I think I killed my Maxima w too much light?

[Purple Reef]

Hey guys;

I had a Maxima (purple) for a few months and it was happy and healthy. My cal. is in the 450's and Alk. is in the 11 dKH. At the time I was using a 250w Ushio 10k MH w/ 300w of VHO approximately 30" from the clam. In time I purchased a Gold Derasa and it was close to the Maxima, about an inch lower. I up graded my MH to 400w Hamilton 10K, and started it 3 hours at a time, by the time I got to 4 hours (a week later) I noticed my Purple Maxima closed up. After a few days of patiently waiting I have noticed the Maxima opened up lithely and all I can see is a little mass inside, no lips to be seen. The Derasa is hiding its lips in the part were light hits it directly the part that is facing the front of the tank is fine.

I assume I killed my Maxima with too much light?? Is this common ?? Should I assume because the Derasa id doing ok I don't have to place it some were else??

Any advise would be greatly appreciated....

 

[toptank]

Just a guess but being only 18" deep and going to 400 watt is a big increase in lighting. Shielding them would also help in acclimating to the new lighting setup as well. How much of temperature increase did you have with the new lighting?

Barry

 

[Purple Reef]

Actually my tank is 30" deep, since the MH is 6-8 inches from the water and the Maxima was 6" from the bottom I figure there was 30" of distance, 24" of which were water.....

I did try to start it slowly (3 hrs a day for a week), maybe it was the fact that I had the tank running only on VHO for 4 days before I installed the new 400w MH, then started at 3 hrs a day.

Either way I keep looking at the Maxima and its not good, I'm gona have to reach in and pull it out to look at the possible cadaver...

Temp was kept at an average of 80 - 82 because I installed 2/5" fans at 105 CFM each.

 

[jim norris]

Purple Reef,
What was the color of the clams mantle before the 400 watter.
Jim



www.theclamclub.net

 

[Purple Reef]

It was purple, not too dark or light. I really did not notice any gradual change with her, one day I noticed in the morning that it was closed. I though it might by a sleeping thing, but when I came home from work it was still closed. Today I saw its insides and theres a little bundle of meet, it gone..... Like I said the other one has about half an inch of mantle hidden and the rest (2 1/2") is out like normal. I did not that something scared it and she only closed half way, un like before when she completely closed and re opened.

Don't know what to expect.

 

[toptank]

Purple Reef,

Am sorry about that. I saw the 18"D I guess I was expecting L x W x H.

 

[jim norris]

Purple Reef,
Sorry to hear the sad news. The reason behing my question is that I have notice on the deep blues, purples, etc. That they will start to turn a brownish color or tint. This is a sign of too much lighting or uv burning.
Jim