440 watts of VHO and want a clam...which one?

[Anonymous]

Which clam should I get with 440 watts of VHO lighting? I can place the clam about 6 inches from the surface of the water, BTW.

Thanks in advance.

Peace,

Chip

 

[HARPO]

Putting a clam in that lighting will only lead to its death. Clams should only be kept under MH lighting. Clams live on extreme high lighting, and a VHO could not meet this need.
Harpo

 

[Dumb Guy]

Well Harpo, I'm not too experienced, so I won't say anything except... let the flames begin.

 

[suckair]

I would guess if the lamps are VHO or compact and the clam is VERY close to the top of the water.. it might be ok..

I had a buddy try a crocea with compact lighting.. He was very impressed with it's growth until it all at once died..

he had it about 6 months.


I had a crocea of mine for about 3 years until a little system accident. but he had MH lighting.

 

[Anonymous]

Putting a clam in that lighting will only lead to its death. Clams should only be kept under MH lighting. Clams live on extreme high lighting, and a VHO could not meet this need.
Harpo

I disagree. I had a Derasa clam for 3 years under VHO (440w) until I eventually traded it to a fellow member here for some Southdown Sand. The clam started out around 2" and was about 6" at the time I traded.

I wonder what happened to that clam. I lost the member's email address. If you're out there man, lemme know how my clam is.

I say go with Derasa and make sure it's not placed too far from the lights. Derasa don't attach to rocks very well IME, so you might need to get creative to get it to attach. I'm sure there are many members here that have kept clams under fluorescent lighting. And just so I don't sound like I'm talking out of my ass, Robert Fenner suggests Derasa, Gigas, and Squamosa for VHO systems in his book "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist." Pages 374-375.

Keep in mind nothing beats MH when it comes to clams, but IME a good VHO or PC setup can be sufficient.

 

[mlundstrom]

I also disagree. It can be done as is shown at the site below.

http://www.palmettoreefs.com/gallery/paul/Paul.htm

 

[Anonymous]

I think I'll try a yellow squamosa or maybe a tiger derasa. Thanks for the info, everyone.

Peace,

Chip

 

[Anemone]

I've kept a derasa and brown maxima under 300 watts VHO in a 65 gallon tank (15" from the lights). The derasa now lives in a 40 gallon tank under 2 x 96 watts PC. Since I've had the derasa for six years, I think it's doing okay :roll:

Also, I had a beautiful purple crocea for two years on the rocks in the 40 gallon tank. It only succumbed due to overgrowth of green star polyps (anyone who has seen pictures of this tank will understand).

So, without flaming, I can say HARPO is wrong.

Kevin

 

[Palmetto]

Derasas and Squamosas will be your best bet. Either of those will be just fine under 440 watts of light, especially if you get them up closer to the bulbs.

Gold Maximas will also be OK, I would steer away from the blue or green-mantled Maximas and Croceas, as they require more intense lighting to penetrate those colors well.

I noticed a link to one of our Galleries where my friend Paul's tank is shown. (thanks, mlundstrong)

Paul is running 660 watts of VHO, and two of them are Aquasuns. Aquasuns are more intense than the other VHO bulbs, and will help SPS and clams thrive. Paul also has high total wattage, which has helped his success with that Maxima. It is still growing and doing nicely, BTW.



Some of the Squamosas and Derasas are beautiful as well, even though the Croceas and Maximas get more attention from hobbyists.

Here is my favorite Squamosa from my personal collection:

 

[HARPO]

What can I say
Harpo

 

[Anonymous]

HARPO Posted: 14 Nov 2002 17:29 Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What can I say
Harpo

Well said!

I kept blue crocea over a yeat on the bottom of my 75G with 440W of VHO. It died about a week after a ph spike caused a kalk overdose.

 

[robthorn1]

I only have one question how did that guy wire 6 110 watt vho's on a 660 ballast? I thought it would only run 4

 

[Anonymous]

A 660 will only run four 110W lamps. There must be a mistake in where you got that info (i didn't check).

Louey

 

[mlundstrom]

two ballasts would do it 8)

 

[Anonymous]

It's most likely a 660 and a 430 ballast running the lamps, I'm sure the website just mislabeled it.

 

[Flukegills]

I have a 75 gallon with 340 watts of power compact lighting, i bought a Squamosa, it was one inch when i got the clam, it is now three inches, its on my sand bed, i feed every day with DTs, go figure

 

[fishpoo]

doesn't matter if it's pc, vho or mh. If it's the intensity and spectrum needed it will thrive.

 

[Palmetto]

OOoppss!!

Yes, it was a missprint. Paul is running TWO 660s on that tank. It will be corrected on the website in 5 min.

 

[pncstod]

I kept a 2 inch squamosa clam in a 58 with 380 watts of vho. Its growth rate was very rapid. It is now in a 150 with 880 watts of light and on the sandbed. It is still doing just fine. When i had it in the 58 i had it five or six inches off the sandbed. Hopefully I have not just jinxxed (spelling) myself and he will continue to do well :roll: