Clam only tank

[Zack33]

Hello everyone i had an idea today doing some homework in front of my tank looking at my clam i was just wondering what you guys thought about a top down tank of clams only if anyone has or has ever seen one of these tanks could you please post a pic or anything im hoping this will help with nutrient export out of my 75 gallon tank it will all be plumped together if i do go this route but i first need ideas on who to do this and what clams to put in the more colour the better and also which kind are better for nutrient export

Let me kno thank you in advance for any help you can give i hope every can give me a hand at this exciting experience i hope to go through lol
:pompom:
Zack

[a4twenty]

it would be more effective to grow some macro algae or run a RDSB as the amount of nutrients clams use is minimal and the nutrients would never actually never leave the system.


i'll PM you a link to a clam only tank

[Zack33]

Thanks for the link and the reply i am aware that they are many more benfitcal ways to get rid of the nutrients but i have always loved clams and i was going to make a clam only tank anyways so i thought that i may as well use it to help out the main tank as well but thank you for the reply

[a4twenty]

tridacnid clams are photosynthetic and don't rely on filter feeding for the energy, if you wanted to use clams for filtering you would be better off using clams from the deli counter at the grocery store. i'm PM'ing you another link on this subject :)

adding a tridacnid tank will help with water quality and if you love clams then i say go for it, just post some pics for me because i just can't get enough of these guys

[Zack33]

okay will do will post hear in a bit with my desicion

[Patwa]

tridacnid clams are photosynthetic and don't rely on filter feeding for the energy, if you wanted to use clams for filtering you would be better off using clams from the deli counter at the grocery store. i'm PM'ing you another link on this subject


why not post the links for the rest of us to see?

and just to clarify the above, tridacnids, like *all* clams, are filter filters...however, they are distinguished from other clams (such as those you see in the grocery store, manila clams, for example) because of the presence of symbiont zooxanthellae in the tissue of their mantle (the colourful part of the clam)

and I would not suggest you put grocery store clams in your tank, though....unless you know 100% what you are dealing with, and can prep them properly, IMO....such clams are loaded with parasites and diseases that would easily wreak havoc on a fragile reef system (read: clams from the grocery stores do not come from a typical warm reef habitat!! big hint here!!!!)

see:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-07/jf/feature/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-10/jf/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-04/rs/index.php

bivalves (clams): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bivalve

LOTS of sweet pics http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=11564420#post11564420

do a search here for info on using manila clams in the fuge...it has been done....check the web as well...lots of reading if you look hard enough.

Zach

[a4twenty]

and just to clarify the above, tridacnids, like *all* clams, are filter filters...however, they are distinguished from other clams (such as those you see in the grocery store, manila clams, for example) because of the presence of symbiont zooxanthellae in the tissue of their mantle (the colourful part of the clam)

i didn't say that they didn't filter feed, i said they don't rely on it. ( they have to filter for respiration ). and they are distinguished from other clams in that they are a true autotroph that gets more energy than the clam needs directly from the photosynthesis. that is why i suggested non-photosynthetic clams would be better suited for this task, just to clarify

[ksalt]

I love the idea of a DT top down clam only with a big fat metal halide pendent over top. Would you have a substate? or incorporate a DSB? I'm obviously am become a big fan of clams.lol

Would there be any real water filtration benefits after the feeding, possible mating, etc. is taken into account?

In the classifieds, there is a tank 48x36x10 (I think thats the dimensions) for sale. Just an idea.?

[Patwa]

i didn't say that they didn't filter feed, i said they don't rely on it. ( they have to filter for respiration ). and they are distinguished from other clams in that they are a true autotroph that gets more energy than the clam needs directly from the photosynthesis. that is why i suggested non-photosynthetic clams would be better suited for this task, just to clarify

a4twenty, that's fine...thank you for clearing that up for us.

if you look at your original post, it's not that hard to assume you were of the position that tridacnids produce their food from phototrophic processes, and that filter feeding was not a method they employed.

see

tridacnid clams are photosynthetic and don't rely on filter feeding for the energy, if you wanted to use clams for filtering you would be better off using clams from the deli counter at the grocery store.




I love the idea of a DT top down clam only with a big fat metal halide pendent over top. Would you have a substate? or incorporate a DSB? I'm obviously am become a big fan of clams.lol

Would there be any real water filtration benefits after the feeding, possible mating, etc. is taken into account?

In the classifieds, there is a tank 48x36x10 (I think thats the dimensions) for sale. Just an idea.?

well, I would expect a substrate of some sort to exist, as there are clams that require placement directly on sand rather than rock.

that being said, I wouldn't want to see what a clam-only tank would look like after a spawning event though ;)

Zach

[Zack33]

hey guys thanks for all the replys if i did do the tank they would be a dsb inside the tank

thanks for all the suggestions and advice keep postign so i have more ideas and help i think this could turn out to be a cool project that we could al pitch in on with advice and then we could all feel like we did something to make it a success if it does end up happening

[a4twenty]

a4twenty, that's fine...thank you for clearing that up for us.



thank you for pointing it out, i don't want to give the wrong impression :bounce1:

[a4twenty]

hey guys thanks for all the replys if i did do the tank they would be a dsb inside the tank

thanks for all the suggestions and advice keep postign so i have more ideas and help i think this could turn out to be a cool project that we could al pitch in on with advice and then we could all feel like we did something to make it a success if it does end up happening


sounds like a good idea but you better hurry because i'm in the planning stages of my self contained coffee table / clam tank. :D

[Zack33]

while im sure you will beat me to that because i have to finish my 220 gallon turtle tak first but i cant wait to see ur new that sounds like it will be sweet

Zack