When to add Giant Clam?

[mossanimal]

I want to eventually get a few giant clams in my 90 gallon tank (with 50 gallon sump and separate mangrove/deep mud). I often hear that you shouldn't add them to young tanks. At what point would be a good time to add them? My tank is almost 6 months old and has healthy corals and two clownfish. I'm probably over-filtered as I'm currently 0 on nitrates and phosphates but am working bringing that up with feeding schedule and direct feeding of corals with Reef Roids.

Anyway... when is a tank no longer 'young'?

 

[JoJosReef]

I think that's a case by case question. How stable is your tank? Did you start with dry or live rock? You have low NO3/PO4, but are you battling nuisance algae (if so, nutrients are there, just getting consumed rapidly by algae)? Bottomed out nutrients aren't ideal for clams. The most important question is, how are your lights? Do you have SPS level lighting?

 

[exnisstech]

The most important question is, how are your lights? Do you have SPS level lighting?

^this^
I couldn't keep a clam alive untill I got a par meter then I knew why.
I'm not sure what is recommended but I have a maxima and a derasa for about 9 months now that are doing well and showing a lot of new growth. Nitrates run 15-20 and phos 0.6 tank is 8 years old, not that you need to wait that long I just wanted to mention it.

 

[mossanimal]

I think that's a case by case question. How stable is your tank? Did you start with dry or live rock? You have low NO3/PO4, but are you battling nuisance algae (if so, nutrients are there, just getting consumed rapidly by algae)? Bottomed out nutrients aren't ideal for clams. The most important question is, how are your lights? Do you have SPS level lighting?

I started with rock that was cured but from a previous tank and also about 20 pounds of Gulf cultured live rock. Coraline algae is starting to spread onto back glass. Lots of diversity in terms of invertebrates that came from that live rock.

I think the nutrients are being rapidly consumed in my macro algae fuge. I've been ramping down the light in an attempt to not 'over filter'. I have very little nuisance algae in my display. I have a huge copepod population that is probably keeping that down. They are all over my glass and I haven't had to scrape in weeks. I'm told that my blackbox LEDS can grow SPS but I haven't measured PAR. They are Phlizons.

 

[JoJosReef]

I started with rock that was cured but from a previous tank and also about 20 pounds of Gulf cultured live rock. Coraline algae is starting to spread onto back glass. Lots of diversity in terms of invertebrates that came from that live rock.

I think the nutrients are being rapidly consumed in my macro algae fuge. I've been ramping down the light in an attempt to not 'over filter'. I have very little nuisance algae in my display. I have a huge copepod population that is probably keeping that down. They are all over my glass and I haven't had to scrape in weeks. I'm told that my blackbox LEDS can grow SPS but I haven't measured PAR. They are Phlizons.

Looks like the well-known Viparspectra lights. Could work, depending on what type of clam you get and where you put it. Will want to monitor the clam for new shell growth to make sure it is getting the light it needs.

 

[mossanimal]

Looks like the well-known Viparspectra lights. Could work, depending on what type of clam you get and where you put it. Will want to monitor the clam for new shell growth to make sure it is getting the light it needs.

Do you need to dose calcium like you do for SPS if that shell grows? I'm assuming that would be the case!

 

[JoJosReef]

Do you need to dose calcium like you do for SPS if that shell grows? I'm assuming that would be the case!

Keep Ca levels up along with ALK, like you normally would. You probably won't have to do anything differently in the beginning with a small clam, but as it grows larger I would keep an eye on it.