Blitz06
Community Member
Hey, I just recently setup a JBJ 20 gallon cube tank with an an AI prime 16 hd. I like to research things and plan way in advance due to past mistakes and I was wondering, are there any clams i could keep in this setup?
Clams in a nano?
- Thread starter Blitz06
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Long term, crocea best bet (~6" clam). More important question about whether you can keep a clam is, is your light good enough?
Croceas stay small, but are a bit tougher. Maximas will stay fairly small for a number of years and as TX said, maintain parameters and you should be okay for quite awhile. I normally keep a maxima in my 30 that I keep on my classroom but after a precipitation event I had to move it home for a spell. Currently in a 15. Not a long term solution, but it's been fine for a few months while I get everything rebalanced back at school.
minus9
5000 Club Member
I don't think crocea is as hard as people say they are, in fact, I'll say that they're hardier than maxima (in my experience). Lighting and water quality are your biggest issues, so as long as parameters are stable and you have plenty of quality light, you should be just fine. If this is your first clam(s), then I would buy James Fatherree's book here.
I failed to keep a crocea under an AI prime in a 10g cube. This was a tank with 100% gulf rock and sand, thriving corals, etc. Ran the AI prime around 70%, but after the clam's death measured PAR at 180-220, which is not good enough for a crocea (opinions may vary).
I'd run the prime at 100+% for a clam, but would probably consider a different light altogether.
minus9
5000 Club Member
Yeah, I don't think you want a light running at 100% and risk not having enough for a clam. For me, I want a light that would be enough for a clam anywhere in the tank from the sandbed to the top of the rocks and have some extra on tap.
DaJMasta
Well-Known Member
I would say no, and the light is the limiting factor. You'd need all the sliders maxed to get close, and it would have to be center and up off the sand bed to get close.
I don't exactly know what the significance of setting the sliders over 100 is (is it actually overdriving the LEDs and reducing their lifespan?), but with sliders at 100, I'd estimate you'd need 2 or 3 to properly support a clam in most of the tank. If you have a single one with maxed sliders and you put the clam right under it - yeah, maybe.
While crocea growth may be on the slower side, maxima should be faster (they get larger), and derasa is downright quick (and should outgrow almost any nano), though the derasas have the lower lighting requirements. I had a derasa go from ~2 inches to ~6 inches in less than a year and a half, and I don't think that was as fast as it could grow.
I don't exactly know what the significance of setting the sliders over 100 is (is it actually overdriving the LEDs and reducing their lifespan?), but with sliders at 100, I'd estimate you'd need 2 or 3 to properly support a clam in most of the tank. If you have a single one with maxed sliders and you put the clam right under it - yeah, maybe.
While crocea growth may be on the slower side, maxima should be faster (they get larger), and derasa is downright quick (and should outgrow almost any nano), though the derasas have the lower lighting requirements. I had a derasa go from ~2 inches to ~6 inches in less than a year and a half, and I don't think that was as fast as it could grow.
mossanimal
Active Member
Ug. This thread is a bummer to read. I never would have imagined that an AI Prime would not be enough for a 15 gallon cube. I was going to move my Crocea clam from a 90 that I'm taking down. :-(
mossanimal
Active Member
I mean... This light is over $250 and marketed as a reef light. Not as a 'soft coral pico tank' light.
It is a fine light and will support easier SPS in a nano tank when run at relatively normal settings. A crocea is on the very upper end of light requirements though, and the Prime doesn't quite cut it. You'd pay less for two Noopsyche K7 Minis. A single one might even do it, as I get about 300 PAR at the top of my rocks, about 4-6" below the water surface, and that is running at ~50% power.
Noopsyche K7 Mini : 60W, all good spectrum
AI Prime HD: 55W, some Red, green and moonlight
mossanimal
Active Member
Okay. I was just googling around and came across the Hygger 30W LED for only $40. I was wondering about adding that. It's specs says that it gets 300 PAR at 50cm. I will look into the one you mentioned....
I use them on my two tanks:
Strong lights. Budget friendly. Caveat is that the app is only decent, not spectacular, and sometimes has difficulties with WIFI mode (I only use AP mode in any case, because why use WIFI if you can connect directly to the light?). Second caveat is that customer service is iffy, as you're working directly with the company in China--for example, they completely shut down for weeks during Chinese new year. However, we have @Zach B on the U.S. side (not sure if covering Canada as well) that helps a lot with delivery and technical issues!
mossanimal
Active Member
Was that 180-220 at the bottom or top of your reef?
Old pictures. Clam persisted several months. Basically no new shell growth. Tank was very stable--100% TBS gulf rock and sand. Used All For Reef for primary params and tested frequently.
Last photo of the tank before I broke it down and transferred to an IM 40L:
mossanimal
Active Member
Are those fans to cool your lights?I use them on my two tanks:
Strong lights. Budget friendly. Caveat is that the app is only decent, not spectacular, and sometimes has difficulties with WIFI mode (I only use AP mode in any case, because why use WIFI if you can connect directly to the light?). Second caveat is that customer service is iffy, as you're working directly with the company in China--for example, they completely shut down for weeks during Chinese new year. However, we have @Zach B on the U.S. side (not sure if covering Canada as well) that helps a lot with delivery and technical issues!
It all looks awesome. My Crocea has done well in my 90 gallon using 165W chinese black boxes (Phlizons). It's been about 7 months and steady growth. I'm downsizing and moving my favorite corals into the 15g cube. I was hoping I could put the Crocea on the sand in this smaller tank because it's so hard placing it in the rock work (it never did form byssal threads).Old pictures. Clam persisted several months. Basically no new shell growth. Tank was very stable--100% TBS gulf rock and sand. Used All For Reef for primary params and tested frequently.
Last photo of the tank before I broke it down and transferred to an IM 40L:
Fans are to cool the tank when the temp hits 79F. They are connected to an Inkbird.
Others on the forum like @minus9 can advise better on crocea placement when you want them in the sand bed. Maybe making a cradle for the crocea to lift it off the sand will be more comfortable for it. Getting enough PAR on the sand bed may mean blasting the rocks with very high PAR, though.
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