Is my tank ready for a clam

[jerseyguy1996]

My tank has been running for about 7 months now. The specs are below.

Tank Specs

50 Gallon AGA with DIY HOB overflow
20 Gallon AGA for Sump
AquaC Urchin Protein Skimmer
Mag7 Return Pump
2 MJ1200 powerheads
3 95Watt VHO bulbs (2 URI Aquasuns, 1 URI Superactinic)
2 150 watt heaters
approx 90 lbs of live rock

PH 8.2-8.4
Amm, trite, trate 0,0,0-5
Calcium last time I checked was in the high 300's and the alk was 9

I was wondering if ya'll think a derasa clam would do well in this tank?

Also I have some nassarius snails (will they eat it)

[Doug1]

I never kept a clam under VHO but I know people that have and done OK.
A thriving clam will use a lot of calcium for shell growth so you should be ok if you can keep those levels and not have calc/alk yo-yoing up and down
As far as the Nassarius snails they should not bother a healthy clam, there are some other parasitic snail you will want to watch out for tho

[Wiskey]

I wrote an FAQ on clams that's a sticky at the top of the Clam fourm,.. I think It's definitally worth a read

I don't think you have enough light for a clam, though you may be able to get by with a Derassa, a lit upgrade would be a really good idea IMHO.

Whiskey

[jerseyguy1996]

Originally Posted by Wiskey

I wrote an FAQ on clams that's a sticky at the top of the Clam fourm,.. I think It's definitally worth a read

I don't think you have enough light for a clam, though you may be able to get by with a Derassa, a lit upgrade would be a really good idea IMHO.

Whiskey

Actually I read your FAQ. It was very helpful for me. That read was why I was thinking that a Derassa might do okay. The VHO's are actually pretty powerful in the tank. I haven't measured them with a meter but I think the fact that they are only a few inches above the water gives them pretty good penetration. I bleached out two brain corals that were on the sand under those lights and only now that I have moved them into the shade have they started to color up again.

If they do start to suffer from low light, what will be the first indication on a derassa clam?

[YLChik]

that's a good question, i am not sure but heres a bump for ya

[hng]

Try a larger derasa if you can, at least a couple of inches long. Poor mantle extension and a gaping inlet are signs of an unhappy clam. Wiskey knows more about clams though so give his advice extra weight.

[zxcv123]

I am currently keeping a Maxima clam and deresa clam under power compact lights. The clams are doing fine and never one showed any signs of disease. The Maxima, however, is pretty high up in the rockwork.

The deresas and squamosas are more of a lower light/ beginner clam. I would reccommend one of those two to start.

Before you get any clam ,or decide to try the more chanllanging clams, be sure to do pleanty of research and make sure you fully understand the clams requirments, (placment, feeding, light) and make sure you can make things work.