2014-05-05 Keeping Clams under LED

I just curious to see what other reefers are saying about the LED light's effect on keeping giant clams. So I did some research:

http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/archive/index.php/t-588034.html

http://www.3reef.com/forums/clams/clams-under-leds-growth-130747-7.html#.U2Rq7l5k4y4

I've went through a few different forums but found that these two have the most constructive answers I was looking for. 

In general, the answer is yes. But it depends on how the light was made (home made, cheaply made in China, etc), the total wattage of the light, distance of light from water, distance of clam from water surface etc.

I can definitely attest that clams not only survive, but thrive under LED.

I have had my aqua illumination sol blue for more than 6 months now. And I've kept my three big clams in there for almost 5 months. I programmed my light to mimic the natural sunlight intensity bell curve throughout the day with the highest being 3pm at about 85% and down to 15% at beginning and ending of the day. The largest of the three squamosa grew 2", from 7" to 9", the derasa is a bit more sensitive to fish swim by so grew a bit slower, about 1.5", from 6 to 7.5". The smallest of the three is also a squamosa, grew from 5" to about 7" now. My calcium level was around 500 before these clams were in. And now I am struggling to keep it over 350 when they grow this fast! My tank is 92 Corner and they are all sitting at the very bottom. So yes, you can definitely keep clams happy with LED lights.

Coral growth under LED

Now that the new LED AI Sol superblue is set up, I will begin a photo journal to document the effect of this light to my corals' growth, sps, lps, and soft polyps. 

My previous light, 250w metal halide with 4x 24w T-5 didn't exactly promote much coral growth. Like I said, you get what you pay for. So I'm hoping this light will alllow faster growth.

After three days of light acclimation, I increased light intensity to: w25, b55,r55. My plan is to gradually increase 2-3% every 2-3 days until I reach the level where corals can all achieve maximum growth without bleaching.

One of my good light indicators will be my RBTA as they stretch with insufficient light and bubble up when lighting is ideal!

Aqua Illumination Sol Super Blue LED Part 1

I finally did it! spent $500 on this new lighting system! The Aqua Illumination Sol Super Blue LED

I was trying to cut corner and being cheap when I first set up my 92 Corner. I bought the cheapest Metal Halide+T5 system available online at that time- The Odyssea from Aquatraders.com.
Don't get me wrong, I got exactly what I paid for- not a whole lot of coral growth and not so pretty color.

So I then bought some LED system try to make the color "pop"
The color looked a lot better after that but the coral growth was still painfully slow.
So then I decided it's time to step into the 21st century.

I first saw this fixture at the local aquarium store. They hung four Ai Sol super blue over their coral frag tanks and the color looked amazing. I then did some research and read some reviews online then decided to give it a shot.

Placed the order on Drs. Foster & Smith online pet supply store. The order was placed late Saturday night and even with standard ground shipping I received it Tuesday morning. I am very pleased with the shipping time.

The coolest part of this light is the ability to program sunrise, sunset, lunar cycle, and weather. So the controller is a must (see above). I will go over details of the controller and its functions in my next post.

The controller looks like of like an old generation ipod nano. It comes with a simple velcro and screw so you can mount it near the tank. The power cord comes with a USB cable and adopter. My only complain is the connection between the USB cable and adopter is rather loose. So you must make sure all components remain stable and that no one trips over the cords or it'll just fall off.

The light is surprisingly a bit heavier than I thought, and also larger when compare to the photos online. I do like its sleek design, it definitely add value to the overall appearance of the tank. The hanging kit is optional, depends on how many units you are purchasing and how is your aquarium cabinet built, you might be able to skip it since the fixture itself does come with screws that can conveniently offer easy hanging option.

Alright guys, I will save the best for last. Tomorrow I will go over how to program and set up this light over the tank, and then I will wrap up the final post with some awesome photos to show off what this light can do.