GroTech Photon Plus

[reef / aholic]

Does any body know of a US distributor for this product GroTech Photon Plus light fixture? I saw that Scott over at captiveoceans.com is but the online store is not open and I have sent a few emails with no response as of yet.

[steve the plumb]

those are very nice but very expensive.

[Fliger]

Contact Scott at Aquarium Specialty. Great light.

[Dwarf Seahorses]

Grotech makes some top notch fixtures, comparable to Sfiligoi IMHO.

Captive Oceans won't be available for a while (they've been down months now since they've moved their warehouse out West). I don't know who else to try unfortunately.

[sdorsky]

Gary at Zeovitusa is the importer I believe.

[Fliger]

Having owned both Grotech AND Sfiligoi, they are not in the same ballpark. The metal work/finish work on the Grotech is superior. I'd put Grotech, Elos, Giesemann in the same category available here, and Sfiligoi second - probably grouped with Aquamedic. I have owned all five brands.

[Dwarf Seahorses]

Why would you put Sfiligoi in with Aqua-Medic? I've never heard any Sfiligoi owners say they were unhappy.

[oct2274]

from the picture it doesn't look like it has individual reflectors for the t5 is that true?

[Fliger]

OK, the German line of Aquamedics. I had the Sunlight NG shipped from Germany - it was superior to most of the cheap ones sold here that I believe are made in Asia. The fit & finish of the Sfiligoi isn't as polished as the other units I've owned. The wiring, the screws, the way the overall fixture was assembled. The customer service lacked as well. The Stealths might be nicer though.

oct - I'm not aware of any pendants that use individual reflectors - maybe the Aquaactinics but I'm not sure. Definitely no European fixtures. Its probably more due to space and ease of assembly. But the reflectors are very close to the tubes and direct all the lighting, and conformed to maximize the lighting. At least in the Giesemann, Aquamedic Sunlight NG, Photon, Sfiligoi and Elos P2. They have been using T5 overseas for a long time now. My Photon is over my 210 and its sitting right next to a temporary tank using individual SLS reflectors and it works just as well. Just imagine all the SLS reflectors fused together at the end - just like a Maristar or Tek Light. The only downside is you can't angle them, but with 4-6 T5 tubes, you really don't need to.

[jpa14]

Fliger,
do you have any pic's of your light over your tank and whats the length of the light and your tank. im looking for good lighting for my 220 and was looking at sfiliogi.

thanks

[reef / aholic]

Fliger - I sent Scott an email on the GroTech Photon Plus 2 x 400w with 6 x 80w. Is the Photon line comparable in price to the Sfiligoi line?

[Fliger]

Hey jpa - I have some pix of the Sfiligoi in my badly needing updated build thread (little red house). You can also see the saga of my Infinity there. It lasted a long time and took a few pages on the build thread. I do have pix with the Photon that need downloading - I'll get to it soon! I really, really, really need to update that thread.

My tank is 64x32x24 and the 48" Photon is PERFECT. If your tank is 6 feet you might consider a 5' or 6' fixture. The Sfiligoi Infinity isn't a bad fixture, I just wouldn't put it in the category of the others mentioned. I thought I saw some for sale on the AO forum.

Sorry for the hijack.

[jpa14]

thanks.... yea i need atleast 5'

[Fliger]

RoBolton - Oh damn, that sounds nice if they can get a 5' fixture! Not sure of your dimensions, my tank is 64" long and my 4' fixture covers it just fine. If you compare 4' fixtures though - they're pretty similar. I think the XR6 is close to $3K. But those only have four T5's. I have no idea how much the Stealths are, or if Sfiligoi makes 5' fixtures.

But I'm curious, I just saw a new size Elos tank that is 6' 8" so I might look for a 5' fixture. LMK what you find out!

[jpa14]

AO is building my tank 72*24*30high 3sided starphire(i like a high tank) i was thinking of the 12*80 watt t5 set-up but can't find anyone who is using one. i have never run MH.

[reef / aholic]

Fliger - 60" x 36" x 24". What kind of beer do you like Micro or Belgian?

jpa14 -I do not know of any body using a Sfiligoi Stealth!!!

[Graf-X]

Fliger,

Do you have any additional pics of the top or side of the light... trying to get a feel for the aesthetics of the light when up. The tank I am designing is 64 x 32w x 25h and this looks like it may be the ticket.

[flyingphish]

i bet mommy is still sitting in that corner...

[wayne in norway]

You can't get equivalent quality US made fixtures? - all these lights are going to be horribly expensive with the dollar rate.... and at the end of the day they are a ballast, bulb and reflectors in a fancy wrapping and possibly with some fancy electronics.

I've seen the grotech and it looks nice enough but nothing mind blowing. Ditto the Elos. The sfiligoi's I've seen had nice electronics but not so good build quality, and a nasty price. FWIW I have a Bresslein and an AM and they are both OK, but they are basic fixtures

[Flint&Eric]

Originally posted by wayne in norway
You can't get equivalent quality US made fixtures? - all these lights are going to be horribly expensive with the dollar rate.... and at the end of the day they are a ballast, bulb and reflectors in a fancy wrapping and possibly with some fancy electronics.

unfortunately, no we dont have any nice US fixtures. almost all of them are terribly bulky and poorly designed.

[reef / aholic]

Received an email from Thomas Gross/Managing Director at GroTech Aquarientechnik GmbH, that the GroTech Photon Plus has been discontinued!!!