Happy as a clam!

right on mark. what would be good to feed mine DT's, Tahitian Blend?

I think Mark's success is due to many things...... but I'll give most of the credit to the light.

Adam

Adam Blundell wrote: I think Mark's success is due to many things......  Adam

Mpffhhh?  Huh?  Just what are you saying Adam?

Adam, please read and comment on this post.

Remember a while back when Suzy was asking the question "Food or light?" Well the truth of the matter as I understand it is, "light is most important because, either directly or indirectly, it produces food." This tank has total direct sunlight during the morning and strong indirect sunlight the rest of the day. As Adam seems to be pointing out, this is a major source of energy to produce food for the entire tank.

The major indirect food that the light energy produces is home grown phytoplankton for the clams and coral. Phyto grows in a 3 gal. jug in the window beside the tank and is fed to the tank every 5-7 days. Add to that the phytoplankton growing feely in the tank water and also rubbed off one end and the room side of the tank every three days and you have a good recipe for growth.

The way I understand it, the natural wild reef is not always bathed in phyto. There are times and seasons when a lot of phyto flows past the reef and alternating times where the water may be somewhat barren of phytoplankton.

Of course, adding Calcium in some form is absolutely necessary. Oh and I almost forgot, I believe that phytoplankton itself, or perhaps the conditions in which it grows, helps organisms utilize calcium. This is just an assumption based on the following observation:

A while back, I was growing and giving away lots of phyto from a 20 gal semi-transparent tub lighted with a 24 W PC in the lid and a powerhead for circulation. After a few months, when I emptied the tub to clean out the residue on the bottom, I discovered a layer of calcium on all the underwater surfaces.

(btw, a tub with pc light and bubbler, or a powerhead pointing at an angle up to the water surface, is a very effective yet cheap way to grow lots of phyto. Using only half of the phyto before refilling, seems to keep the culture going longer.
( don't tell, but its faster and less trouble than using pop bottles )

Edited by Mark Peterson

Clams are probably unique in that adults don't need phyto (with the exception of T. gigas)...

From Clam Facts, Daniel Knopp Coral June/July 2004:

As they (tridacnids) mature, they accumulate more and more (zooxanthellae), and once they become adults they come to rely on their zooxanthellae of their total nutrition.

and

While most other tridacnids lose the ability to filter feed once they become adults and come to depend solely on their zooxanthellae for their nutrition, Tridacna gigas is able to use both feeding mechanisms.

Kinda strange huh?

Hey mark what is your secret fertilizer?  I'm getting tired of 10$ a liter for phyto.

Thanks Jon. I read the entire Knopp book years ago, and I'm very positive that you are correct. Thanks for the info. This Squamosa sure does filter a lot though. So if this is minimum filtering, no wonder we see clams dieing all the time. They must be starving to death.

The phytoplankton fertilizer I use is commercially made and distributed in gallon jugs specifically for growing phyto. It has been given to me by two club members (Ryan Foote and Rodney Struhs). I really appreciate both of them. It works very well, much better than any secret stuff you may have heard rumored about.

I'd be happy to help anyone with a starter culture of the green phyto I recently got from Rodney.

I vote yes on sunlight.

Adam

hey mark where can I get some fertilizer?

Adam,

I'll take a liter (or two). When can we get together? This weekend?

435-720-2599