Lighting for clams??

[Boltthrower]

Hi Guys! I am new to clam rearing. I have a 2 feet tank with double tube light using 2 tubes of Coralife 20000K . Is this enough light ?? I usually switch on for 10 hours! Is this okay?? What do u guys mean by t5 light?? Any recommendations on where to get good lights for reef keeping for a 3 feet tank and how much to spend. Thanks.

[MalaysiaBoleh]

i got a four inch purple clam. When i bought it, everybody say my clam will die within one month because I dont have MH nor T5. Using only two tubes of POWERGLO and two PL lights. Today oredi more than 6 months in my tank liao and still healthy. 'meat even grown thicker.

[anakjoh]

Malaysia boleh, I see that the can do spirit has really got into u

Do you know the total wattage and and kelvin of your lghts?

[Dong gu]

most will advice to go for mh. otherwise u can use t5 but u'll hv to use alot of it.

[Dispar_Anthias]

i got a four inch purple clam. When i bought it, everybody say my clam will die within one month because I dont have MH nor T5. Using only two tubes of POWERGLO and two PL lights. Today oredi more than 6 months in my tank liao and still healthy. 'meat even grown thicker.

Maybe your is lucky and maybe it was stretching out for light all the time and only you din notice it

Boltthrower, clam need very strong lighting and in fact clam 4inches and above depend almost solely on light for survival....... Thus only MH or many tubes of t5s will only be able to keep clams happily...... Therefore the light you mention is not enoyugh.......

Malaysiaboleh, try not to give ppl wrong info and encourage them to do the wrong things. if their things die, fault will only be from you

Anyway PEACE

[ervine]

Actually it depends on how much light exactly is getting to the clam... a very shallow tank with PL lights might be better for the clam than an excessively deep tank with MH...

Since most people have tank depths >1ft, thus it is widely believed that only MH or T5s can penetrate deep enough to supply the clam with enough light... I too have kept a clam for quite a long time with only 36W PL, but of course it was 6" away from the light source..

[roidan]

thats true..i have 2 T5s in my sump and its holding all my clams now...all seems happy with the lights...water is about 6 inches deep to the sandbed...but it may mean only 3-4 inches from water surface to my clams mantles.... total T5 wattage is 108W....

but i dose phyto also...

[Terryz_]

PL can keep clam... erm..

[bwilly]

try to keep it at least with T5, barely enuff but can test..

[Boltthrower]

What r MH?? Where can I buy those?? Thks!

[bwilly]

MH - Metal Halides..

they usually cost $100 upwards dependin on types..

will also increase your tank temperature. maybe u reconsider n check more..?

[FuEl]

There is a difference between surviving clams and growing clams.

[MalaysiaBoleh]

I'd wish my clam would die BUT IT WON'T

[[d]3v|L]

If u really want to keep clams with PL or T5 u must use lotsa tubes and position them high up.

[Dispar_Anthias]

I'd wish my clam would die BUT IT WON'T

If thats how you feel, i suggest you stop going into this hobby

[shiok]

I'd wish my clam would die BUT IT WON'T

huh... you dont want it huh!!

I dont mind adopting it....

[kschew1498]

Hi you guys never talk about the temp???

I bought a clam previously and it die 2 days later. $30 for it %$#%$#^% Temp was about 30degree!!! It was actually place at the top of my LR!! so should be ample light even though I use 2 FL light 1 actinic white & 1 blue. Therefore I suspect I cook the clam....

Currently I am using a DIY fan modified from a car fan.....and its around 27.5 - 28 but this few days can reach 26degree probably of the raining days.

Any advise?

[FuEl]

Hi Guys! I am new to clam rearing. I have a 2 feet tank with double tube light using 2 tubes of Coralife 20000K . Is this enough light ?? I usually switch on for 10 hours! Is this okay?? What do u guys mean by t5 light?? Any recommendations on where to get good lights for reef keeping for a 3 feet tank and how much to spend. Thanks.

20,000K tubes are useless for clams. Such tubes are meant for deep water species. Clams utilise light best between the 6500K and 10000K range. It would be better if you change both tubes to 10,000K. The higher the number does not necessarily mean it's better.

[Boltthrower]

Hi! I am still unclear about the lighting. U saying that 10000K is better for clams than 20000K?? Any adverse effect if I use the 20000K?? Will my clams die??

[CalciumReef]

My crocea had endured through the days when my tank temperature is 29-30 degress.....now its happily sitting in the 25 deg region.

[SpiderOne]

I bought a clam previously and it die 2 days later. $30 for it %$#%$#^% Temp was about 30degree!!! It was actually place at the top of my LR!! so should be ample light even though I use 2 FL light 1 actinic white & 1 blue. Therefore I suspect I cook the clam....

no matter how close u place it to the tubes. 2fls are definitely insufficient. upgrade your lights. or your clam will wither away. what species is it? Dont think u cooked your clam. Think it died of other unnatural conditions.

An articles someone told me was outdated some time back recommends clams to be kept at 5-6kk lighting. so dont know how true. guess 6500k would be ideal. 10kk shld be ok. 20kk a bit too high. unless its 400watt MH. which i kept my ultra max in for a few months healthily in .. until one day i forgot to turn on the chiller. but i dont want to talk about it

[Tanzy]

Blue bulbs, so called 20000K bulbs, can be used for clams if the intensity is high enough, which usually means 400W lamps at least.

[daretobe]

Hello Gentlemen,

I am a newby in this hobby .... well, I have set up a 3 x 1.5 x 1.5 ft tk loaded with 32kg of LR and at the moment still in the cycle stage. I have in excess of 200W of PL lightings ( 3 x 55W 10000k, 1 X 55W actinic blue 7000k) is this setup good enough for maximas to trive? I am running on fans and Temp is btw 27.5 - 29 deg C ... any big bros can advice me on this .... what can I do to enhance the environment for my clammies in the near future .......

alwin

[Boltthrower]

Mine is 2 18 inches 20kk 15 watts bulb! Enough for clams??

[nutx]

I think this has been mentioned in the previous few posting.

it is the Light Intensity, and not really how many watts you have.

a 250W MH bulb can cover probably a surface area of 2x2ft, for a depth of 2ft.

a total of 275W PL tubes (conprises of 5x55W) will probably cover a surface 3x2ft, but depth wise, maybe it is just 6inchs or less, if you want to have the same intensity as the 250W bulb.

Hence, it is not the total watts that matters, but is the Intensity at a certain point.

As for colours, the 6500K, 10000K or 20000K is refering to the colours, and the type of lights at different depth of the sea. (not sure how to explaint this parts)