anyone consider a clam filter for nitrate reduction?

[tlc]

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]

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

[tlc]

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]

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

[abduelo]

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]

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]

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

[Peabody]

Lol...thats a good one :)

[Peabody]

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

[Scuba Dog]

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]

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]

something like this?

[Bayliner]

Now that is sweet.

[xtremereefer]

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

[GoFishJoel]

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

[Sloth]

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

[tlc]

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]

as long as you have a big calcium reator :thumbsup:

[pets24]

they are also suppost to reduce ammonia

[oldesalty70]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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