Tridacna under power compact flourecents

[bradig]

Hello All,

I have the chance to get my hands on a power compact fixture that puts out 520 watts of light. I do want to keep tridacna clams in the tank I am planning. However are all the tridacna not kept well under intense pcs. I have heard/ and read both ways only halide, no pcs in tanks deeper than 20 inches. Just trying to figure out what other peoples personal experince has been.

I do have in my possesion a halide fixture with two 175 watt bulbs. Which would be best for this tank?

The tank is 75 gallon 4' long and 20 " deep.

I would love to keep crocea and maximas in this tank, and won't purchase this light if I cant keep them. I look forward to everyones opinion.

 

[jovreef]

Can you combine them? Use the 175 MH as a 10K light & actinic PC's would look quite nice.

I am however in the minority here & say that it is possible to keep clams under PC lights & keep them healthy. I've seen it done for several years & I've personally kepty my blue crocea under 96W PC lights in a 10 gallon for over a year before upgrading to MH lights. I had an ex that kept a derasa, 2 maxima's (one black & white stripe) & 2 crocea's all in a 65 gallon tall tank with PC lights for 4 years.

However... if you want to be safe & assure that your clams will do great, & you MIGHT want to get into sps I'd not waist my money on the PC lights & save for a nice 250W halide. They come for sale on this board all the time used & priced well.

 

[bradig]

Can you combine them? Use the 175 MH as a 10K light & actinic PC's would look quite nice. .

Well here is the Deal. I have an odyssea pc halide combo fixture. The pc part of the fixture doesn't work.

I stumbled upon an orbit extreme fixture that has four 130 watt pcs bulbs. I am not sure how I would combine them not being an electrician. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Of course maybe I could take out the 96 watt pcs installed in the odyssea fixture and some how fit the 130 watt orbits in there.

 

[RayD]

Hello All,

I have the chance to get my hands on a power compact fixture that puts out 520 watts of light. I do want to keep tridacna clams in the tank I am planning. However are all the tridacna not kept well under intense pcs. I have heard/ and read both ways only halide, no pcs in tanks deeper than 20 inches. Just trying to figure out what other peoples personal experince has been.

I do have in my possesion a halide fixture with two 175 watt bulbs. Which would be best for this tank?

The tank is 75 gallon 4' long and 20 " deep.

I would love to keep crocea and maximas in this tank, and won't purchase this light if I cant keep them. I look forward to everyones opinion.

I would absolutely go with the 175 MH. Clams will not do well under PC's. You may be able to do a Deresa or a Squamosa but I even doubt that past the six month mark.

I have 2x250w in a 24" deep tank and have had zero luck with Croceas over the past couple of years. Awesome results with my Deresa.

 

[pvh]

I don't get it. Most people say that certain clam won't do well with anything but MH. Doesn't it really depends on how much par that get to the clam? I know most of the people here have their clams on the sand bed and from what I've seen on the light meter par thread most of the people get around 100 par. I have 2 X 250W MH and my par on my sand bed is about 110 par. So I'm thinking if you can get around 100 par on the sand bed then you should be fine with most clams. Or is there something else I'm missing?

 

[chew*]

I don't get it. Most people say that certain clam won't do well with anything but MH. Doesn't it really depends on how much par that get to the clam? I know most of the people here have their clams on the sand bed and from what I've seen on the light meter par thread most of the people get around 100 par. I have 2 X 250W MH and my par on my sand bed is about 110 par. So I'm thinking if you can get around 100 par on the sand bed then you should be fine with most clams. Or is there something else I'm missing?

PC's will not give you 100 par on the sandbed, thats what your missing, unless the tank is very very shallow then maybe.......

 

[pvh]

Just like I stated "if you can get around 100 par on the sand bed" then he should be fine. Best way is to borrow the light meter and do the measurement. But I too doubt that you will get 100 par from PC...who knows you might. I never use PC before.

 

[JohnK]

"I stumbled upon an orbit extreme fixture that has four 130 watt pcs bulbs. I am not sure how I would combine them not being an electrician. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Of course maybe I could take out the 96 watt pcs installed in the odyssea fixture and some how fit the 130 watt orbits in there."

Hey,

You might want to double check the above info. IIRC there is no such thing as 130W PC bulbs. Sounds like it might actually be 4x65W PC.

My $.02,
Sure you can keep clams under florescent light IF you have the intensity. That would be a lot easier to acheive in a 10" tall 10G than in a 20" tall 75G. As tanks get deeper, MH penetrates the water a lot better IMO/IME. I used to have a 75G with 4x96W PC's, I would say that made for moderately intense light, but not super bright. In that setup, I'd say maybe yes on a squamosa, but probably no on crochea or maxima (though I'm no clam expert..)

 

[bradig]

"I stumbled upon an orbit extreme fixture that has four 130 watt pcs bulbs. I am not sure how I would combine them not being an electrician. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Of course maybe I could take out the 96 watt pcs installed in the odyssea fixture and some how fit the 130 watt orbits in there."

Hey,

You might want to double check the above info. IIRC there is no such thing as 130W PC bulbs. Sounds like it might actually be 4x65W PC.

My $.02,
Sure you can keep clams under florescent light IF you have the intensity. That would be a lot easier to acheive in a 10" tall 10G than in a 20" tall 75G. As tanks get deeper, MH penetrates the water a lot better IMO/IME. I used to have a 75G with 4x96W PC's, I would say that made for moderately intense light, but not super bright. In that setup, I'd say maybe yes on a squamosa, but probably no on crochea or maxima (though I'm no clam expert..)

Yes I thought the same thing about the 130 watt lamp. but Current makes a fixture that takes a 130 watt pc lamp. Trust me, I searched high and low to find these before I inquired about the fixture.

http://www.current-usa.com/orbit.html

 

[JohnK]

Huh? Learn something new everyday.

I do wonder how fragile 48" PC bulbs might be? I broke more than 1 36" in the past.

 

[dz6t]

Yes, it is ture that there is 130w PC bulbs. I used to have one. You paid a lot of $ for replacement bulb and it is not worth it. By the way, Odysea halide is the worst halide ever made. You got the worst of both world by combining 130w PC and Odyssea halide. Run, not walk away from those lights.

 

[bradig]

Yes, it is ture that there is 130w PC bulbs. I used to have one. You paid a lot of $ for replacement bulb and it is not worth it. By the way, Odysea halide is the worst halide ever made. You got the worst of both world by combining 130w PC and Odyssea halide. Run, not walk away from those lights.

I most definitly agree the odysea is the worst everything ever made.

Why do you not like the 130 watt pcs is it the replacement cost?

 

[bradig]

Just like I stated "if you can get around 100 par on the sand bed" then he should be fine. Best way is to borrow the light meter and do the measurement. But I too doubt that you will get 100 par from PC...who knows you might. I never use PC before.

how can i measure PAR?

 

[pvh]

how can i measure PAR?

You can use a light meter to measure it. If you join BRS and become a member you can sign up to borrow the light meter from the club.

 

[dz6t]

I most definitly agree the odysea is the worst everything ever made.

Why do you not like the 130 watt pcs is it the replacement cost?

1. 130w PC bulbs are expensive, hard to ship
2. if you want to spend 130w of electricity to run a light, get a 150w halide and get more than twice the PAR.

 

[dz6t]

By the way, back to the original subject, you need halide , prefer 250w to keep a clam happy (not just survive).

 

[bradig]

1. 130w PC bulbs are expensive, hard to ship
2. if you want to spend 130w of electricity to run a light, get a 150w halide and get more than twice the PAR.

Thank you.

 

[MikeG]

I think you would be fine with lower light clams such as derasa and squamosa under PC's. You definately do not need halides for all clams depending on tank depth and type of clam. I kept a derasa for about 2 years in a 75 under 440watts of pc light. It grew fairly quick too. I would also suggest to get a hold of a PAR meter and take some measurements. With my 250W halide on a 24" tall tank I get just over 100 PAR on the sandbed and I have a maxima and squamosa there growing very fast. I did just switch to 400's though for better light spread (raised the reflector to better cover the 36"x36" footprint).