Clam light

[ScottR]

Clams are very beautiful animals. They actually one of the reason I started this hobby. I had 2 addy different times but they both didn't make it. My tank was still new at the time. Now I'm a loud knowledgeable with a more established tank. Can't wait to get them.

You’re going about it the right way. How many times does someone new to saltwater start a tank and the very same day it’s loaded with tons of things. Then everything dies. Brand new tank: first day, uncycled, in goes an anemone, clowns, a tang and a sea apple to top it all off.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Lighting and low water flow very important as they filter feed. Important also that there are no tank occupants that will annoy or attack it

 

[EW_Fish]

Go with easier ones first such as Deresa or maxima

I heard maxima were one of the harder clams to keep?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I heard maxima were one of the harder clams to keep?

As long as water conditions are good, not hard to manage. Another good choice: Squamose and Tricadia

 

[Joel B.]

I heard maxima were one of the harder clams to keep?

They just have higher lighting requirements on average. Derasa's can do well on the sand in ~150PAR for example, but I wouldn't attempt a Maxima at under 200 and wouldn't really be comfortable at under 250, generally.

They also attach to rockwork, which means trying to get them comfortable while perched higher in the tank (for higher PAR) which can lead to them going for jumps, when compared to a Derasa you plop on the sand and then don't need to touch.

 

[4n2xtacy]

Go with easier ones first such as Deresa or maxima

Those clams look gorgeous...love it...

 

[B0brobert]

See this article by James W. Fatheree :

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/3/inverts

 

[Jay Z]

I totally agree with vetteguy, I think water quality, stability, and food in the water column is more important than light.

I have a maxima blue in my 6 under some hodge podge leds lights I got from various places, probably sitting at 75-85 par. Growing just fine for the last 5 months months.

Gold in my main that was under a kessil 700, had great growth, switched to a t5 hybrid, had excellent growth and extension.

So for me, t5 made gave my gold the best extension I've seen and my gold picked a higher flow area in the middle of my main.

Was weird watching 2 maxima with different personalities. Gold likes high par and flow, blue likes low flow and low par. I tried my blue in my main for 3 months, he hated it, keep going to the bottom of the tank and partial shadows, 100 par and under and hid from the water flow. Noticed what he kept doing and put him in the 6. He finally attached and has not moved in the last 5 months.

 

[DSC reef]

To the OP, I'd highly recommend you read up in articles from James Fatheree as he is an expert in this field. There is NOTHING more important to a tridacna than light. The mantle colors do not tell you how much flow they require and all maximas require a lot of light. Flow requirements will defer to each clam as what they prefer. Also, clams do not eat the food that the fish eat so "food" in the water column does nothing for the clam. While it's always good to have stable chemistry, light is the most important thing you can give to any tridacna. If your looking for a hardy species I'd recommend you try a tridacna derasa or squamosa, maximas require a lot more light.

 

[B0brobert]

Here an other on feeding clams by James Fatheree :

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/7/inverts