. I am only using 2 160w vho actinics for actinic supplementation. I have a derasa in my 120 under 2 400w iwasaki's. The derasa is growing like mad as are the crocea's and maxima's in the 180. The clams in the 180 are on a ledge piece of LR about half way up the rock structure but are not near the top of the tank. They are holding the color with no problems. HTH..

my 180 ecosystem sps/clam tank:
http://berlinmethod.com/suet/
my 120 ecosystem sps tank:
http://suetruett.homestead.com/home.html
www.marshreef.org/members

 

[jethro]

I keep my clams on ice in the fridge until I am ready to grill 'em.

 

[SeaSydney]

thanks guys for your replys. i guess that 400's would be the only way to keep "every" type of clam. I will probably save some more and get the 250's and only keep some. What if I had a 4" sand bed and 2 x 250 65k & 2 x 96 71k PC, would I be able to keep maximas and croceas with some sps corals?

Thanks again for your help
Mark

 

[Anonymous]

SeaSydney

I have a 75G w/ 2-175W MH 10K and 2-110W VHO Actinic. I have kept two Crocea's and SPS for over a year with no problems. I would buy maxima's or any other clam or coral without hesitation. IMHO

Louey

[ April 22, 2002: Message edited by: Louey ]</p>

 

[Freedom75@work]

sydney

you might also want to consider heat. the more lights the more heat. I have been battling heat on my 72 bowfront. I have it under control but I would imagine that 400's as opposed to 175 are going to really heat the water. Oh and I also have some Sps's with no problems


John Wray
freedom75

 

[Moose22]

Back in my MH days I ran a 6500K 175W halide with actinic flourescent. It was not super yellow. It's actually pretty close to daylight coloring, or what you'd see in very shallow water. The Actinic brought out the blue-white colors and made the corals flouresce nicely.

When I move into my next tank, I intend to use 6500K MHs again with PC actinics. It worked very well for me before. Also, the 6500K bulbs tend to put out more PAR than the 10,000K according to some sources. I can't verify that, but if it's true, the daylight bulbs give you more energy per watt.

Like I said before, I did OK with this 175W MH and Actinic flourescent setup and had some success with a trachyphilia, a euphyllia, and a nice derasa that was pretty low in the rocks and grew well. My maxima was RIGHT on top, almost directly under the bulb, but I did not keep it in that tank for long enough to say that I had it growing well.

 

[xKEIGOx]

hemm... I think the lighting are already enough. I have successfully keep sps and clam in totally deferent type of lighting. 5ft x 2.5ft x 2.5ft with 4 x 40watts FL tube and 4 x 150watts MH. Another is 1.8ft x 1.8ft x 1.8ft with only 2 x 10watts FL and 4 x 18watts compact tube. The SPS and the clam are all healthy.

 

[xKEIGOx]

as I know, the zooxanthellae within the coral tissue are same with plants which they can adjust their requirement for lights with in the max and minimum range for them. too much or too little will also stunt the process.

 

[SeaSydney]

Thank you guys for all your replys. I did not get a chance to check back with this board until this norning. Well, I will definately not be going with the 400's so it will either be the 250's or 175's depending on the quality and quantity of the light and of course the cost and looks.

Again thank you for all your help and by no means am I saying to stop bringing them on.
Mark

 

[aesop]

SeaSydney;

I'm running an 400w isawaki 6500k over my 65gallon right now. I have the new bulb which supposedly is not as yellow as the older bulb types. Along with this I supplement with 3x30w Actinics and one flourescent.

I am keeping three maximas all at different levels of the tank with no problems at all. Also with the 400w you I can pretty much keep any SPS I want, and wouldn't have to say "gee i wish i had more light"

I don't have a heat problem since its in the basement; though there is a fan waiting to be put into the hood should the need arise.

I don't really have a problem with the colour at all; Ideally the flourescents can be replaced by an VHO which would "fix" up the colour.

I actually just took some recent photos: 1-2weeks ago if you want to see what the colouration is.

My Reef Pictures

 

[theringnebula]

SeaSydney: Look into a fixture called "AquaSpaceLight" You can get a 2 bulb unit from custom aquatics for $799.99 with free shipping. If you factor in the cost of ballast, bulbs, reflectors, sockets, shipping etc. for your proposed setup it will probably be around the same (this is what I found out before I bought my unit). This is a 250Watt HQI unit. HQI is a variant of MH and the 250Watt HQI bulb has been shown to have a similar output to most 400Watt bulbs. I would look into this as an option. I have the 3 bulb version of this and love it!

http://www.customaquatics.com

[ April 23, 2002: Message edited by: theringnebula ]</p>

 

[SeaSydney]

hey guys, yesturday I saw a hamilton 175 watt 65k bulb and it was pretty white, needless to say I was shocked because I was expecting it to be yellow. Is the brand That make the difference.
Aesop, are you saying that the newer 65k bulbs are a little "whiter" that ones in the past?
Thanks Mark