anyone consider a clam filter for nitrate reduction?

tlc · 04/01/2004, 09:57 PM

i have a 90 gallon sump with plenty of room for clams. my nitrates are relatively low 4.0ppm and think a few clams would further enhance my system. any experiences???

COreefer · 04/01/2004, 10:58 PM

They are biological filters...As long as your water params a good then it could be done.

tlc · 04/01/2004, 11:04 PM

i have read they consume nitrate. when i had two large deresas in my system i had 0 nitrates. they and many other beautiful specimens were lost in a power outage

COreefer · 04/02/2004, 12:38 AM

i say go for it...add a couple more.

abduelo · 04/02/2004, 12:40 AM

Clams do consume nutrients out of the water, and if your parameters are right, the more clams u have, the better biologically filtered your water will be.

Bayliner · 04/02/2004, 09:10 AM

The only issue I can see is the amount of light you will now need to have over your sump to keep the clams.

I really like the idea....
Cam

Sloth · 04/02/2004, 01:52 PM

So how many CPF do I need in my tank? (clams per fish)

Peabody · 04/02/2004, 03:57 PM

Lol...thats a good one

Peabody · 04/02/2004, 03:58 PM

Setting up a new tank? Don't worry about lbs per gallon of rock and sand....say hello to clams per gallon

Scuba Dog · 04/02/2004, 08:40 PM

tlc

you could purchase a clam tank and plum it into your main display , its basicly a 40 gallon cube with a 45 degree plane cut out so you can see the true colors of the clams would make a way sweet fuge, and the clams would be protected as well....Was an idea I had but decided that I would just get a monster sized reef instead....

tlc · 04/02/2004, 10:02 PM

thanks for the feedback. i just added a few new organisms to the tank so i am probably a month away. i go real slow with livestock additions. i have a 90 gallon sump with plenty of room. i am probably going to put a 175 watter to light up the clams...

wjgeese · 04/03/2004, 12:12 PM

something like this?

Bayliner · 04/03/2004, 02:45 PM

Now that is sweet.

xtremereefer · 04/03/2004, 06:05 PM

OMG look at that big Gigas on the left WOW!!!!

GoFishJoel · 04/03/2004, 11:16 PM

I think that is a neat idea. Remember though that you will now have an increase in the heat production of your tank.

Sloth · 04/08/2004, 09:22 PM

Check this out:
http://www.aquasearch.net.au/aqua/clambiofilter.htm

tlc · 04/08/2004, 10:05 PM

exactly the info i was looking for. when i had two huge derasas mt tanks never had any nitrates, without them i cant seem to get below 5 ppm.

mikrok · 04/10/2004, 01:44 PM

as long as you have a big calcium reator

pets24 · 04/11/2004, 11:48 AM

they are also suppost to reduce ammonia

oldesalty70 · 04/02/2012, 05:14 PM

I have been using hard clams, for years. I live on the Peconic Bay. I harvest Neck size and Little Neck size clams for my tanks and of course to eat. In my 29 cube I have 9 hard shells and they do a great job keeping the nitrates down. They bury them selves in the sand and there necks extend upward to the surface, at the surface they look like black feather dusters. I would use 40 to 50 hard shells for a 180 gallon and with these there is no need for high watts. Just a deep sand bed and a good calcium reactor is all you need.

oldesalty70 · 04/02/2012, 05:16 PM

Make sure if you are going to use hard clams from the northeast to acclimate them. I drip them for 5 to 6 hours. I have never lost one yet.

moliken · 04/03/2012, 05:35 AM

put 50 clams in and see if your trates go down in any accurately measurable way. i don't think so. the biomass of clams in the study was "each tank would have been close to 30 kg of soft tissue" OVER 60 LBS and the reduction went from 5 ppm to almost nil. i realize that i'm inthe minority here, but...

dtt · 04/13/2012, 11:35 AM

I have 8 in my 75 reef add 2 part 3 times a week. Under 6 T-5's. Having no problems knock on wood......the only problem I do have is that my pair of pink skunks are in there spring breeding egg laying stunt and the one clam that is closets to there eggs is slowing getting nudge away..out of his spot. They don't pick at him just keep pushing him out of the way so he slowly moves from the constant nudging.

moliken · 04/13/2012, 04:00 PM

any pics? clowns are masters of their territory, fr sure.

04/01/2004, 09:57 PM	#1
tlc Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 918	anyone consider a clam filter for nitrate reduction? i have a 90 gallon sump with plenty of room for clams. my nitrates are relatively low 4.0ppm and think a few clams would further enhance my system. any experiences???

04/01/2004, 10:58 PM	#2
COreefer Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 2,329	They are biological filters...As long as your water params a good then it could be done. __________________ "Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise." Current Tank Info: 45 and 20G mixed reefs...

04/02/2004, 12:38 AM	#4
COreefer Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 2,329	i say go for it...add a couple more. __________________ "Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise." Current Tank Info: 45 and 20G mixed reefs...

04/02/2004, 09:10 AM	#6
Bayliner Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Stoney Creek, Ontario Posts: 971	The only issue I can see is the amount of light you will now need to have over your sump to keep the clams. I really like the idea.... Cam __________________ A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Darn...that was fun!" Current Tank Info: 75g Reef, mostly SPS, 2-250W 20K MH, 2-VHO Actinics Full Zeovit as of Jan 20th 2011

04/02/2004, 01:52 PM	#7
Sloth Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 2,667	So how many CPF do I need in my tank? (clams per fish) __________________ I glue animals to rocks.

04/01/2004, 11:04 PM	#3
tlc Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 918	i have read they consume nitrate. when i had two large deresas in my system i had 0 nitrates. they and many other beautiful specimens were lost in a power outage

04/02/2004, 12:40 AM	#5
abduelo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: indianapolis Posts: 22	Clams do consume nutrients out of the water, and if your parameters are right, the more clams u have, the better biologically filtered your water will be.

04/02/2004, 03:57 PM	#8
Peabody Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: New Orleans Posts: 2,735	Lol...thats a good one

04/02/2004, 03:58 PM	#9
Peabody Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: New Orleans Posts: 2,735	Setting up a new tank? Don't worry about lbs per gallon of rock and sand....say hello to clams per gallon

04/02/2004, 08:40 PM	#10
Scuba Dog Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: El Dorado Ar Posts: 5,566	tlc you could purchase a clam tank and plum it into your main display , its basicly a 40 gallon cube with a 45 degree plane cut out so you can see the true colors of the clams would make a way sweet fuge, and the clams would be protected as well....Was an idea I had but decided that I would just get a monster sized reef instead.... __________________ Got Salt! Current Tank Info: Twin 180's 150 gallon common sump. 6 250 DE Phoenix, HQI ballasts. MRC4 Recirc skimmer. Pacific coast 1/2 horse chiller. Custom calcium reactor. sps reef in tank a mixed reef in tank b in the making.

04/02/2004, 10:02 PM	#11
tlc Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 918	thanks for the feedback. i just added a few new organisms to the tank so i am probably a month away. i go real slow with livestock additions. i have a 90 gallon sump with plenty of room. i am probably going to put a 175 watter to light up the clams...

04/03/2004, 12:12 PM	#12
wjgeese Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 315	something like this?

04/03/2004, 02:45 PM	#13
Bayliner Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Stoney Creek, Ontario Posts: 971	Now that is sweet. __________________ A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Darn...that was fun!" Current Tank Info: 75g Reef, mostly SPS, 2-250W 20K MH, 2-VHO Actinics Full Zeovit as of Jan 20th 2011

04/03/2004, 06:05 PM	#14
xtremereefer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: San Francisco,Ca Posts: 327	OMG look at that big Gigas on the left WOW!!!!

04/03/2004, 11:16 PM	#15
GoFishJoel Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Colville Washington Posts: 111	I think that is a neat idea. Remember though that you will now have an increase in the heat production of your tank. __________________ Keep the pictures coming! Joel Current Tank Info: 225 reef in the making

04/08/2004, 09:22 PM	#16
Sloth Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 2,667	Check this out: http://www.aquasearch.net.au/aqua/clambiofilter.htm __________________ I glue animals to rocks.

04/08/2004, 10:05 PM	#17
tlc Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 918	exactly the info i was looking for. when i had two huge derasas mt tanks never had any nitrates, without them i cant seem to get below 5 ppm.

04/10/2004, 01:44 PM	#18
mikrok Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Worceser/Providence/Manhattan Posts: 780	as long as you have a big calcium reator

04/11/2004, 11:48 AM	#19
pets24 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 17	they are also suppost to reduce ammonia

04/02/2012, 05:14 PM	#20
oldesalty70 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 2	I have been using hard clams, for years. I live on the Peconic Bay. I harvest Neck size and Little Neck size clams for my tanks and of course to eat. In my 29 cube I have 9 hard shells and they do a great job keeping the nitrates down. They bury them selves in the sand and there necks extend upward to the surface, at the surface they look like black feather dusters. I would use 40 to 50 hard shells for a 180 gallon and with these there is no need for high watts. Just a deep sand bed and a good calcium reactor is all you need.

04/02/2012, 05:16 PM	#21
oldesalty70 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 2	Make sure if you are going to use hard clams from the northeast to acclimate them. I drip them for 5 to 6 hours. I have never lost one yet.

04/03/2012, 05:35 AM	#22
moliken Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: smyrna Posts: 3,536	put 50 clams in and see if your trates go down in any accurately measurable way. i don't think so. the biomass of clams in the study was "each tank would have been close to 30 kg of soft tissue" OVER 60 LBS and the reduction went from 5 ppm to almost nil. i realize that i'm inthe minority here, but... __________________ not obsessse--scuse me gotta check on the tank Current Tank Info: 75 and 65gals plumbed together, clams 12 fish. lps corals/ aquaillumination leds on the 75 and lovin them. t5's

04/13/2012, 11:35 AM	#23
dtt Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 452	I have 8 in my 75 reef add 2 part 3 times a week. Under 6 T-5's. Having no problems knock on wood......the only problem I do have is that my pair of pink skunks are in there spring breeding egg laying stunt and the one clam that is closets to there eggs is slowing getting nudge away..out of his spot. They don't pick at him just keep pushing him out of the way so he slowly moves from the constant nudging.

04/13/2012, 04:00 PM	#24
moliken Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: smyrna Posts: 3,536	any pics? clowns are masters of their territory, fr sure. __________________ not obsessse--scuse me gotta check on the tank Current Tank Info: 75 and 65gals plumbed together, clams 12 fish. lps corals/ aquaillumination leds on the 75 and lovin them. t5's