Brand New Halide So Now What Should I Get?

[haulme]

Finally bit the bullet yesterday and bought a nice Aqua One MG 600 halide: It has 2 X 24W T5 in Marine Blue and 1X 150W effectively going from 42W of T5 to 200W of light so quite a big jump.

Anyhow I can figure I can get some of the higher lighting required inverts.

I would really like BTA but my tanks only been running for around 4 months. It would also be nice for my clowns that haven't found a home in my Gionipora.

Then there is always a clam which I really want, which should I start with. Can I get one of those nice Maxima's?

My tank is around 20" deep.

Thanks

 

[Great Lakes]

I have never kept clams....yet.

As far as the nenny is concerned, if and when you decide to get one, try a sebae nenny instead of a BTA.

They seem to be a tad hardier, roam less and are not as troublesome as the BTA, or even the run of the mill type with the longer tips.

GL

 

[haulme]

Really?? I heard that sebae are even harder to keep than BTA's and are one of the hardest.

Also will my Tomato Clowns use it as a host?

 

[SkiFletch]

Also will my Tomato Clowns use it as a host?

Maybe... Clowns are somewhat tempermental. I've seen pictures of them hosting in featherdusters instead of nems, so its really a shot in the dark if they will host in it. But look at it this way, if they dont, you still have an awesome looking anemone

 

[Navarre]

I would advise a clam first of all. they are far easier to keep than an anenome. Dont try out a maxima just yet, deresa clams are far hardier.

 

[haulme]

Well guys an update.


Just bought a Bubble tip anemone a few hours. Really nice specimen that is overall tan but with florescent tips. Around 4 inches big. Checked the feet and there was no damage. Let it sting me a bit and it did

Acclimated him well, he seemed to run for cover after around 1 hr of my halide being on.

Good news though, one of the clownfish of my pair of Tomato's is already swimming inside of him, YAY!

I'm going to buy a clam, Deresa's are nice but Maxima's look so much nicer.

Checked the Cal in my water and its 400 ppm.

What is so much harder about keeping Maxima's as opposed to Deresa's?

 

[crazyelece]

calcium usually isn't the problem in a tank, its usually the alk out of whack compared to the calcium level. If the alk is out of whack the calcium can't be used properly.

 

[Navarre]

Deresa clams dont need as much light as maximas. 150w of halide is only borderline for a maxima to be honest and if the tank is 24 inches deep (or close too) then you will need to keep the maxima at the surface of the water or it will lose its colour and possibly die
I have a crocus (similar to a maxima) in my system, it sits near the surface with 1x400w and 2x150w halides over it and this still doesnt show the colours to its maximum.

 

[haulme]

I think Im going to get a deresa this weekend found the perfect spot for it on the substrate.

My bta is doing well, its settled and attached itself to a rock and is now eating shrimp