lighting for a 10 gallon clam tank

[P-Nut]

I have a 10 gallon tank connected to my main tank. I had clams in the main tank under T5HO, until I electrocuted the tank.

For months the 10 gallon has been sitting there with crappy LEDs getting covered in coraline, but no corals. So, I thought about addint a MH and some clams.

My question: I want to use a 150W MH. Should I buy a clamp on and clamp it to the side of my main tank (this would put the light around 10-15" from the water) or should I just buy a MH fixture that will sit 2-3" from the water?

- Evaporation is not an issue. - I have an ATO.
- heat is not an issue. - I'm getting a nice chiller and I have a Reef Keeper.
- LED will not be considered.

Thoughts?

 

[this is me]

With a 150W MH on a 10gallon, I would raise the fixture at least 10". Use 10K lamps. Clamp likes intensity and 10K lamps are the highest intensity and still look pleasing to the eyes.

 

[jarrodsanborn]

i used a 70w, then later upgraded to a 150w with 3" legs above a 10g. There was a par hot spot of 800 in the very center under the bulb, but everything was fine. Acros, clams, and many leathers can handle that par #.
No heat issues, no problems that people often worry about, and it was my FIRST tank.
Edit: had to turn the lights off on a few days when the ac wasn't keeping the room cool in Aug.

There are high par bulbs, and lower par bulbs. Keep that in mind. My Phoenix bulbs rocked, but were too much power initially. I switched to cheap $10 fishneedit.com 20k bulbs and had great success. They look 14k and are 10-15% less par. No short bulb life, or color shift either.
After 6 months, i used a new cheap bulb for a month, then phased in the Phoenix for 6 hrs a day.

 

[P-Nut]

Thanks. I read about 10K MH and clams. I just never kept one under MH.

 

[jarrodsanborn]

For all reasonable hobby levels, clams will take all the par and phyto you can give them. Par of 2000 is fine, as long as the other nutrients for growth are there.