growth rings on clams


the larger derasa i’ve had for 18 months, now about 7 inches, from 3, smaller 11 months 4 inches from 2. sorry about the glare.
who else has some growth pics? let’s see them.

Ring around the collar. So, how old is it in Clam Years?

yup, my Derasa is growing fast too. I got it at DPA in Sept. and it was 1 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches. now its

2 1/1/4 x 3 3/4 inches. i just put the micrometer to it. I guess the bigger they get, the faster they grow. do you dose extra potassium and strontium to keep them going? they could in time deplete your salt water . we all watch calcium and alk. but might forget these others. a heavily stocked tank with big uptake from corals and clams might run it down. and then Crash… they need all that stuff.

no dosing for me, every once in a while i drip calcium carb–thankx jon–to keep alk up. all i do is keep up w/my water changing routine. not sure, but i don’t think bill doses, mr clam himself. my calcium has never tested below 400 in 2 years. hope it continues. there is a general age-growth relationship by species, but i’d have to find it. going to work now.

Sodium carbonate or calcium carbonate?

jon , you know i NEVER get it right. i take sodium bicarb and bake it, making sodium carbonate. mighty sorry about that error.

No need to be sorry, I just want to make sure you don’t find your Calcium is low and end up adding lots of Sodium Carbonate trying to increase your calcium levels thinking it is Calcium Carbonate. It’s important that you understand what you are adding and why especially as you obtain more and more animals that deposit calcium carbonate skeletons and the animals you have get bigger and deposit more and more.
Side note: If you check the ingredients listed on C-Balance part B the first two ingredients are Sodium Bicarbonate and Sodium Carbonate.
Any questions shoot me an e-mail as I won’t be on here as often this year.

PS, good to see the clams are doing well and growing. Certainly a good indicator that your tank is doing better then it has been in the past. Hope they fill in and get big as some of Bill’s.