Done trying clams

[Tyler Caviness]

Here’s one of the charts from the BRS TV video. They said that at 100%, the par was almost exactly doubled at each measurement point. Maybe at 40% intensity you aren’t putting out enough PAR for your clam, but on your tank, the kessil is capable of doing what you need it to.

 

[Fishfinder]

So the clam would have to be directly under the light at 100% to get 150 PAR. I don't think that will keep a maxima. Maybe if it was moved up the water column

 

[Tyler Caviness]

Maybe if it was moved up the water column

True. People do keep clams under kessils though.

 

[Fishhands]

Do you have snails in the tank? Do you check them? Here is a picture with some on it

View attachment 20171020_182514.jpg

Quick, put it back the snail police will get you.lol

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

Quick, put it back the snail police will get you.lol

Lol, I did. I only took it out to take the pyramids off and take a picture. I take them out almost daily to remove the snails.

 

[chuckfu5]

I'd say probably 100%

So if I boost my Kessil to 100% to sustain a clam in the sand I will melt all my zoas and what effects would this have on my sps that are towards the top of the water column?

 

[BoomCorals]

So if I boost my Kessil to 100% to sustain a clam in the sand I will melt all my zoas and what effects would this have on my sps that are towards the top of the water column?

You'd have to do it in phases, but all of those coral would probably be ok if you did that.

 

[Fishfinder]

They could all handle it. Do it little by little

 

[DSC reef]

Quick, put it back the snail police will get you.lol

As long as we don't paint them were good. Lol!

 

[chuckfu5]

From the sand bed to the the light is about 12 inches.

 

[chuckfu5]

Another question I have is if it is the lack of light wouldn’t it take longer than a week for the clam to die?

It just seems like that’s awful fast for it to die because of light issues.

 

[chuckfu5]

Here’s one of the charts from the BRS TV video. They said that at 100%, the par was almost exactly doubled at each measurement point. Maybe at 40% intensity you aren’t putting out enough PAR for your clam, but on your tank, the kessil is capable of doing what you need it to.

I’ll try and borrow a par meter from our club. That display you show has the light mounted 6.5 inches above the water. I’m about 13 inches from the sand bed to the light.

Also how fast or slow would a clam die from lack of light?

 

[leahfiish]

What is ideal par for a clam? Do the different kinds prefer different light levels?

 

[DSC reef]

Clams can decline rapidly and suddenly. If the clam is in poor health to begin with then it's not uncommon to loose one in 24 hours. I don't know the exact par a clam needs but they are light hungry so 150 or above I'd expect be ok but I've never measured par a day in my reefing life. I'm really leaning towards light being an issue and as long as you keep the chemistry stable then trying a deresa and ramping up your lights should be ok. Keeping smaller tanks isn't easy and swings can happen quickly. Try to slowly adjust the light intensity now so your corals can acclimate first then add another clam in a month when your ready. A healthy deresa would be a good start.

 

[rkpetersen]

What is ideal par for a clam? Do the different kinds prefer different light levels?

Yes. There's a fairly substantial range. Derasas are found at the greatest depths on the reef and can tolerate the lowest light levels. They also don't tend to need to attach to the substrate and will do fine just leaned up against a rock.

At the other end of the spectrum are croceas, which are always found in very shallow waters directly under the equatorial sun. They like to attach to a solid substrate and will actually burrow themselves down into the rock over time. Previously most wouldn't even try to keep them except under metal halides. It's said that you can't give them too much light as long as you acclimate them up there. No idea how they're doing under LEDs for others, but they have not thrived for me under ~200 PAR; I need to find a way to position one up near the water surface where it would get around 350 PAR.

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

I'm keeping my clams under 2x kessil a360we in tank 36x18x17, light mount 5 inches above water, 2x small Derasa and 1x medium Maxima on sand bed, 2x small Maxi on rock work 4~5 inches above sand bed.
Light color/intensity acclimation when I first got my clams started at 30% color/35% intensity, rank up 5% per week. I setup 6 points ramp up/down start at 6AM at 5%/5% (I knew kessil light CAN NOT lower than 13% so it's just a number to the program to start a ramp up) and ramp up to X intensity (X = % of intensity you wanted), when the light reached X intensity it will continue that X intensity for 10 hours then ramp down at 6PM then continue ramp down until your light schedule to turn off, the key here is keep consistent intensity for 10 hours for the clams photosynthesis, I also have Zoa, Birdnest, Xenia, GSP corals and they all doing well under these A360WE, I think you got unhealthy clams rather than blame yourself for those death clams. Why's not look around your LFS for some clams instead buying them through DD which way over priced, I paid less than 40 bucks for derasas and maximas....
*Site note:
How did you acclimate your clam?
I dripped acclimate my clams for 5 hours before I place it in my tank.
TBH I don't even have a clue about my Calcium, Alk and Mag LOL
I just never test those elements but I'm very aggressive with my water change, I used to do 3x 10% WC per week and recently just do 2x 10% per week to avoid 0 ppm Nitrate
I'm using RSCP salt and look like all my live stocks love it.

 

[MillerR.]

What other livestock is in the tank?

 

[Water Dog]

I have no first hand experience with it, but I have read numerous threads where clams purchased from Divers Den have an unusually high mortality rate. The 14 day guarantee is certainly nice, but unless your buying a good amount of livestock, you’re getting whacked with shipping each time you order a new clam. I’m in agreement with whomever stated above that a healthy clam would most likely take a good bit longer than a week to perish from a lighting deficiency. Most likely the clam was unhealthy and on its way out to begin with.

 

[chuckfu5]

What other livestock is in the tank?

Pair of clowns

Bicolor blenny

And a cardinal

There are over 40 different coral in the tank ranging from zoas to high end sps.

 

[chuckfu5]

I'm keeping my clams under 2x kessil a360we in tank 36x18x17, light mount 5 inches above water, 2x small Derasa and 1x medium Maxima on sand bed, 2x small Maxi on rock work 4~5 inches above sand bed.
Light color/intensity acclimation when I first got my clams started at 30% color/35% intensity, rank up 5% per week. I setup 6 points ramp up/down start at 6AM at 5%/5% (I knew kessil light CAN NOT lower than 13% so it's just a number to the program to start a ramp up) and ramp up to X intensity (X = % of intensity you wanted), when the light reached X intensity it will continue that X intensity for 10 hours then ramp down at 6PM then continue ramp down until your light schedule to turn off, the key here is keep consistent intensity for 10 hours for the clams photosynthesis, I also have Zoa, Birdnest, Xenia, GSP corals and they all doing well under these A360WE, I think you got unhealthy clams rather than blame yourself for those death clams. Why's not look around your LFS for some clams instead buying them through DD which way over priced, I paid less than 40 bucks for derasas and maximas....
*Site note:
How did you acclimate your clam?
I dripped acclimate my clams for 5 hours before I place it in my tank.
TBH I don't even have a clue about my Calcium, Alk and Mag LOL
I just never test those elements but I'm very aggressive with my water change, I used to do 3x 10% WC per week and recently just do 2x 10% per week to avoid 0 ppm Nitrate
I'm using RSCP salt and look like all my live stocks love it.

Drip acclimated for about 4 hours.

I live in Riverdale, Utah and our selection is far and few between when it comes to LFS. Usually they don’t carry clams and if they do they are usually large and outrageously priced.