Reefbreeders photon V2 review

[Velcro]

If you don’t mind me asking what made you switch from led to T5?

I wanted to see if there were any differences in health of acros

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

Just hung up mine and programming now

 

[BluTang85]

Have been running mine for about 7 months now and very impressed with coral growth

 

[hwntunda]

Got my 32 v2 in today and am really liking it! Not very much color separation and nice shimmer effect. Very happy indeed!

 

[BluTang85]

@Reef Breeders are there any brackets u guys make where u could place A t5 on each side?

 

[Skep18]

Looks awesome.

Glad to hear another good review of a light fixture that, for me, offered great value somewhere between black box cheap and G4 pro expensive pricing. IMO these have really made their own place in the lighting maket.

 

[OnPointCorals Verified Sponsor]

I am a t5 guy but for my new build am considering photons with t5 retro. I have in the past used Kessils to adds shimmer to my tank. How is the shimmer with these photon v2?

 

[Neo Jeo]

I am a t5 guy but for my new build am considering photons with t5 retro. I have in the past used Kessils to adds shimmer to my tank. How is the shimmer with these photon v2?

Nice shimmer with water power head hitting the surface of water

 

[wowatracy]

How hot do these get and can you keep them right on top of the tank? I only have about a 2" clearance between the top of my tank and the structure the tank is built into.

 

[Maacc]

I just did a 24" for my 30" long 20 gallon peninsula:

 

[ViciousDlishus]

Wondering if someone can chime in and let me know if lighting is my issue.
1.025
10 nitrate
9.2 alk
79 temp
8.25 ph
0.034 phos
1460 mag
450 cal

Zoas are closed up, sps are taking a beating all over stn from base up, tips, lps arent expanding, next to no growth, no coraline growth at all.

Flow isnt thought to be an issue here.

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

Wondering if someone can chime in and let me know if lighting is my issue.
1.025
10 nitrate
9.2 alk
79 temp
8.25 ph
0.034 phos
1460 mag
450 cal

Zoas are closed up, sps are taking a beating all over stn from base up, tips, lps arent expanding, next to no growth, no coraline growth at all.

Flow isnt thought to be an issue here.

It sounds to me like it could be too much light. Zoos and LPS retracting is a common sign. 8 hours at 60% on the blue channels is pretty powerful, especially with a 40" x 20" x 20" tank running a Photon 32-V2+. I recommend dialing it back a bit, to 40% max on CH3, 5, and 6, and 16 max on CH4. Give it a week or so and see if your corals start opening back up.

 

[Todd A.]

I've switched to the 32" V2 a few months ago and it made a huge difference with my corals. In the process of setting up a new 210 gal and will be adding a 2nd one to the system. Programming can be a bit mind numbing but the options are limitless. But I certainly would recommend this light.

 

[ViciousDlishus]

It sounds to me like it could be too much light. Zoos and LPS retracting is a common sign. 8 hours at 60% on the blue channels is pretty powerful, especially with a 40" x 20" x 20" tank running a Photon 32-V2+. I recommend dialing it back a bit, to 40% max on CH3, 5, and 6, and 16 max on CH4. Give it a week or so and see if your corals start opening back up.

I revised my schedule earlier. Once I'm back I'll probably reduce further as you've mentioned max 40. Does ramping have an impact vs the constant levels I had before?

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

I revised my schedule earlier. Once I'm back I'll probably reduce further as you've mentioned max 40. Does ramping have an impact vs the constant levels I had before?

Do you have the V2, or the new version, the V2+?

Typically we recommend a longer sunrise and sunset (gradual curve with 1-4 peak hours) for the V2s, because they change on the hour.

The V2+ however ramps between each hour, so you can do a shorter 1-2 hour sunrise and sunset, with a 6-8 hour peak in the middle.

 

[amcgee2842]

Just got my V2 up!

How did you build the wall brackets?

 

[Neo Jeo]

How did you build the wall brackets?

With Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NFVUJ2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I put some rubber spacers behind it to bring it out another 2". I work with glass so I just used "setting blocks" Then I took a long wood screw and put them into my studs. Thankfully the studs where spot on and I got the 12" brackets and it's centered to my tank. Work out great, then I used the supplied handing hardware and just clipped it on!

 

[Neo Jeo]

How hot do these get and can you keep them right on top of the tank? I only have about a 2" clearance between the top of my tank and the structure the tank is built into.

They don't get very hot at all.I never see the fans come on.

 

[ravi197699]

I bought 6 50" v2+ fixtures for my 780 gallon tank, I am working on building the light rack, I should have my rack hung this weekend, anyone has the excel sheet on ramp up and down that is shown in this thread, I want to play with colors but that chart is good start.. I will post pictures when I have my lights up and running...

 

[Neo Jeo]

I bought 6 50" v2+ fixtures for my 780 gallon tank, I am working on building the light rack, I should have my rack hung this weekend, anyone has the excel sheet on ramp up and down that is shown in this thread, I want to play with colors but that chart is good start.. I will post pictures when I have my lights up and running...

That’s a huge tank! Nice, got any pics?