I wanna clam

[Arctic Fox]

How ya'll doing? I know very little about clams and I want to get one eventually, so I gots some questions.
I've got a 55 gal with 29 gal sump/refugium. I know the watts per gallon thing is kind of useless so the tank is about 20 inches deep and I've got 2 65 watt 10000K bulbs and 2 65 watt Actinic 3 bulbs, total of 260 watts for 55 gal., so that's 4.72 watts/gallon.

First question, is this even enough light for a clam?

If it is enough light for some, which clams is it not enough light for?

Am I going to be limited to putting them near the very top to get enough light?

I've read that the derasa clam is better for beginners but is something like a maxima still ok for a beginner too? i.e. are there any other good beginner clams?

So far I've seen pictures of Squamosa, Maxima, Derasa, and Croceas, are there any other giant clams I'll find at pet stores that I don't know about?
Which clams like to hang out in the sand and which clams like to hang out on the rocks?

My Nitrates are between 0-1 ppm right now and have been for the last two weeks and have steadily been going down from 10 ppm to 0 ppm for the last 2 months, I haven't changed my water in 2 months. I've read that clams like Nitrates, so is there any way to up the nitrates without changing the water, or adding new fish? Also, can the clams live with only trace amounts of Nitrates?

I know most of the clams like at least a little bit of current and I have a powerhead so how far away from the powerhead should I put the clam?

What is the best size to get a clam? I've heard bigger is better but I don't want an old clam that is going to kick the bucket in a year because it's old, but I also don't want a little tiny baby clam that might not make it because he's so little and needy. What size is the happy medium? Also, I know as far as price goes smaller is better, but at what size do they become really hard to take care of?

Which clams can/will outgrow my tank? How long does it take for each species? and if they do outgrow my tank will pet stores buy these things back since they're so expensive?

What online stores do ya'll recommend?

Should I feed them DT's over Kent Phyto? Cause I've already got a container of Kents for my corals, would the Kent Phyto be alright until it's empty and I got some DT's?

I think that's all the questions I got for now?
I'll probably edit this and add more later, hehe
Thanks everybody!!!!!


p.s. Look what I found, this looks interesting?
http://library.kcc.hawaii.edu/extern...oon/Lagoon.htm

[Barry N.]

That's a lot of question But it appears you have done a lot of research and that is great. Ths may also help a little. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3.../Clam_care.htm

With your lighting, you should be ok with a Trodacna squamosa, Tridacna derasa or Hippopus Hippopus. but like you said, they can grow large but if you get a 3", you will be able to enjoy it for awhile before it out growns your tank. ;; A clams that size also receives approx. 80% of their energy from the light source so feeding wouldn't be a big issue. A rule of thumb is that the more intense color the more intense lighting is needed.

Clams do like some nitrates but try to keep it 5ppm or less. Tridacna maxima and Tridacna crocea like to be in the live rock and the other you can place on the substrate.

IME, Dt's and KoralvitF is best for feeding clams.

Hope this helps. Keep on reading ;)

[MarineTeng]

my tanks is like the duplicate of urs, got similar lighting, dual satelite 4x65 watts pc, i got the refugium same size and i'm looking for a clam, i've decided that squamosa is what i'm going to go with, cause the maxima, and crocea seem to require to much light and i think it looks better then dresea or hippo whatever, any suggestions on where ot get a good 3" one, and i'm not really a fan of the large amounts of brown, i like all the other colors tho