Advanced Aquarist article : On Lighting for Tridacnid Clams

[Paul_N]

I came across this article and just wanted to share. I have been asking exactly this question with the fact I am setting up a 30" tall 220 and would love to have my clams on the bottom but still staying with 250w bulbs. I only have maxima (3) and Dersa (2). According to the article they are some of the least light demanding so I should be fine. I also plan on adding a squammy or two down the road but with that being said the maxima is the most light demanding clam I will have.

Aquarium Invertebrates: On Lighting for Tridacnid Clams — Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine

 

[Bigevill1]

great read. I have been thinking about adding an nice clam or two once my setup is back up and running.

 

[returnofsid]

I'm keeping T. derasa, T. squamosa, T. crocea AND T. maxima, on the sand bed, of a 27" deep tank, under T5HO, with no problems at all. They've been there for a long time, healthy as can be.

 

[emerald525]

Great article! I'm going to post it up on my local site. Knowledge is power!

 

[Lowsingle]

thanks for posting......

Darren

 

[Paul_N]

I'm keeping T. derasa, T. squamosa, T. crocea AND T. maxima, on the sand bed, of a 27" deep tank, under T5HO, with no problems at all. They've been there for a long time, healthy as can be.

Good to know....:bigsmile: I really don't want to go to 400w. That was the reason I got the lumenbright reflectors so they could punch the light down to the sand.

 

[Paul_N]

great read. I have been thinking about adding an nice clam or two once my setup is back up and running.

I was hoping it would help anyone that was on the fence about their lighting and if it cold support clams.

 

[Paul_N]

Great article! I'm going to post it up on my local site. Knowledge is power!

thanks for posting......

Darren

AA always has some great articles! We can all learn together.....:wink:

 

[johnanddawn]

good read - i haven't tried a clam under my LEDs yet but have been looking at them again and thinking about it, i wonder about spectrum as well as intensity especially when looking at the more shallow living species

 

[Paul_N]

good read - i haven't tried a clam under my LEDs yet but have been looking at them again and thinking about it, i wonder about spectrum as well as intensity especially when looking at the more shallow living species

I have been wondering the same as well. One of the reasons I have held off on led lights for now. Maybe someone will chime in that has had clams under led lights for at least a year.

 

[nicodim55]

I have 2 squamosa on the sand bed of a 24" deep tank and doing well under 2 250 MH and coralvue moonlights.

 

[skinz78]

Personally I think if you have T5's with good individual reflectors and 4 or more bulbs you should be able to keep clams at depths up to 18". Deeper than that you would need 6 or more bulbs.

As for MH it really depends on the depth of the tank, I had a 75g setup with 175 w halides and I kept Maxima's and Crocea's on the sand.

I've never had LED's so I can't comment on them.

 

[patent]

I would think that it depends on the tank too, and how much there is for them to eat. E.g, a more established tank with some plankton, etc. can probably get by with less light. I know alot of folks say that a young clam needs that more, but an older clam will use it too if its available.

 

[CJO]

One of my favorite articles. There's a lot of good information that can be found by reading back issues of Advanced Aquariast.

CJ

 

[JackoChang]

I have been wondering the same as well. One of the reasons I have held off on led lights for now. Maybe someone will chime in that has had clams under led lights for at least a year.

I haven't had LEDs for a year but 6 months. I have the Evo 20000K. My derasa browned out, not completely but noticeable. My squamosa looked brown with white dots, recently sold it and it looked really nice under MH (white dots were baby blue and green). I got a teal crocea, it looks blue now. All where healthy and growing, some just weren't as colorful looking. Maybe a whiter color temp?

 

[fsu1dolfan]

Great link Paul...i have always thought about picking up a clam. Glad to know which require more and less light.

 

[CJO]

I have been wondering the same as well. One of the reasons I have held off on led lights for now. Maybe someone will chime in that has had clams under led lights for at least a year.

I've had a Crocea under DIY LED lights since last may. I haven't noticed a change in color and it's still growing well (around 5" now).

CJ

 

[Mtnbikedan01]

Thanks for posting that article, it helped a lot .