[tkg]

I am considering the addition of a clam or clams to my 75g reef. Right now I have 2 40 wt actinics and 2 175wt 6500 k metal halides hung about 7 inches above the tank. However, someone recently recommended going to a 10,000k Ushio bulb.


For you knowledgeable types:

-1- What type of clam would you recommend for a beginner?

-2- Where would you place it in the tank with respect to lighting and circulation?

-3- Would you stay with 6500k, or go to 10,000K for the bulbs and clams?

Thanks for the input

Tom G.

[naser]

you might want to stay with the iwasaki bulb just for brightness. if you go to a ushio your gonna lose that extra amount of light for the clams to live off of.

[reefhead]

depending on species, clam live either on the sand or on the rocks to bore into like the Maxima and Croceas


your lighting sounds fine--it just a matter of what you like to look at.


--I didnt know there was a 6500k 175w I've only heard of the 150w

cheers,
Joe

[organicreefer]

he said they were 65k,not iwasakis
anyway, id go to the 10k,
large clams, 4+ inches ,seem to do best.the brighter colored clams need more light,
and all my clams seem to prefer the sand

[Barry N.]

In my 180 SPS/Clam tank I am running 3 X 6,500K w/ 2 x actinic suppliments. I have clams in the rock work and on the substrate. I normally put my Crocea's and Maxima up in the rock and Squamosa and Derasa on sand.

I like the 6,500K for the par as Neil put it.

Barry

[organicreefer]

i dont think we can automatically say that his 65k bulbs have more par than than the 10k ushios can we?they arent iwasakis and the spectrum would be at least a little different.........
besides that yellow light is butt ugly
im using 2x175 ushios with a 400wer in the middle(400w on just 4 hours a day) and im very pleased
my crocea absolutely refuses to stay on a rock-he prefers the sand

[Barry N.]

Yes it did take me awhile to get use to those 6,500 Isawski but with the 2x 6' 140 watt actinic it is better and I guess I have gotten use to them.

Yes some of those clams just aren't happy and have to keep moving them till they find a place they like.

Barry

[naser]

well im assuming its a iwasaki becasue there not alot or any people that have any other type of 6500k bulb. if it is what i think then the iwasaki will deffinatly be alot brighter then a ushio. im running a 250 watt iwasaki myself. not even yellow. its not blue but is not but ugly.!!!

[golfish]

Iwaskai doesn't make a 175 watt bulb.......Their probably coralife bulbs

[organicreefer]

so which have more par the coralife 65k or the ushio 10k?-i think i thought i read somewhere that the ushios were the best 175w bulbs.
naser,its all a matter of preference,i tried iwasaki,its still in my closet -barely used two weeks....i prefer a little on the blue side i guess-but im not trying to keep sps top to bottom.
my clams are doing ok so far under my lightingi even bought a couple "sick" ones that have recovered and look great now.all my clams are on the sand or on rocks at the bottom of the tank.my two solitary brown acros seem to be growing fast-ive only had them a month or so-but if im not mistaken they seem to be taking on some different colorsat the tips ,well see.
i dont know what the par is ,but 175w 10k ushios are prettty darn bright,and give off a decent colored light too.