Clam farming?

[scubadude]

Ok just a thought here, rambling out loud

A large LR vat that has 75% cured rock in it and 25% uncured (most of the time) that is plumbed to a series of raceways for clams? My logic for this is the uncured rock would constantly be feeding Ammonia Nitrates to the clams? Thus the effeciency of cleaning the rock and feeding the clams at the same time?! Watcha think? Seems like you can starve a tank for clams if you are not careful (or some might say too careful) Ya know I wanted my own Urinal in my GH :D But I have heard that some clam farms when they dont have enough to feed the clams that they will stand up and Pee in the raceways....hmmmm...interesting...Lots of ways to recycle but Im not ready to jump into all of them :p

[Skipper]

I have heard that some clam farms when they dont have enough to feed the clams that they will stand up and Pee in the raceways. Isn't pee high in ammonia, Rocky? That sounds odd.

[scubadude]

Originally posted by Skipper
Isn't pee high in ammonia, Rocky? That sounds odd.

I dunno....I would definately think so, Ammonia, Nitrate, and probably a bunch of other stuff too...hehe, but I have never tested it :D

[Anthony Calfo]

Heehee... "I'll have what he's having, barkeep!" :D

Rocky... you idea reminds me of a joke Perin made some years ago about "feeding the clams" in a greenhouse without a lavoratory... but plenty of beer on tap :D... er, I mean... ewwwww.

Hey... which all reminds me that I need a new picture of you for MACNA this year :P Perhaps something along these lines? Ha!

To be specific, clam and coral farmers do indeed feed ammonium chloride and sodium nitrate in controlled portions for a food source (actually... coral farmers use the latter more so). Feeding ammonium is a staple at some stage of commercial clam culture as they are growing so fast that it is needed to to maintain their compensation point.

If he has the time to chat about it, Gerry Heslinga at IPSF.com is one of the pioneers with this as I recall from his old clam farming days.

As far as the live rock idea... very interesting, indeed. The first concern would be the unrpedictable nature of a batch of live rock in curing: sometimes light, sometimes moderate, sometimes scary... thus you would be a slave to water chemistry to monitor it to know when how hard of a cure is enough food, when it is too much (need for massive water changes), when it needs supplemented, etc.

The other serious concern is that curing rock sheds ammonia and byproducts by virtue of the rotting/decaying matter which is being decomposed by a sudden influx of bacteria. There is a serious risk of the bacteria predating the healthy clam tissue.

On the contrary, ammonium chloride is cheap, easily dosed in a measured in a controlled environment (clean, stable water quality), and does not have the baggage of live rock decay (pathogens and stress) to deliver nutritive elements.

Still... the wheels is always turning in that head. Rock on my brother!

Anthony