Giant Clam - eventually

[Shawn_epicurious]

My tanks been up and running for 3 months now. I have my bio load where I want it... for now (saving room for what comes after I learn a few more things) mixed reef... I have a really good understanding of my equipment now (a lighting glitch almost got the best of me...) figured it out : )

Not sure what comes next : ) it’s a out the journey, not the destination.

One of my goals is a get a giant clam. One of my other goals is to not kill a giant clam.

What should I be doing now? ...equipment changes... other species of corals that will drive me in the right direction?

 

[Copingwithpods]

If you can keep sps and not kill them you are ready for a clam as I understand it. Stable temperature, Salinity, alk, cal, mag, PO4, and NO3 as well as mature live rock. When your system is stable then you are on the path to be successful with a clam.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

If you can keep sps and not kill them you are ready for a clam as I understand it. Stable temperature, Salinity, alk, cal, mag, PO4, and NO3 as well as mature live rock. When your system is stable then you are on the path to be successful with a clam.

Stability is what I am working on... it getting better. Time will help. I haven’t been watching mag... I’ll start

 

[ChristianAl]

Try get a Clam bigger than 4" if its smaller than that you would have to feed them 2x a week with phytoplankton (i mixed mine with reefroids) once you get it to right size they can self sustain by filtering your water and good lighting.
I have two in my tank Gigas and Derasa from ORA both are hardy. I read it can tolerate low lights and parameter swing. Although my set up has some good lighting and stable parameter

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Try get a Clam bigger than 4" if its smaller than that you would have to feed them 2x a week with phytoplankton (i mixed mine with reefroids) once you get it to right size they can self sustain by filtering your water and good lighting.
I have two in my tank Gigas and Derasa from ORA both are hardy. I read it can tolerate low lights and parameter swing. Although my set up has some good lighting and stable parameter

Very Nice! You have awesome color on your corals! And those clams are gourgeos!

 

[ChristianAl]

Very Nice! You have awesome color on your corals! And those clams are gourgeos!

Thank you! Hope you find it helpful

 

[Phil D.]

I have my Ca ay 460, Alk at 11.1 and Mag at 1380. Tank is 16 months old and clams are VERY happy. My Blue I got 5 years ago from Petco for $20 when they were shutting down the saltwater section. He's bigger round than my hand.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Thank you! Hope you find it helpful

I didn’t know that about the size. What you said didn’t sink in at first : ) I went straight for the eye candy. I’ve read very little about clams so far. I have been a little afraid of researching them yet. I know my tank is not ready for one yet. Sometimes... late on a Friday night... after a few adult beverage... I wake up having bought stuff lol

 

[ChristianAl]

I didn’t know that about the size. What you said didn’t sink in at first : ) I went straight for the eye candy. I’ve read very little about clams so far. I have been a little afraid of researching them yet. I know my tank is not ready for one yet. Sometimes... late on a Friday night... after a few adult beverage... I wake up having bought stuff lol

To be honest when I bought my clams I had no clue I had to feed them till after I started reading more I stumble into an article suggesting this. I was fortunate that i read the article the day I bought the clams. Another article I found clam was neglected because the owner did not know he had to feed and the clam perished. Sad day.. that's the reason I'm sharing what I learned from others. my clams are under 4" and still feed 2x a week

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

I have my Ca ay 460, Alk at 11.1 and Mag at 1380. Tank is 16 months old and clams are VERY happy. My Blue I got 5 years ago from Petco for $20 when they were shutting down the saltwater section. He's bigger round than my hand.

Wow... cool story for a beautiful clam! Good photography too! My tank is only 3 months old. As much as I want to dive right in... and it doesn’t matter how good my equipment is... my tank needs to mature. I just put some bio blocks in my sump 3 weeks ago. They probably don’t have any bacteria in them yet : ) I’ll get there. I have always loved clams more than anything else you can put in one of these tanks. ...never had one. I will.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

To be honest when I bought my clams I had no clue I had to feed them till after I started reading more I stumble into an article suggesting this. I was fortunate that i read the article the day I bought the clams. Another article I found clam was neglected because the owner did not know he had to feed and the clam perished. Sad day.. that's the reason I'm sharing what I learned from others. my clams are under 4" and still feed 2x a week

Very cool! Thank you

 

[Phil D.]

Well, with the Reefer 350(?) you will be able to have one.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Well, with the Reefer 350(?) you will be able to have one.

Is that question directed at me? I don’t have a reefer 350 ?

 

[Phil D.]

Yes, sorry... forgot what tank you have.

 

[hart24601]

Like with any hobby you will find conflicting opinions, even for small clams I do not find feeding required. I have raised a few maxima from around 1" without any phyto, however make sure you have a good population of fish as the clams can get nitrogen from the urea in fish waste. But I even had a tiny maxima in my reef jar that grew for months and months without any fish!

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Yes, sorry... forgot what tank you have.

200 gallon custom build... adding equipment now to get SPS ready. I just ordered both an Apex Neptune controller and Trident dosing system

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Like with any hobby you will find conflicting opinions, even for small clams I do not find feeding required. I have raised a few maxima from around 1" without any phyto, however make sure you have a good population of fish as the clams can get nitrogen from the urea in fish waste. But I even had a tiny maxima in my reef jar that grew for months and months without any fish!

That’s good informatio! Thank you : )

 

[hart24601]

That’s good informatio! Thank you : )

Anytime! The clam forum here has great information. At one point I had a clam system with 40 maximas!

Right now I have 3 maximas, 2 hippos, 2 derasa, 1 gigas, and 1 squammy for all well over a year now.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Anytime! The clam forum here has great information. At one point I had a clam system with 40 maximas!

Right now I have 3 maximas, 2 hippos, 2 derasa, 1 gigas, and 1 squammy for all well over a year now.

That’s awesome. I didn’t think about posting on the clam forum... I am still so far away from being able to get one... at least a year. I am spending my time right now getting my equipment right. I’ll move into SPS corals next... and if/when I am successful with that, I’ll start doing some real research on actually getting clams : )

 

[hart24601]

That’s awesome. I didn’t think about posting on the clam forum... I am still so far away from being able to get one... at least a year. I am spending my time right now getting my equipment right. I’ll move into SPS corals next... and if/when I am successful with that, I’ll start doing some real research on actually getting clams : )

Very smart idea and a great plan! Although it's fun to window shop, haha