Help me succeed with my clam

[Copingwithpods]

Here she is

T.crocea or maxima? Honestly they both look the same to me.

I've read up quiet a bit before purchasing but any info and advise is greatly appreciated. I want to do my best to help it grow and thrive.

The tank

29g Biocube

300gph return
Ai Nero5 at 1000gph wave setting

Light is ai prime hd ramped up pretty high and the clam is right under its Hotspot.

Parameters

PO4 0.05
No3 0.09
Ph. 8.2
Cal. 450
Alk. 9.0
Mag. 1390
Sal. 1.025
Temp 78

Everything is kept steady with 3 part dosing, temperature controller and ato and refugium.

I have lps and sps doing great so in theory I'm ready. Or so I think.

As I'm not too experienced with burping a clam I made sure it was never out of the water at the wholesaler or at home. I fully inspected every inch of it for snails and found one, a round trochus looking snail but no pyrimid snails or gel like sacks that would indicate egg sacks. To my untrained eye it looks clean and healthy reacting quickly to light interference and re opening quickly after.

Its been in the tank only a few hours. Heres a picture it's 9:04 pm and light were ramping down I turned up the lights to take the picture so it isn't as open as it was earlier.

Here's a fts with clam placement and where the light source is reletive to the clam.

I hear everyone mention they are alk and cal monsters so I'll be monitoring both and adjusting my dosing accordingly.

I have yet to dose phyto or reef snow, should I, is it needed, will it help? Anything else I need/should know about these guys?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[minreef]

Looks like a nice maxima to me.

Not a clam expert but was told no need for supplemental feeding but stable water chems and enough light, including from Dr. Mac at Pacific east aquaculture. I've had a couple maximas die on me at 1 month from what I now suspect as inadequate light. I believe they were only getting 100ish par. I'm reading they should get wt least 200+

Since then I got another maxima and a crocea, currently at 2-4 months. Both are doing well showing good growth already. They're currently getting 300-400 par. But my water is not as clean as yours which I'm told clams dont do as well in pristine ULN sps tanks. I have about 2-5ppm nitrates and 0.1 phos.

 

[Copingwithpods]

Looks like a nice maxima to me.

Not a clam expert but was told no need for supplemental feeding but stable water chems and enough light, including from Dr. Mac at Pacific east aquaculture. I've had a couple maximas die on me at 1 month from what I now suspect as inadequate light. I believe they were only getting 100ish par. I'm reading they should get wt least 200+

Since then I got another maxima and a crocea, currently at 2-4 months. Both are doing well showing good growth already. They're currently getting 300-400 par. But my water is not as clean as yours which I'm told clams dont do as well in pristine ULN sps tanks. I have about 2-5ppm nitrates and 0.1 phos.

Those are my target parameters, being as low as I am makes me weary. Currently working on bumping those rooking numbers up. Thanks for the reply and the input will take it into account.

 

[minreef]

I wouldn't chase numbers. But key being that they get ample lighting

 

[minreef]

Also, maximas need something to grab onto on their feet, rather than the sandbed. So either the rockwork or putting the clam on something, and then the sandbed. I use brightwell aquatics clam hammocks and it works great

 

[Copingwithpods]

Also, maximas need something to grab onto on their feet, rather than the sandbed. So either the rockwork or putting the clam on something, and then the sandbed. I use brightwell aquatics clam hammocks and it works great

Read to keep them on the sand bed for a couple days but I have a diy clam hammock for it ready and waiting. Thank you, will move it to its hammock tomorrow.

 

[Copingwithpods]

It's been in my tank a couple days now and seams to be doing fine. Haven't had time to mount it on anything yet with all that's been happening. Having a hard time getting good pictures of it. Either I catch it late in the day when lights are ramping down or mid day with my cheap filter not being able to focus on its colors at all.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Nice maxi!!

 

[Copingwithpods]

Nice maxi!!

I am still absolutely amazed how you can I'd it from a few crappy pictures, I can't tell derasa, croacea and maximas apart to save my life.

 

[Copingwithpods]

Quick question, the other day I noticed a white string coming from the clam. I remember reading some where this was the release of excess algae within the clam. Am I correct in this? Good bad neutral?

My parameters have not changed from purchase date

PO4 0.05
No3 0.09
Ph. 8.2
Cal. 450
Alk. 9.0
Mag. 1390
Sal. 1.025
Temp 78