Solana Aquarium: I want your 2 cents :)

Hey,

So I got the clam bug and I wanted to set-up a clam-only tank. My plan was to put only a fine thick bed of sand and put my clams in it. I wanted to create something cool and out of the ordinary by placing on the sand many of those gorgeous and colorful creatures.

To stay in a sleek design, and because I don't live in a mansion, I was looking for a cube, something simple and clean. All those bio cubes and those curved rounded-edges-with-a-black-top box aquariums are not attracting me.
I saw a few weeks ago in a store a Solana model, and I simply love everything about it. The tank is sleek, everything is hidden and the MH light pendant + the shelf are just sexeh.

But I did not find a lot of reviews on it except one on Marinedepot and some corporate babble copy-pasted from Current's site.

I'd love your honest opinion on it to know if this tank is going to fit the clams' needs to survive, grow and be happy. I will post a list of questions related to the tank and the clams. I'm sick of LFS people always praising and barfing the same things, that this is the perfect thing, so I want you to share you experience and piece of mind. Here it comes:

The Solana Aquarium:
1• Is the default skimmer efficient and durable or just pure crap?

2• Is the biological compartment squeezed against the skimmer easily removable for maintenance?

3• Is the return pump / skimmer's flow powerful enough?

4• I only saw a water intake grille at the top surface, what about all the other particles in different levels? Do they get sucked up on top or should I add an extra filter that goes all the way down? (Evaporation must be a problem with this tiny surface intake, no?)

5• Evaporation: Is it really worse with the 150 MH than a bigger tank? What are my fresh water additions expectations? Everyday?

6• By the smaller size and capacity of that tank, am I subject to more nitrate increase and hi-lows in chemicals and more water instability?

7• What are the most encountered problems with that type of tank? Water / Equipment / Inhabitants.

The Clams:
8•Can the water quality stay good and clams live without live rocks at all? (Only sand) I plan on removing the plastic bioballs to crushed corals though.

9• I plan on getting different species, especially T. Croceas and Maximas. Can they live only attached in sand?

10• Should the sand bed be thick? I plan on putting about 6 to 7 inches high. Good/Bad for chemicals?

11• Also, for them to be perfectly happy, should I add more equipment?

12• I was thinking of adding of course a clean-up crew, with turbo snails, blue-diamond goby, my landmower blenny and a few hermit crabs. Is this a good idea in that specific clam-only environment? What should I add / avoid?

13• To keep the tank groovy I was thinking of transferring a few of my fish like my Maroon clown, my Yellow tang and a few small Anthias. Good intention?

14•To conclude is this really a good tank capable of hosting happy clams?
If no, what should I change in the set-up? Unless this tank is absolutely not for clams?

Guys, I want to say a big Thanks by advance for your patience at reading my questions and taking the time to answer them!
Hope I didn't gave anyone a headache with my blabla ;D

 

Not sure about the tank you're talking about but I can answer some of your questions.

There are several articles here at 3Reef on clams so if you want/need more info, check out the article section of the site

 

which solana there is a few different ones as far as the lighting they come with, also IMO and only my personal opinion cause I dont want to start a big flame fest, for the same money you can get a red sea max 130d they are the best "nano" tank on the market at 34 gallons and more than capable of keeping clams with 0 mods

 

I feel that all clams should be under at least a 250 watt MH bulb. Also a little nitrate around 10 will be good for the clams. You don't want the water that clean. They do have to filter.

 

Ooh yes, you guys are right, I forgot to mention it. I'm talking about this model:



34 Gal. cube with 150W HQI Lamp.

Amcarrig: Thank you very much for answering some of my questions! This gonna help me getting started 8)

Iraf: See the model above; I checked the Red Sea Max, but I don't like the concept of having the tank enclosed into a bulky cover. Thanks for the suggesion.

Adam: 250w for a 34 Gal? Wow! Hmm this cube is deep though, as I know that clams prefer shallow water that's the main reason why I wanted a deeper sand bed. But as Amcarring said, this doesn't sounds good.

 

If you are planing on keeping the clams on the sand then yes I would say a 250 watt and your clams will be much happier. 150 over that with that height is not enough light for the clams. I would do 1-2 inch max of sand