I want a Clam, but...

ColaAddict

ColaAddict

New member
I want to put a Maxima clam in my nano, but I used Right Now bacteria to cycle it, now I never have any nitrates, usually a good thing, but I heard you need some nitrates in the tank to keep a clam or any sps alive. I've heard from other users of Right Now bacteria that keeping sps is very challenging, because your tank becomes too sterile for the filter feeders. Will light be enough to sustain a maxima clam or will I need to dirty my tank up a bit first?
 
I'm not sure where you got that info on nitrates or bacteria.... You want nitrates to be 0 and there is always bacteria in out tanks. SPS get their most vivid color in low to 0 nutrient tanks, hence the practice of carbon dosing (vodka, vitamin C)

Proper lighting alone is sufficient for SPS and clams. I have never fed my clams directly. lighting and rods food is enough for my tank to be happy.
 
Cool, thanks for the info Eric. I just read that filter feeders need food in the water aside from light, wether it be rods or fish poop. The thing about the bacteria I used is it's multiple strains of bacilli, which kinda sterilizes the water (eat's everything micro), I'm not gonna try to look like I'm promoting it, so I'm not gonna try to explain it, I'm just trying it. now, I just started using it, so I haven't seen how my corals will respond. I read in other forums that the SPS corals stopped growing because the water became too clean with this type of bacteria. I'm guessing that clams and sps filter feeds because you can't live by light alone, you need some kind of organics in the water. I guess I'll give it a try with a clam, I can always move the clam in my other tank if I see problems.
 
What skull said. All you need is light. Whatever this bacteria you are dosing I would stop. My 2 cents. Leave nature to work ad it is. I never dose anything besides calcium. Your tank will stabilize naturally.
 
I too would like to get a clam, but I've heard that they need a lot of light (i.e. MH's)
I run 6 X T5's over my 90G. Has anyone had success with clams and T5's?
 
Midwest Coral Farms sells clams. They had a few nice ones for awhile, but I think alot have been sold. You might wanna call/email to see when they get more. Blake is a member here, who works at MCF.
 
i have had three clams live and grow under my t5 when i had them on snd bed i had a 8 bulb 54 watt systemn and it was plenty i think youll be fine midway in tank
 
ColaAddict said:
I want to put a Maxima clam in my nano, but I used Right Now bacteria to cycle it, now I never have any nitrates, usually a good thing, but I heard you need some nitrates in the tank to keep a clam or any sps alive. I've heard from other users of Right Now bacteria that keeping sps is very challenging, because your tank becomes too sterile for the filter feeders. Will light be enough to sustain a maxima clam or will I need to dirty my tank up a bit first?
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I also used RIGHTNOW did you have a lot of brown algae then go to lime green? My nitrates -0- Nitrite .20 can't get to -0-
 
When did you start cycling Dave, looks like your tank's not done cycling with still a little bit of Nitrite. RN bacteria supposed to only do that overnight cycling if you use their tri based carbon, which I chose not to because I don't have room in my nano for a big load of tribased carbon. I love that they eat up all the nitrates though. You are having a little algae issue, which mine did for awhile then they all went away. Let us know how long into the cycle your in.
 
ColaAddict said:
When did you start cycling Dave, looks like your tank's not done cycling with still a little bit of Nitrite. RN bacteria supposed to only do that overnight cycling if you use their tri based carbon, which I chose not to because I don't have room in my nano for a big load of tribased carbon. I love that they eat up all the nitrates though. You are having a little algae issue, which mine did for awhile then they all went away. Let us know how long into the cycle your in.
Click to expand...

We added the RN the end of Feb/beginning of March
 
That's odd, because I just started my Nano begining of this month and it's been done cycling and I have Zero Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates alll the time, and I started out with dead rocks too, so only the RN bacteria populates the rocks and filters. Did you feed them immediately with ammonia producing items like raw shrimp or fish right away to keep the bacterias alive and multiplying?
 
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