Meaning-"Established Tank" for clams ?

[427HISS]

I'm a little confused on what clams need to flourish in a reef. Some say we need to wait until the tank is established, at least 6 months or more. Let me know if I'mm wrong

If the tank has cycled, no ammonia, nitrite and low nitrate, with good calcium, alk, PH, etc,....why wait ?
I figure the above parameter's, plus of course, good live rock, sand, medium to high lighting and water flow.

We have other tank, but I bought a Coralife 29g BioCube. We're not using the hood so we can use one Kessil 150w Sky Blue pendant. (or our ORPHEK pendant, as it is apex ready) I'm setting it up as "Patty's Tank", for her loved clams, LPS's, mushrooms, leathers, one anemone and a host clown fish and a few other small fish.

When it comes down to it, if your tank had good chemistry, parameters are right and you have proper lighting, why wait ?

 

[Tahoe61]

I do not see why you can not get a clam now.

I like to see the growth of coralline algae first but that is not essential.

 

[saltyfish]

It is possible to have a clam earlier than 6 months, but the more mature your tank, the easier it will be on you. Mature tanks are more stable and don't get spikes in any of the water parameters that will have a negative effect on the clam. Good lighting will help, so you don't have to target feed as much and cause some of those spikes. Mature tanks also have more living organisms on which to feed on naturally.

 

[FishLipz]

Stable is a better term. If you can maintain proper parameters then you can keep whatever you want. That being said, holding parameters for a week doesn't necessarily mean stable.

 

[saltyfish]

I would get your fish and corals added first and then wait a month to make sure everything stays stable. I would check your Nitrates, Alkalinty, pH, and Calcium at least once a week.

 

[Reef head]

There is not set guide line on when the tank is ready, more of if you can control the swing of your tank. Clams are alk and cal hogs, I would wait on them if you are questioning yourself. There is no need to feed a clam, no one is feeding them in the ocean and they have managed....

 

[saltyfish]

There is no need to feed a clam, no one is feeding them in the ocean and they have managed....

Lol. With that justification I guess I don't need to feed my fish because they manage just fine in nature without being fed flake food. Clams need a carbon source and small clams are not going to get enough from the zooxanthellae. A newly setup tank is not going to have the biodiversity that the ocean has to be self sustaining. That is why people say a mature tank is better.

 

[Reef head]

A fish and a clam are not comparable. I don't see clams swimming around a tank, so their energy consumption is alot less. A minor cleaning of your glass from algae offers more amount of food than they need. All you do by target feeding a clam is put more non essential nutrients in your system. Clams tend to sneeze when target feeding, they don't do it because they are happy, they are trying to rid themselves of the pollutant that is being introduced. I have personally raised 3 maxima clams from 1 inch to 7 inches and zero target feeding. My system was 1 month old when I started them and now 18 months later they are ..... happy as a clam. If you were running a ulns or fishless, same point, I would understand feeding YOUR entire system more chow.

 

[Touring]

I do not see why you can not get a clam now.

I like to see the growth of coralline algae first but that is not essential.

+1 once your tank cycles its established. i have had sucessful sps tanks the same day a tank is cycled. wait 6 months for what lol. if a tank is gonna crash its gonna crash

 

[Touring]

No tank is self sustaining without our help. unplug a "mature" tank and lets see what happens.

You know what im going to do for arguments sake,im going to buy a clam(along with sps) the first day my tank is cycled and put it in to see that it will be just fine.

 

[427HISS]

I agree. I actually received a email, and he was extremely,....rude. basically saying that even us being reefers for many years back in the 90's and now getting back into the hobby, we do NOT have enough experience to have clams ! lol !!!
I knew right away, that this guy is a joke of a reefer, when he said my calcium level (at 425) that I needed it up to 600ppm, or they would die. lol

Anyway, I believe we're ready.

Thanks guys,
Kevin

 

[Jimbo662]

Here's a great article I read a couple of weeks ago. Good info.

Aquarium Invertebrates: A Look at the Giant Clam Tridacna maxima ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

 

[427HISS]

Looks like a great article and I'll read it tonight.
Thanks !
Kevin

 

[Jimbo662]

Based on that info I went ahead and bought a maxima this past weekend.

 

[ppartha5]

I have a maxima in 20 gal for last 2 months. Its doing great..

 

[427HISS]

Any pics ?

 

[Tahoe61]

Hobbyist love to set up and spread these arbitrary rules based on their one or two systems they have maintained. After maintaining more tanks than I can count or remember it's my opinion that every tank has it's own personality. There are too many variables to make broad generalizations that apply to every tank. Granted I believe hobbyist should not make impulsive buys but it's really silly to tell people to wait 6 months before adding clams and anemones to a fully cycled tank with stable water chemistry.
Clams are just not that hard if you start off with a healthy specimen and know the common pitfalls.

 

[saltyfish]

I think the biggest variable is getting a healthy clam. If it looks unhealthy when you get it, it is very difficult for it to recover. I would add the anemone first though, so it can find its spot. I had an anemone move on me once and landed right on top of a clam and smothered it. Clams will move a bit too, so just keep an eye on them so they don't get too close.

 

[Bovine]

My Clam

 

[427HISS]

I agree, anemone's should always be fist in the yank, if applicable, and they will always move as we add more rock, corals, change water flow etc,...So you must keep an eye out for these guys.

Bovine- how huge is that guy !!!