FirstContact February 4, 2015 Share February 4, 2015 (edited) Make that NOT enough light? Okay, so I don't have a par meter and picked up one of Dr. MACs awesome clams before the last meeting. Guys been in the tank for over a week and doing great. Today, seems to have lost a little color. Running it directly under an Orphek PR72. I was running the light at 70% for the majority of the day. It ramps up in the morning and down in the evening over a two hour schedule. Just bumped the lights up to 75%, and thinking about uping it to 80% for tomorrow. Anyone think it should go higher, higher sooner, or different ideas? It can't bleach at 70% right? It's only 72 watts and that includes the power source etc.. Thanks in advance FirstContact. Edited February 4, 2015 by FirstContact Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDRDATA February 4, 2015 Share February 4, 2015 What's the height of the lamp above the surface? - the depth of the clam below the surface? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime February 4, 2015 Share February 4, 2015 Blast your clam with light. If it doesn't like it, it will close up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstContact February 5, 2015 Author Share February 5, 2015 Both good responses. Height is nine inches above water level, and depth is about three or four inches. Both Good points. I'm going to 80% now ans see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstContact February 5, 2015 Author Share February 5, 2015 Turns out nine inches was above tank level not water level. Lowered lights and went to 85% clam looks better. At 100% clam was closing. Also, shortened ramp up/down from 2 to 1 hour. Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime February 5, 2015 Share February 5, 2015 Glad to hear. Clams love light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl February 5, 2015 Share February 5, 2015 Impossible to give them too much so don't worry about that. If changes in coloration are being observed over just a couple days, there is another issue not related to light that is affecting your clam. My first inclination would be to check your water quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob A February 5, 2015 Share February 5, 2015 This is an interesting article about coral and PAR values. One of their tests involved a Tridacna maxima clam. They said that at 600 PAR the clam still had not reached it's saturation point (optimal photosynthesis). BUT they point out that the corals and clam had lots of time to get acclimated and that also the thickness of the mantle most likely plays a role in how much light it can handle (old big clam can handle more light I guess?) so some acclimation could be required depending on where your clam came from. It seems like most people keep their clams on the bottoms of their tanks where the light is probably 100 to 200 PAR I'm guessing? I've had a 3 inch one under 250 PAR of LED for over a year now, and just added a second one of the same size and it seems happy. Maybe some other people can throw some numbers out there? http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/3/aafeature1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl February 5, 2015 Share February 5, 2015 Clams typically end up at the bottom of the tank because that is where they're best viewed from (ideally viewed from directly above). Many also get dumped in the sand even though they're rock dwellers. Like most things, they can adapt to a pretty amazing range of conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstContact February 6, 2015 Author Share February 6, 2015 Water quality is good. I just changed last Tuesday a week ahead of schedule, and plan on changing out gfo ahead of schedule too. I usually wait six weeks on gfo, but am switching now at four. And water changes are every two weeks, but I changed at one. I'll test before the gfo switch to see where PO4 is. I don't have my log in front of me but Tuesday dKH was 11.x and calcium was in the high 400's. Nitrates are usually low but I haven't tested recently, and can test when I test for PO4 before the gfo switch which will be this weekend. One hundred to two-hundred-fifty par seems really low to me for a clam, but I am not an expert and don't own a par meter; so, I can not check what my clam is getting. Clam is doing well on a rock about four inches inches below the surface as written above, and 100% on the LEDs was too strong for it as it closed up under that amount of light. Thanks everyone, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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