Kill the clams!

[Makara23]

Should I? They're the original clams attached to TBS live rock that I got about 1.5 years ago. There are at least 40 and probably more that I can't see.

I think they're a nuisance because they eat up all the phyto I dose that's suppose to be copepods. I'm trying to up my pod population to prep for a mandarin. There are plenty of pods in the refugium, and I know there are some in the display tank in the rocks, but at night there are none on the glass. I dose about A GALLON of phyto a week for a 65g system, so I would have thought the glass would be filled at night. But I don't see a single one in the DT. I want to make sure there is an overabundance of pods before I add the mandarin.

I think most of the phyto goes to the clams. Should I pluck them off the rocks (essentially killing them)? I'm guessing dissolved phosphate/nitrate isn't something they filter feed?

Here's a rock in my sump. They use to be small and blend in, but now they're large enough to stick out.

 

[mermaid_life]

I would personally keep them. I would want them to help with keeping nitrates down.

 

[Makara23]

I would personally keep them. I would want them to help with keeping nitrates down.

I have a low nitrate problem. I use to dose nitrate but now I dose ammonia instead. I think dissolved nitrate and phosphate aren't something they filter? But if nitrate is something they suck up, this isn't what I'd want either.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

What Phyto do you dose? What pods do you have? Not all pods hang out on the glass. Also if you are getting your pods from a well known nutrition company, I personally think the ones they sell in California are sterile. Just a theory. I think it may have to do with invasive species and DFG. I never had those reproduce when ones from other sources have.
Your clams are not using up all your phyto, Your system is not in all likelihood favorable for phyto survival.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I have a low nitrate problem. I use to dose nitrate but now I dose ammonia instead. I think dissolved nitrate and phosphate aren't something they filter? But if nitrate is something they suck up, this isn't what I'd want either.

Your Phyto is using up your nutrients.

 

[Makara23]

Your system is not in all likelihood favorable for phyto survival.

Your Phyto is using up your nutrients.

These two statements are contradictory.

But to answer your question, I dose Tetra and Nanno phyto that I culture. I also culture Tigger and Apocyclops that I add once a month. The original cultures were purchased from Reef Nutrition, so fairly reputable. I know the pods are not sterile because I would dump in 75% of the culture, and the 25% remaining reproduce fine in the culture.

The Apocyclops seems to be able to sustain itself in the fuge, but not the DT. The Tigger however, gets wiped out after a week, either from being outcompeted or starved. Although, I do suspect my chromis might be eating the Tiggers.

How are you sure the clams are not the culprit of phyto consumption? Biomass of all the clams is far more than the biomass of all the pods. Clams are growing at a visible rate so they're eating something, probably the phyto.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

These two statements are contradictory.

But to answer your question, I dose Tetra and Nanno phyto that I culture. I also culture Tigger and Apocyclops that I add once a month. The original cultures were purchased from Reef Nutrition, so fairly reputable. I know the pods are not sterile because I would dump in 75% of the culture, and the 25% remaining reproduce fine in the culture.

The Apocyclops seems to be able to sustain itself in the fuge, but not the DT. The Tigger however, gets wiped out after a week, either from being outcompeted or starved. Although, I do suspect my chromis might be eating the Tiggers.

How are you sure the clams are not the culprit of phyto consumption? Biomass of all the clams is far more than the biomass of all the pods. Clams are growing at a visible rate so they're eating something, probably the phyto.

Your right, I do not know your system, I was basing the statement off a generalization that if you ran a skimmer, etc. it would not be good growing environment for Phyto.
In my experience Tet will always outcompete nano.
Apo's will always outcompete tiggs.
During the time your Phyto is alive in your tank and not being consumed of filtered out, it will be using nutrients to survive. But yes there could be other factors on why you are nutrient low.
Again, I do not know your system.
Yes, the biomass of your clams are probably greater than your pods. But the clams are stationary and can only filter what is right in front of them. They phyto you add is equally dispersed throughout your tank, making it available for any planktonic feeders throughout your tank before it gets consumed by filtration.