To clam or not to clam, that is the question...

[HumblePie]

Hey all,

I wanted to get some general thoughts and feedback from the community on something I have been mulling over for some time now. I've really wanted to purchase a clam since I had one nearly 15 years ago. Unfortunately, I am running a pico tank (2.6 Fluval AIO) and I am worried about the overall size that even the Croceas can get to. Additionally, my tank has nothing in it but corals and a couple Astrea snails. If I got a very small clam, I had heard it is best to supplement with phyto...which is fine but my tank has been so incredibly stable for so long that adding something that can deteriorate and break down may throw off that balance. I used to do weekly water changes but ended up fighting with what I believe to have been dinos. I stopped doing water changes that frequently and now do them every 3-4 weeks. I no longer have the dino issue and the corals seem to be much happier. If I start to feed phyto, I think, I'll have to go back to more frequent water changes due to phyto die off.

So, in short, while I really want a clam, in doing so I am afraid that it could impact the long-term stability of my pico tank.

I'd be interested to hear what other folks think or have experienced. Thanks.

 

[dwest]

Hey all,

I wanted to get some general thoughts and feedback from the community on something I have been mulling over for some time now. I've really wanted to purchase a clam since I had one nearly 15 years ago. Unfortunately, I am running a pico tank (2.6 Fluval AIO) and I am worried about the overall size that even the Croceas can get to. Additionally, my tank has nothing in it but corals and a couple Astrea snails. If I got a very small clam, I had heard it is best to supplement with phyto...which is fine but my tank has been so incredibly stable for so long that adding something that can deteriorate and break down may throw off that balance. I used to do weekly water changes but ended up fighting with what I believe to have been dinos. I stopped doing water changes that frequently and now do them every 3-4 weeks. I no longer have the dino issue and the corals seem to be much happier. If I start to feed phyto, I think, I'll have to go back to more frequent water changes due to phyto die off.

So, in short, while I really want a clam, in doing so I am afraid that it could impact the long-term stability of my pico tank.

I'd be interested to hear what other folks think or have experienced. Thanks.

I love clams too. But I don’t think I would do it in that small of a tank. I’m guessing it’s possible but I would worry about stability like alkalinity, calcium, etc. Croceas need great lighting as well.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Can't comment on the dinos but I think it'd be fine with weekly 100% water changes

 

[SMSREEF]

I had a clam in 10 gallon. It did well for over a year and got upgraded to bigger tank.

My experience with feeding live phyto is that if it impacts nutrients at all... it lowers them.

but as post above by @dwest says, I dosed alk and calcium and had an AI prime that put out good par.

 

[HumblePie]

You are definitely inline with my thinking. As for calcium and alk, out of curiosity, are clams more demanding than Acros? I certainly could dose if necessary but I've had such great luck with how things have been going, I'm hesitant to throw off what I feel has been a pretty stable env. So far all my corals have done pretty good with semi frequent water changes. Granted, I don't have a lot going on at the moment and my frags are still very small. If I had to start dosing, it might take me a bit to settle in on a routine that balances the dosing with the water changes, etc.

 

[hart24601]

Here is a top down on a 3g pico I kept this gold maxima in for about a year. No supplemental feeding but 100% weekly w/c. Got from petco and grew around 1/2” while in the pico from 1.5” to 2”.

I got a larger system and some infected divers den clams kill it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I support clamming BUT be aware. . .

Water temp not to exceed 80 deg
PH not to exceed 8.3
Alk not to exceed 9
Salinity not to exceed 1.026

As you know our tank chemistry changes without notice. Assure also its healthy, responds to movement around it and inside its' cavity does not have shrimp or pyramid snails within.
If you can handle all this- You're IN !!

 

[HumblePie]

Here is a top down on a 3g pico I kept this gold maxima in for about a year. No supplemental feeding but 100% weekly w/c. Got from petco and grew around 1/2” while in the pico from 1.5” to 2”.

I got a larger system and some infected divers den clams kill it.

Wow that looks amazing! Sorry to hear that it was lost. How long did you have your pico for? There’s some great stuff in that shot. It looks really great!

 

[BighohoReef]

My buddy @ReeferBlaine just got two clams for his 50g. Running it in the pico though could be a challenge... Don't know if you're gonna have enough calcium in that bad boy to keep them going. Looks like folks have had success though.

 

[Vette67]

I would think you might struggle to keep up with the calcium demands. My derasa grows about an inch of shell every 6 months. I have basketball sized acro colonies, but I’m betting my clam consumes more calcium than my acros do. So I would be prepared to dose a lot. Parameter stability can be more difficult in a smaller tank. But if you know what you’re getting into, and can handle it, then you should be good, until it outgrows your tank.

 

[hart24601]

Wow that looks amazing! Sorry to hear that it was lost. How long did you have your pico for? There’s some great stuff in that shot. It looks really great!

I had the pico a couple years. Started with a large cookie jar then went to a 3g cube. Start with health stock and clams can be pretty tough when comes to water chemistry. Most are killed by fish or other inverts nipping, too weak of light, or bad health to start in my experience. I had a kessil a160 sitting on top of an acrylic lid running 100% for 15hr a day maybe a total of 6” away from the clam!
You wouldn’t want a super fast growing species of course.

I didn’t dose or anything outside of 100% weekly water changes.

 

[KingTideCorals]

@BighohoReef its actually the 25 Lagoon! But I did snag two recently!

I really like them, and quite frankly I think they could possibly do well in my tank. After a lot of research I feel like these things do well in "dirtier waters" better yet waters with some good feedings that get dispersed into the water column that all can enjoy... for example Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast.

Also with my other livestock I am currently feeding phyto pretty heavily... because of this bugger..

Christmas Tree Worms and Coral Hermits! My new show piece...

Happy Sunday Reefers!.. its here... the Christmas Tree Rock!! Hope you all are well today, and the tanks are getting along just fine through the pandemic. Just yesterday I was lucky enough to acquire a beautiful piece from a tank breakdown. Drum-roll.... tsssssss..... The Christmas Tree Rock! I...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[KingTideCorals]

My buddy @ReeferBlaine just got two clams for his 50g. Running it in the pico though could be a challenge... Don't know if you're gonna have enough calcium in that bad boy to keep them going. Looks like folks have had success though.

Oh and also.. I will be keeping a close eye on parameter changes with the new additions!

Also with the new light for the system I am running I have no worry about getting them enough light thats for sure!

 

[HumblePie]

Well, this just happened...

I called around to a number of LFS and a few had indicated that there was a bit of a shortage on Croceas right now in our area. I found one store that had one and ended up buying it. I definitely paid too much... Usually I am not one for buying under pressure but I caved. This little beauty is about 2-2.5". I'll keep a very close eye on it and, should things start taking a turn for the worse, I'll go ahead and sell it on the cheap for local pickup. I'm hoping that won't be the case since my Acros seem to be happy.

 

[Vette67]

Really cool looking clam. I love that color.

 

[hart24601]

I looked but must have missed it, what light are you using? I wouldn’t put one of those guys in under 300 par. They need several times more light than acros!

 

[HumblePie]

I looked but must have missed it, what light are you using? I wouldn’t put one of those guys in under 300 par. They need several times more light than acros!

I’ve got a Kessil A80 and it sits right around 11” under the light. I don’t happen to have a PAR meter but it was so bright when I was stocking the Acros, I had to back down the intensity a bit. Currently this is under acclimation mode for the next 6 days so it is capped at 50%.

 

[hart24601]

I’ve got a Kessil A80 and it sits right around 11” under the light. I don’t happen to have a PAR meter but it was so bright when I was stocking the Acros, I had to back down the intensity a bit. Currently this is under acclimation mode for the next 6 days so it is capped at 50%.

I am concerned that will not be enough light for the clam, but some get by with less than other even among the same species, but crocea are the most light demanding. My gut feeling is that isn’t enough.

 

[HumblePie]

I am concerned that will not be enough light for the clam, but some get by with less than other even among the same species, but crocea are the most light demanding. My gut feeling is that isn’t enough.

Yeah, that’s something I’m going to keep an eye on. I can step up to the 360 but I just don’t want to blow out my acros, hammer and zoas... I’ve read on other forum folks having to run the 360 on similar tanks at 13% because they were burning out their corals. The tank is just so shallow that I’m a bit cautious.

 

[hart24601]

Yeah, that’s something I’m going to keep an eye on. I can step up to the 360 but I just don’t want to blow out my acros, hammer and zoas... I’ve read on other forum folks having to run the 360 on similar tanks at 13% because they were burning out their corals. The tank is just so shallow that I’m a bit cautious.

yeah it can be very tough to make everything happy since clams need so much more light than corals. Hopefully you can sort it out and make everyone happy!