What type of clam do you think you might have one day? Here is my lighting suggestion for clams
Crocea Clam - possibly electric blue? I was thinking that you might want this type of clam since these specimen don't grow that much. Spend extra money and get atleast a 3" clam. Crocea clam is the hardest to keep of all clam. Forget about watts per gallon rule. Intense lighting is the key - PAR value.
T-5 use 10000K or 6500K only (supplement other corals with actinic. On a 4 bulb ratio is 3 x 10000k bulb + 1 actinic) and place clam in LR atmost 10 inches below your light (not waterline). The closer the better. Your T-5 MUST also have individual bulb reflectors which is the key in having T-5 lighting. Check with hello lights. Call them or use the "chat" interface in their website. I think you may have to purchase these reflectors separately. If there are no individual reflectors, these T-5's will just be like PC's or VHO and your better off with Halides.
Halide use 10000k (for your system 150 to 175 watt...not 250 watt and up otherwise your better off with T-5's again...with individual bulb reflectors) and place clam in LR atmost 17 inches below the light...but not too close, unlike the T-5's.
Maxima - grows big. Same lighting requirement.
These two types of clam requires ONLY intense lighting. Some have success with these types of clam using only PC but there were keeping up high at top.
Squamosa and deresa - Giant clams. Not as hard to keep as crocea and maxima but grows BIG (1.5 ft plus). Prefers sand over LR. Can use PC, VHO, T-5, and Halide.
I don't have a clam yet although since June 2007 I have been researching as much as I can about clams. Same here I want one too. I am just waiting for Dr. Foster and Smith to have in stock the "right" crocea clam that would appeal to me. AGAIN...please note I am no expert on clam neither have I raised one yet. I mentioned above based on what I have research to help you plan ahead for your lighting if ever you would keep these beautiful specimen.
Plan your lighting carefuly my friend with the types of corals you are going to keep.
Synthetic Salt: Choose only one type of salt and use it for good. I would suggest "Reef Crystals" instead of SeaChem.
pH monitor: very important. if you can, go high tech. Pinpoint, Reefkeeper2, or neptune aqua controller. if not check your pH regularly. it will swing...daytime night time. your corals will use carbonate, CO2, light, etc. In reef aquarium...pH rises when its water becomes deficient in carbon dioxide (daytime as your corals uses it). pH will then drop (lowest just before the lights goes back on).
More on pH:
When the pH in a tank starts to drop (below your systems normal range), it is an indication that the buffers are getting worn out. There are a few things that you can do to remedy this increase in acidity. You can use "quick fix" methods by adding bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) or any number of commercial pH buffering products available on the market.
The generally accepted "tried and true" method for stabilizing pH is still performing regular partial water changes in your tank. This not only refreshes the natural buffers, but also restores the trace minerals in your tank water. Of course, reducing the causes of the drop in pH is always wise. Removing all uneaten foods and fish detritus from the tank on a regular basis will go a long way toward retarding the pH drop. Thanks God for reef "janitors".
Test Kits: pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate - you can use AquaPharmacheuticals Saltwater Master Test kit.
Calcium - Salifert. I used to have seachems but they are easily contaminated.
Alkalinity - Salifert.
Magnesium - Salifert
Why test magnesium? well low Mg concentrations and you will have difficulty maintaining the correct level of your Ca and Alk. If you want to have some Xenia (pulsing) you might want to have high pH (8.3 to 8.4) and high Alkalinity (in dKH 9-12). Adding buffers will have an effect on Mg (based on my own reef data for the past year). I use to add SeaChems marine buffer to maintain my pH to 8.3. I did this for 3 months. I was perplexed why my Ca was only at 340 and will drop to 280 the next day. James "Salty Dog" of wetwebmedia suggested I test my Mg. Well it was only at 980 ppm where it should be atleast 1300ppm. I corrected this for one full month and stopped using SeaChem marine buffer. I now have (i think) the proper Ca and Alk level at 420ppm and 9 to 9.9 dKH respectively.
PO4. (optional). if you're having hair algae or even cyano bacteria (slime algae either red or green - mine was red). check your P04 also. should be maintained atmost 0.03 meq/L. I use La Motte.
SG. Invest on a refractometer.
Protein Skimmer. In nano tank systems. I don't think you need a skimmer if you are going to change water regularly (10% weekly). The highlight in these tank systems are the corals and not the fish. You CAN EASILY overstock it with fish and with a small volume of water to work with, just watch your NO3 go up and up and up. If you think, however, you must have the "Finding Nemo Movie" squad in there, not only would you need a "real protein skimmer" - AquaC, Coralife, etc. but might as well have a sump and refugium to help. These would only take care of NO3 but how about "room" your fish would need for growth. In my 60 gallon tank (link:
http://www.nanotank.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4727) my protein skimmer has been working OT since I installed it simply because my system is overstock. I have battled hair algae and the dreaded cyano for months trying to keep my NO3, DOC, and PO4 in check. I had to control feeding the fish up to a point that I think I was almost starving them just to let my DSB and Refugium catch up in "Denitrification" (the process of reducing nitrate and nitrite, highly oxidised forms of nitrogen available for consumption by many groups of organisms, into gaseous nitrogen)
Lastly, I would not use water from LFS. bad idea. i suggest you make your own.
Cheers!
