Photon V2 Pro Setup Guide

For the Reef Power RP-M Startup Guide, Click HERE

Getting Started:

1: Plug your power supply into your light, then plug your power supply into the wall, in that order.
2: The light should initialize first by running through each color channel, the fans will also power on. The indicator LED on the end of your light will run through several colors, before settling on flashing blue.
3: Make sure that you have the Reef Nexus app dowloaded, and have setup and account a logged in before attempting to setup the lights wifi connection.
4: In the app, press the + button in the top right next to equipment to add a new device.
5: Then, press Reef Breeders, and select ready.
6: Exit the app, and enter your phones wifi settings. Find your light “ReefBreeders_XXXX” and connect to its network. You should see a notification prompting you to go back to the Reef Nexus app upon successful connection. The indicator LED should be solid blue. If you do not see a notification, exit wifi settings and open the Reef Nexus app manually.
7: Once the light is connected in the app, you will be prompted to select your 2.4GHz wifi network. Enter the password, noting that it is case sensitive and may contain special characters. You can view your password while typing to ensure that it is correct.
8: Once connected, the indicator LED should be solid green, and you will be asked to name your light, then presented with several color sliders to manually adjust the light. If the light is responsive to these sliders, that means connection is successful and your light is connected.
9: Brand new lights may need to perform an over-the air (OTA) update after initial connection. If your indicator light is solid greed, then turns to flashing purple, it is performing an OTA update. Do not unplug your light while it is updating. This may take about a minute, after which your light will restart, and reconnect automatically to your wifi network.
10: Once the OTA update is complete, you can add a schedule to your light. You can choose from presets or user created programs. We recommend that you begin with the soft coral program, which peaks at 30% on the blue channels, and gradually work up to the mixed reef settings over several weeks time.

Troubleshooting Tips:

My light is solid blue and won’t connect- what do I do? If your light is solid blue, that means it is connected to your phone directly. If you have previously connected to your light, and did not connect it to your home network, you will need to enter your phones wifi settings. Select the lights wifi network, then choose “forget this network” to disconnect. Once that is done, it should return to flashing blue. Exit the Reef Nexus app and swipe up to clear it (iOS) or x it out (android). Re-open the app, then follow the steps to connect. Only connect to your lights wifi network when prompted in the app.

I’m having trouble connecting my light to the internet: Make sure you are connecting to a 2.4GHz network. Reset your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds, then plugging it back in. Power Cycle your light by doing the same. Make sure the network password entered is correct- they are case sensitive. Also be aware of similar looking symbols, ie a capital “i” may look like a lower case “L”.

In some cases it may help to restart your phone as well. As a last resort, you may also consider deleting and re-downloading the Reef Nexus app.

My light turns on at the wrong time- how do I fix that? If your light appears to be off track by a couple of hours, open the Reef Nexus app and go into settings. Change the time zone to a random timezone other than your current one, then save it. Go back to settings, then select the correct time zone and save again.

My light does not have a remote/I installed the Reef Nexus kit and my remote no longer works with my light? That is perfectly normal- the Photon V2 Pro is a smart device and is controlled using an android or iPhone device. When you install the Reef Nexus kit, you are removing the old circuit board that interacts with the remote.

How do I connect my Photon V2 Pro to an Apex? The Apex VDM integration kit must be installed to do so. The light will not work with the Reef Nexus app while the apex kit is installed.

Where is the Reset Button located? Please note in many cases a light reset is not required. The reset button is accessible through the endcap, it is a small gold button just inside the square cutout pictured below. New lights include a small key to press the button. A flat head screwdriver can also be used. Do not use force to press the button- just enough pressure to make it click in is plenty.

Please note that there are a few requirements when you first get your Photon V2 Pro or install the Reef Nexus integration kit in your light. A smartphone powered by android or iOS (iPhone) is require. A 2.4Ghz home or business wifi network with a password is also required. The vast majority of home routers broadcast either 2.4GHz or both 5GHz and 2.4GHz. If you have a 5GHz network only, change your router settings or contact your internet service provider (ISP) to enable the 2.4GHz bandwidth. An internet connection is required to use these lights. If you do not have access to the internet, a mobile hotspot other than the phone you are setting your light up with will suffice for setup. (ie at tradeshows or in remote areas).