Great build Just got done reading your 10 pages ,Do you run GFO on your tank and how does it effect your clams .I would like to try keeping clams so I would like your input about keeping the clams alive .
Thanks
Willi
Thanks! The tank isn't show stopping like some here, but I will get it there or die trying, lol.
With clams, please remember this is just my experience along with reading clam books, just about every forum post and research article I can find. I don't present any of this as fact that never changes or that I am 100% right.
That is my disclaimer that if anyone reads this and disagrees that is ok, no reason to get upset!
I run GFO all the time. When I notice either corals getting brown or cleaning the glass more often I test tank and reactor phosphate and replace if needed. Never had and issues with new media and clams, or gfo and clams in general. I think lots of that got started in when pinched mantle was going around, PM is pretty rare now and I have never seen it, so I can't comment from personal experience, but when dealing with issues like that it can be nearly impossible to really tell what is going on and it seemed like even the reports at the time were mixed with some fighting PM and using GFO with no issues. Because of all that I don't worry about it. I wouldn't use aluminum phosphate material though, just based of Randy's experiments releasing aluminum. Even if there is some disagreement among the professional chemists, why not avoid it since GFO seems fine.
There are a couple things that jump out at me with keeping clams. The 1st thing is getting healthy stock. It seems easier than it really is, since many times healthy clams looks great and then dead. Overall I have come to think unless you see new growth the clam is not ok. Everything can look good, mantle extension, response, color, but if you don't see at least a tiny bit of growth that clam will die unless something is changed. That is why finding healthy stock can be tough. If you can have a LFS hold a clam until you notice new growth from the time they get it - that is a great option if available. Most online vendors are pretty good, but they get them in and sell them fast, so there is quite a bit of risk relative to other livestock we buy like fish or coral that show decline or sickness relatively obviously. If you can ask how long they have had that shipment - longer the better, and point blank ask about new growth. Good vendors should be upfront. I have gotten sick clams from divers den (ORA) *which I consider the best online vendor and the best mariculture (ORA)* that infected everything I have, and I have also gotten sickly ORA clams that just don't make it more than 2 weeks. Don't know why, but at least the ORA clams from live aquaria I have had trouble with. I think others have had trouble too by reports at nano-reef. So this is the toughest thing IMO. But most the time you are good, and if the only clam in your system you don't need to qt them, otherwise IMO it's more important to QT clams than any other livestock I keep. Everything else from divers den and ORA has been fantastic, so it's not a negative review, just the clams have been problematic for me and a few others.
After finding health stock, the biggest issue is lighting. They need some good lights for sure! My rule of thumb is this, if the clam dies within two weeks (give or take) it was not healthy to start with. If it goes 1-2 months and dies without you noticing new growth it was lack of lighting. Of course that assumes everything else is healthy in the tank and nothing was picking on the clam! It also assumes you didn't add any other clams. Disease can spread through them super fast.
Like most everything clam you can't really give a hard rule about lights. Clams are individuals, so some even in the same species need more light and some less light. The best we can do is make general lighting rules on what works for most people, but remember there is always the chance you get an individual that needs more or less, and they have an absolute minimum threshold they require. Filter feeding seems like it can help only a very little bit on this. Think of it this way, if the clam is getting 99.99% of the energy it needs to survive it will eventually die. It will take a long time, but will die.
Finally make sure nothing picks on it! This point is pretty short, lol. Anything that bites it or is too aggressive with them will kill them eventually.
So those are my long winded tips on clams!! Basically if you start with a healthy clam, have a good tank that is supporting coral, and have enough lighting (many cases the clam needs more light than coral) and avoid critters that pick on them you have a really good shot! But don't get discouraged, sometimes you don't get a good one, or they die out of the blue from a disease or something totally unknown that you can't prevent. Despite all that they are easily my favorite livestock!
I don't think there is really all that much to supplement with that helps. Phytoplankton and golden pearls (the smallest size) may get consumed, but are not needed if you have fish or nutrients in the water. I do like carbon dosing and think it is good for the clams. Not only can they potentially eat the critters carbon dosing grows, but they may be able to directly take some nutrition from carbon dosing directly from the water. Particularly acetic acid (vinegar).
I am sure that is much more than need or desired, but I enjoy talking clam!
.Good advice and I`ll give it a try .
