Programming an LED light may seem daunting at first, but it’s quite simple if you follow these guidelines:

There are many color channels to setup, but they can easily be grouped into 3 main categories. 

1. Blue LEDs: This includes Royal Blues, Cool Blues, and Violets. We recommend running these channels at equal % power for ease of use.
2. White LEDs: Neutral whites- set these to 1/3 the power of the Blue LEDs to start, and adjust to suit your color preference.
3. Red/Green LEDs: These are supplemental colors. To begin, we recommend running these at 5% peak power or even 0%.

The ideal run time for Reef tanks is between 8 and 12 hours from lights on to lights off (not including moonlights). More than 12 hours can have detrimental effects on your corals.

We recommend setting up your lights so that they are at or near peak brightness when you view your tank each day. For most people, that is 5:30PM-9PM. Be sure to plan the time your lights turn on accordingly.

For example; if you want your lights to shut off at 9PM they should turn on no earlier than 9AM.

It is very important that you start out at a low light intensity, and work up to a higher intensity over time. Too much light will harm your corals. As a rule of thumb, we recommend starting your lights with a maximum output of 30% on the blue channels, and 10% on the white channel. 

Of course, established tanks with corals acclimated to high PAR can start higher. If you’re unsure, please contact us for further guidance.

 

 

The Full Setup Guide for the Photon V2 Pro is available here: Photon V2 Pro Setup Guide

The Photon V2 Pro comes ready to use with our Reef Nexus App. However if you have an older V2 or the V2+, you can install our Reef Nexus Integration Kit to use our app: Reef Nexus Integration Kit

Always remember to keep an eye on your corals once you make any changes to your lights. Corals are living animals, and they will respond to too much or too little light, sometimes in immediate and easy to spot ways. Below is a table with some common coral reactions to too little or too much light- or just enough.

Note: Bleaching and browning are progressive symptoms, meaning they happen over time. It takes at least several days for browning to occur, bleaching can happen in about 1-2 days. If you stick to the acclimation schedule your corals should not suffer any adverse effects. However if you increase the light output by too much or too little, the symptoms laid out in this chart can be helpful to determine what adjustments must be made.

There are several models that Reef Breeders has carried in the past 7 years, including some that have been discontinued and are no longer listed on our website. Knowing which light you have can help us serve you faster if your light needs repairs or troubleshooting. Below is a helpful chart that can determine exactly what model of light you have.

There is a ton of information out there about which spectrum does what for corals and the symbiotic zooxanthellae that live within their tissue. We have done extensive research on the topic and carefully developed our layout over years of testing. Below is a table that summarizes briefly the function of each color.

Disclaimer: Each color serves many more functions than the ones listed below- and the layout is designed to be balanced in such a way that you do not need to stress one color over the other.
Note: The ratio of Chlorophyll a to Chlorophyll c in corals is 10:1 a:c. Some proteins are only present in certain corals. Others, like peridinin and neo-peridinin are almost universal in coral tissue.

To view all of the manuals we have on file, you can check out our dropbox folder HERE

All of the manuals are in PDF form. If you can’t find it there, feel free to contact us and we can find the manual for you and add it to the folder.

 

If your light is not upgraded yet, here is a guide on how to install our Reef Nexus Integration Kit:

If you are using the Photon V2 Pro, this guide will help you get setup using our Reef Nexus app:

 

Yes! We ship worldwide for a flat $50USD. Typically we can ship factory direct, with the correct power cord included for your home country. All of our lights are compatible with an input from 90V to 240V, so they can be used anywhere in the world. Typically international shipments arrive in 7-10 days. Countries we have shipped to include Australia, Guatemala, France, Belgium, Spain, UAE, India, Netherlands, and others. ReefBreeders.com is dedicated to helping you Power Your Tank World-Wide!

Here is a guide video for programming our Photon V2+:

Here is a guide video for programming out Photon V2:

Yes! We have a detailed FAQ for the V2+ here: Photon V2+ FAQ