Reefbreeders Photon 48

[chrisfont23]

I just got a Reefbreeders Photon 48. Right now I have channel 1 peaking at 17% and channel 2 peaking at 15% for 3 hrs a day. I want to take it slow and don't mind erring on the side of caution.

For those of you with the lights, how did you ramp up and to what intensity did you find the best comfort zone. Tank info in sig, but in case:

• 90 g standard size
• Full LPS tank with corals on both top/bottom of tank
• lights 9 inches off water

Thanks in advance

Chris

 

[chrisfont23]

No one really?

 

[Annie3410]

I have a 90 gallon as well. 2x 16" reefbreeders photon. Before the LEDs, I had a 6 bulb t5 retrofit running 2yr old ATI bulbs. After changing the lights, I ramped up to a max of 16% on both channels, I did not shorten my photoperiod though. Now my lights are according to the graph. I run channel 1 at 1% all night just in case I wake up and want to peek at some night action . I plan on slowly turning them up to between 50 and 60 percent, or until I find the corals' happy spot.

 

[chrisfont23]

Good?

 

[txaggie09]

I have a 90 gallon as well. 2x 16" reefbreeders photon. Before the LEDs, I had a 6 bulb t5 retrofit running 2yr old ATI bulbs. After changing the lights, I ramped up to a max of 16% on both channels, I did not shorten my photoperiod though. Now my lights are according to the graph. I run channel 1 at 1% all night just in case I wake up and want to peek at some night action . I plan on slowly turning them up to between 50 and 60 percent, or until I find the corals' happy spot.

I was wondering about that, at 1% are the moonlights still too bright or are they good? Ive read on some other fixtures that at even at 1% theyre still too bright but havent heard anything on the reefbreeders.

Also, how is the width of the spread? Thinking about putting these on a 4' long by 2' wide tank.

 

[Annie3410]

At 1% the moonlights are really dim. I have never had moonlights before this, so I can't compare, but IMO they are not too bright.

The front to back spread on my 16" fixtures seems like more than enough for a 2 foot wide tank, but i can't be sure since mine is only 18". You could always remove the optics on the front and/or back to achieve more spread. I do not know if they layout on the 48" fixture is more narrow than mine, so I can't speak for how they would do coverage wise, but I imagine it would be fine.

 

[edsbeaker]

I have had mine set up for a couple of months. I have a mixed reef, but mostly zoas, LPS and a few easy SPS. I'm running at max 55% blues and 35% whites at mid day, and finding everything very happy. I probably won't increase any more then this. I also have a very happy RBTA near the bottom of the tank doing fine.

My fixtures easily light the 2' front to back dimension at about 10" above the tank with 120 degree optics.

 

[txaggie09]

At 1% the moonlights are really dim. I have never had moonlights before this, so I can't compare, but IMO they are not too bright.

The front to back spread on my 16" fixtures seems like more than enough for a 2 foot wide tank, but i can't be sure since mine is only 18". You could always remove the optics on the front and/or back to achieve more spread. I do not know if they layout on the 48" fixture is more narrow than mine, so I can't speak for how they would do coverage wise, but I imagine it would be fine.

Thanks for the quick response! I believe all of their lights are the same width, so the front to back spread should be similar between them all. One other question I have is that these lights dont ramp smoothly, right? They just turn up to the next intensity every half hour or hour depending on programming right? Again, not a big deal to me, just want to make sure before I order.

 

[Annie3410]

Yep, they change how programmed, not gradually.

 

[chrisfont23]

I think the moons at 1% are adequate for viewing. The moons at 5% are what I would have expected from moons (shimmer, glow, intensity), based on my old T5 units.

Hope that helps!

 

[Goss]

I have my moon lights start at 8 and then go to 4 and 2 and then off.

 

[Annie3410]

Good?

I would maybe give your tank a bit more "down time" with the lights at 0-1%. Anything over 2-3% seems too bright to be considered moonlights, IMO.

 

[chrisfont23]

I would maybe give your tank a bit more "down time" with the lights at 0-1%. Anything over 2-3% seems too bright to be considered moonlights, IMO.

I did that last night. I dropped a few to 1 based on my own observations. I can't believe the improvements already. They are subtle, but obvious. I have a green monti that is finally showing good PE. I am also seeing colors in my rock I never knew were there. A new colony of zoanthids look like they are emerging too...again, while they didn't grow overnight, the new lights are picking things out I didn't see before.

For anyone debating full spectrum vs. blue/white, I am starting to think the answer is clear.

 

[JasonMHorn]

I have the Photon 48 on a 72 Bow and I just use the custom setting. I never acclimated my tank to the fixture and all of my stuff is doing perfect! My previous fixture had 2X250 HQI and 4X55 T-5's so maybe that helped but who knows.