low light blue corals?

[nickyblase]

Need some advice on rounding out my 20G reef tank. I've got some really cool corals in there that are thriving, but would like to add some blue to the mix. I do not have MH's, and will probably not venture down that road anytime soon. My current lighting is 110W PC's with dual 10K & actinics. For those who go by this measurement (I know it's debated), I've got a little over 5 watts per gallon.

Some corals I've got in there now that are very happy are:
torch
misc zoos & shrooms
toadstool
kenya tree
green sinularia
candy cane
can't remember what else, but there's a bunch of other things in there, just nothing blue.

Any ideas? Anyone got anything (not terribly expensive) that they'd like to sell?

 

[clamm]

tube anemones are very colorful and somewhat low light low flow.

 

[~Flighty~]

There are some very nice colors of ricordia that would probably do well.

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

I got an Acropora from Ray that bleached when placed high in mys tank. But when I put it down low, in the sand, it turned a really ice light aqua color. Not sure what kind of acro it is though.

 

[jovreef]

I would not go with any blue SPS...I've tried tons of them and they've browned so I had to give them away. I would do blue ricordia, blue mushrooms, or even a blue crocea clam. I know alot of people would frown at a clam in PC lights, but I've had mine for almost 9 months and its growing like crazy and so nice. Blue zoo's would be very nice too...

 

[dz6t]

I saw a blue clam under t5 in Nuno's tank, the clam had very rich blue color and looked very healthy. I want a blue clam, badly.

 

[nickyblase]

a little nervous about putting a clam in there - even though some people have made it work, it definitely sounds risky. How much wattage did Nuno have? What about you, Jovreef? How high up in the tank did you have it?

 

[jovreef]

Well I have 96watt quad PC in a 10 gal tank. my clam is on the sand bed. Looks good to me...whadda you think? Its gotten really big too...I got it at about 2-3 inches, now its a gotta be pushing 4 inches, Gonna have to get a bigger tank for it soon lol.

My ex had Clams in his 65 with PC's for 4 years... He even had a maxima, the maxima was a bit faded in the center but the rest of his clams did great, grew like crazy also.

Like I said...Stay with either derasa or crocea clams and you'll do fine. DO NOT get a maxima or anything under 2 inches (they need feeding and are just not good for beginner clam keepers)

Crocea's do like to dig into things so keep an empty shell under it or it will dig thru your sand bed and attach to the glass! The clam will attach to the shell and the shell also serves as a barrier for your clam, so any bristle worms cant get under it and irratate the foot of the clam.

If you keep up on your water changes and supliment with calcium (they absorb alot) I'd say go for a crocea clam! You'll love it.

 

[nunofs]

How much wattage did Nuno have?

I was running 6x 54W HO T5s (at first with regular ballasts, then started overdriving 4 of the bulbs with an IceCap660), and had the clam at the very top of the rocks. Looking back, it probably didn't need to be that high.

Nuno

 

[MikeG]

Crocea's are the most light demanding of Tridacna clams. They also naturally occur on rocky substrates so I would place one on the rock work rather than on the sand. This will mimic it's natural habitat and allow you to place it closer to the light. I would think about a maxima before a crocea under PC's or even better a Derasa, but a Derasa will grow large in a 20 gallon pretty fast.

 

[jovreef]

Umm...are you sure you have not gotten your clams mixed up....maxima's are most light demanding from everything I've seen and read, next being squamosa, crocea, then derasa (dont know where gigus would fit in)...and yes crocea's are found on rocks in nature...but I like mine in the sand, and I have a rock for it to bore into under it...so it can feel right at home.

 

[nunofs]

FWIW, I believe croceas are the most light-demanding of clams, closely followed by maximas, and further down are squamosas and finally derasas.

Nuno

 

[saltwaterB]

It would really depend on where the clam was collected from. For instance I have experienced quite a difference in Clams from different areas. Croceas from Vietnam would probably fare well under PC's, while ones from the Solomon, Poneape, and Marshall Island most definately would not (long term)
Everything I know, for a general rule, the most light demanding Clams are crocea, maxima, squamosa, derasa, gigas, hippopus. ?

 

[saltwaterB]

But, for a low light blue coral, you could also try:
Blueberry Gorgonian (provided it is an established tank, and you feed Phyto)
Blue Anthelia
Blue discosoma mushrooms
Blue rhodactis mushrooms
Blue ricordea mushrooms
Blue Sponges
Blue Tunicate (along with sponges very tough to keep, similar care as above)