Clams in a mature SPS tank?

[PatientZero]

I’m curious what people think about having clams in a SPS dominant tank.

My tank is about 4 years old, bare bottom and it heavily stocked with SPS. Over the last year or so I’ve realized that my water has been a bit too clean. SPS does amazing but LPS cling to life. I removed most of the chaeto in the fuge (kept a little to help feed my mandarin).

Until now it didn’t occur to me that having. 6-7” derasa clam in a 90 gallon would be an issue, but I bet they thing is really polishing the water.

I’m curious what other SPS folks think about clams in a mature SPS tank. Is it a problem? Is it worth it?

[dizzyjay]

I’ve been successful keeping a blue squamosa (6”) in the same system as my sps but in a diff tank. I feed heavy & rely a lot on mechanical filtration (socks changed religiously 2x a wk).

[PatientZero]

I saw that, very nice clam. Your whole system is huge compared to mine, I’m assuming my entire tank makes it through the clam on like a daily basis. I just worry it’s taking too much out of the water (iodine and nutrients). Ca and Alk aren’t a concern as I run a Ca reactor, maybe not though.

[dizzyjay]

Yeah- I could see where a clam could pull out too much & it’s a perk of a larger system to respond by putting more in.

[PatientZero]

Dude, your system is impressive! That’s the natural response to unoccupied space in a reef tank, haha