jason2459
Well-known member
If you're asking me, yes, lots.
I started a thread on my setup here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2626683
reefbreeders photon V2 is OUT...reviews here.
- Thread starter Devaji108
- Start date
If you're asking me, yes, lots.
I started a thread on my setup here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2626683
Civicman86
New member
Thanks! Following your thread!
That 160 Par in the middle was with the T5's on too? or no?
jason2459
Well-known member
Yes, and with my current settings I'm up to just over 200 PAR in the same spot.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2626683&page=3
Ron Reefman
Active member
IMHO, the red and green leds are just about useless and become an annoyance when they create red and green shadow edges or red and green disco effect in my shimmer. I put black electrical tape over the red and green leds in my 2 channel led fixtures.
allicassydanny
New member
I have been running the V2 48" over a 90 with no supplements for almost 5 months and still love it. Get great growth. Especially my montis and Yumas. Only complaint is the remote battery dies about every 10 days.
Ron Reefman
Active member
I ran my V2 for 6+ months with no supplements and it works great.
allicassydanny, get a plug-in USB adapter. Plug it in wherever you keep your remote (I keep mine in the stand). That way the battery is always charged. It's a simple $15 fix.
Ssteve, I added a 4' t5 to my 50" V2 and I tried the 6400K bulb that came with the fixture, then a 10,000K bulb and a 15,000K bulb and wasn't happy with any of them. I got a Bio Tek led retro fit bulb that is half 20,000K leds and 395nm true UV leds and it looks so much better than the t5's. I currently use it at the back edge of my tank because I have 5 sorals growing off the back glass about 1/2 to 3/4's of the way up the glass and the Photon V2 just can't cover them AND reach the front of the tank as well.
I'm considering two 44" led strips from 21ledusa. One would be white and blue for the front side of the tank (less shadows) and an all blue one for the back side of the tank (good for the coral and hopefully it will make the tank look a bit 'deeper' front to back. The more blue in the back making it appear to be further away than it really is. Just like being underwater and looking off into the distance.
But that's all personal playing around. IMHO the Photon V2 is a very good fixture. If I ever take it appart, I'll pull the red and green leds and add more blue or even some true 375nm to 400nm UV. I just don't see the need for red and green leds. IMHO there is more than enough red and green in the 5 watt Cree white leds.
allicassydanny, get a plug-in USB adapter. Plug it in wherever you keep your remote (I keep mine in the stand). That way the battery is always charged. It's a simple $15 fix.
Ssteve, I added a 4' t5 to my 50" V2 and I tried the 6400K bulb that came with the fixture, then a 10,000K bulb and a 15,000K bulb and wasn't happy with any of them. I got a Bio Tek led retro fit bulb that is half 20,000K leds and 395nm true UV leds and it looks so much better than the t5's. I currently use it at the back edge of my tank because I have 5 sorals growing off the back glass about 1/2 to 3/4's of the way up the glass and the Photon V2 just can't cover them AND reach the front of the tank as well.
I'm considering two 44" led strips from 21ledusa. One would be white and blue for the front side of the tank (less shadows) and an all blue one for the back side of the tank (good for the coral and hopefully it will make the tank look a bit 'deeper' front to back. The more blue in the back making it appear to be further away than it really is. Just like being underwater and looking off into the distance.
But that's all personal playing around. IMHO the Photon V2 is a very good fixture. If I ever take it appart, I'll pull the red and green leds and add more blue or even some true 375nm to 400nm UV. I just don't see the need for red and green leds. IMHO there is more than enough red and green in the 5 watt Cree white leds.
JDWells
New member
I ran one of the older Photons over my 125 for a while and my issue with them was that it was very purple looking. I loved everything else about it, but could never get over the purple hue. It looks like they're using better LEDs now but the layout doesn't look much different. Definitely see one in person before you buy, if you can.
915MANG
Member
All the LEDs are working and playing with the color combination. The coverage is amazing. Two rows of fixtures + T5 and there is most definitely full coverage and absolutely 0 shadowing from my braces. Its awesome. I have them going up to 15% to start for the max peak for the day to start. I'll try to get par and pur measurements later.
I decided not to pull the lenses on the red and greens. With the 100 degree lens and two rows the alternating red green and the flip red green on the other side works out very well and spreads nicely. I have no disco effect or spot lighting at all even with just reds or just greens on. Again, it's awesome.
This wasn't cheap (but not nearly as much as "higher end" fixture) and getting so many LEDs was not about brightness but about spread and full coverage on top, sides, and under the corals. I think I've succeeded.
The remote and programming seems easy for someone absolutely new to programing LEDs. I really like as going through the custom programming it actually tells the lights to do whats on that hour so no guessing what it looks like until after saving.
Oh Man, Love it!
jason2459
Well-known member
Thanks. Me too! [emoji1]
1 hour and is way more then enough for me. Anymore and would be more complicated then I'd want. For some it may not be enough. I have my t5s on and off at 12:30pm and 8:30pm which staggers those a bit from the led ramping.
Ron Reefman
Active member
Here is a link to the bulb I used and the dealer I bought from, and they shipped right away and answered a question the next morning. Good customer service.
http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/li...e-btm5ho-dimmable-20k-uv-led-retrofit-t5-lamp
And it does come in a 60" length.
drummerboyevil
New member
Ron do you have a par meter? I've been thinking about adding two of the bioteks to my 8 bulb Ati fixture (I have reefbrite/BML actinics on the fixture already).
Ron Reefman
Active member
I do. And when I get it back (it's out on loan to a friend) I'd be happy to test the PAR of my bulb (20,000K & 395nm UV)
Thanks Ron...do you know how many watts the 60" is?
Ron Reefman
Active member
I should get my PAR meter back today.
I have no idea of how many watts these are. Even the Bio Tek Marine website offers no help, not even a contact email! I do have a Kill-o-watt meter so I'll give that a try. My bet is they are 0.5 watt leds, but that's just my best guess.
I'll get PAR and watt info posted in the next 48 hours... rather busy today.
Ron Reefman
Active member
With my Photon V2 still in the morning ramp up (about 40% power) I got 350 Par at 10" (the water surface). The Bio-Tek bulb got 125 Par. OK, I'm using an old Apogee Par meter which is weak in the blue spectrum and no good PAR meter will read true UV. But my personal adjustment factor for this is to multiply by a factor of 1.25 to 1.50 which is still a PAR of 155 to 190 at 10" in air. That's pretty lame. So OK if all you want to do is add some light and really don't care much for PAR.
Given the PAR numbers, I'm not even going to waste my time breaking out the Kill-o-watt meter unless you really still want to know. There are 125 leds on my 48" bulb, 100 445nm blue and 25 395nm UV and my guess is that it would be between 35 and 60 watts. I'd guess the 60" would have about 165 leds and be between 50 and 80 watts. In reality I'd guess the lower end of that range.
I'll never buy another Bio-Tek led retrofit bulb. And yesterday I ordered 2 21ledusa Reef Pro fixtures in 48" lengths. I got the 445nm blue for the back of the tank and the half blue and half white for the front of the tank.
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