Clam tank

[FishGeek]

I need some expierienced opinions. I am contemplating a clam/coral frag growout tank. It would be (l x w x h) 24" x 24" x 12" or 36" x 36" x 12". Lit by 1 400W MH. 4" sugar sand and plumbed with my current tank. The reason the tank would be so short is because I find clams look 1000 times better viewed from above than through glass. The top of the tank would sit about waist height so it can be viewed from above. In the same tank I would grow out corals and it would act as a refugium also as I don't plan on adding fish in here! Well maybe a pair of Bangaii Cardinals. What do you guys and gals think? Am I crazy? Any suggestions? Of coarse I probably wont be able to do this untill after Xmas. So lots of time to plan! I guess I should ask for Daniel KNopps GIant Clam book for X mas then!

Simon

[Troy F]

I've seen a few tanks like you describe. The clam display tank at Saltwater City in Seattle was done this way and it really gave a great view. For long term happiness of Tridacna maxima and T. crocea you should have some rock in there too.

[Canadian]

With the water movement in the tank you're going to get a rippling effect that makes it less than ideal to view the clams from above unless you turn off the pumps in a standard tank like you have described. What has typically been done in the past for clam tanks is to have the front pane of glass sectioned into 2 pieces such that the bottom piece only extends to about 1/2 the overall height of the tank and the second piece then runs inwawrd at about 60 degrees (N of E when viewed from right the side). I'll try to find some pictures of what I'm describing just in case it's unclear, but I have to get going to class so it'll have to wait until the afternoon.

[Delphinus]

I think a coral growout tank and a clam tank are two rather different goals. I wouldn't go so far as to say they're polar opposites, but I think that to do the best of either and be serious about it, you cannot do both at once. I've tried this very thing twice (SPS growout + clams). Both times have ended up in frustration. Take it from me, when you try to do too much at once with a single tank, it yields a lot of frustration.

The best clam tanks I've ever seen have had the front of the tank at an angle, rather than a vertical pane of glass, so that you can look down on the clams from the front of the tank, rather than having to look down through the water surface.

A clam tank could be a lot of fun, as long as you never ever ever get unlucky and get a parasite, and have all healthy clams from day one, and you never ever ever ever ever have a single parameter leave established tolerances in your system. (Oh, did you temperature spike to 84F one day for half an hour? Too bad, kiss your clams goodbye.) Beautiful creatures. Too bad they die so easily. It's almost like you LOOK at them wrong, and they die.

But, I know that others don't share my bad luck with clams. So, whatever you do, good luck and have fun.