Finally tested for Calcium.

[Bob I]

After several flames on my last clam post, I went out and got a Calcium Test Kit. The water tested out at 450 ppm. This water is about three months old, and I top it up with tap water. The aforementioned clam looks great, as Alan will attest. :D :D

[Troy F]

What thread are you referring to Bob? Are you talking about the one where you basically baited people then deleted the entire two page thread? Just curious.

[StirCrazy]

Bob, there wern't realy any flames... just smoke :D but seriously if you wouldent have nuked it you would have saw that the Ca was only one of the concers.. the others are "what else is in your tap water?" did you go buy a phosphate kit, a silica kit, a iron test kit.. stronium, ect.. get my point?

Steve

[DJ88]

Even I can't leave this one alone..

What's your point Bob?

Is it that when people question you and you don't like it you can delete threads? We know that one. All too well. :rolleyes: All we have to do is say something that you don't like and POOF.. It's miraculously gone.. Five bucks says this one goes just as fast.. Maybe I'll save it to my Hard drive and post a link to it later on....

If you don't like the comments.. Why make posts that are GUARANTEED to start things you WILL get all huffy about?

Or is it that you can jump back in after you feel you have been vindicated?

BTW

How are those Yellow polyps?

:rolleyes:

If you really want flames.. I am sure some of us here could oblige.. Just for you. :D

That water of yours sounds good enough to walk on.. How's that for a start? lol

Oh wait wait..

That water must taste like, like.. gold.. no.. ummm a dream.. no that 's not it..

oh I know..

water.. lol

Where's Canadian when you need him huh? ;)

[ 29 August 2002, 17:57: Message edited by: DJ88 ]

[AJ_77]

Actually this brings up an interesting question: Why would a clam's mantle change colour, from the brown/gold of a Gold Max to a more even green hue?? Would this be considered normal, if from a lighting change (quality and intensity)?

AJ (ex-clam caretaker) :rolleyes:

[Bob I]

I guess I am still convinced our water is fine, and it took a 30 buck test kit to verify my findings. So I am happy. And if you folks disagree it is just fine with me. I ain't gonna change my ways. :D

Well Alan, that new 15000K Xanium H3 just arrived, and now the clam looks more gold/brown again. Interestingly anything that is green in color gets to be a more vibrant green. It will take a bit of time for things to get used to it. It also seems to be a kiss off, the more blue a bulb gets, the less intense the light seems to be. Maybe that is just my perception.
And to you Darren, the Yellow Polyps have long since disappeared. I guess I won't try those again. :(

[ 29 August 2002, 20:07: Message edited by: Bob Ipema ]

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

IMHO, no matter how you keep your calcium up to normal sealevel levels, you should test once in a while to ensure things are in check.

Good luck with your clam.

- Victor.

[Delphinus]

Couple of things.

1. Yes, the more blue a light gets, the less overall intensity you get out of that bulb. It only stands to reason. You have fewer wavelengths in the spectrum; thus you have less light. You're not imagining things, this is a well documented phenomenon.

2. A calcium value all by itself is a worthless measure. If your alkalinity is low; then nothing can draw that calcium out of the water column. Calcium is very typically high in situations when alkalinity is low. If you want any value out of a calcium test then you have to test your alkalinity in concert. Maintain a high alkalinity and I guarantee you that calcium goes down. You'll even notice things such as stoney corals and coraline algae growth rates start to increase.

3. Unless you have a mature specimen of tridacnid (and I do not know if anyone really knows the distinction between adult and juvenile all that precisely ... perhaps Daniel Knop would), it is a certain guarantee that clams will starve and perish in captivity without planktonic food. Perhaps a tank has enough of this on its own; perhaps some "help" may be in order.

Good luck, and above all, have fun. Cheerio...

[ 29 August 2002, 22:18: Message edited by: delphinus ]

[StirCrazy]

Originally posted by Bob Ipema:
I went out and got a Calcium Test Kit. The water tested out at 450 ppm. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">just out of curiosity .. what kinda test kit did you buy Bob?

Steve

[Troy F]

...(and I do not know if anyone really knows the distinction between adult and juvenile all that precisely ... perhaps Daniel Knop would)<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I've read around 4" in size is where a Tridacna sp. clam begins to rely more on its zooxanthellae.

[Canadian]

Bob, how long had the tank pictured below been set up when the picture was taken?

http://www.therockies.com/rcipema/mainrefh2.jpg

And how about in this picture?

http://www.therockies.com/rcipema/side.jpg

[ 30 August 2002, 22:33: Message edited by: Canadian ]

[Bob I]

I am afraid I don't know exactly how long the tank was set up, but looking at the sandbed, and if memory serves me right. The bottom picture a couple of days, and the top one a couple of months.
Bob

[Bob I]

The calcium kit is Red Sea Steve.