Reef Breeders Meridians

[BryanM]

The hate is strong, especially considering no functionality was removed.

 

[ReefinRheum]

This is beyond frustrating.

I have a meridian 63 and feels like I was a beta tester. Lied about the moonlight feature - it was never a real option without paying $200 to upgrade my 3 month old light. Acclimation and individual ballast control was sold as “coming soon.” Not coming soon if you pay to “fix” your new light and then a monthly subscription to use your light

Soon as I can I’ll be moving on from this. I really regret not going with the Straton flex.

 

[Zuluuz]

This is beyond frustrating.

I have a meridian 63 and feels like I was a beta tester. Lied about the moonlight feature - it was never a real option without paying $200 to upgrade my 3 month old light. Acclimation and individual ballast control was sold as “coming soon.” Not coming soon if you pay to “fix” your new light and then a monthly subscription to use your light

Soon as I can I’ll be moving on from this. I really regret not going with the Straton flex.

Literally same thing I’ve been thinking about the past 2 days. “dang I should’ve went with the stratons” lol

 

[VintageReefer]

The core app is more than functional, it’s smooth, well thought out, easy to use, and works well.

If you found some dire need to automate addition of a new coral you could literally just pay 10$ to unlock this feature for a month, and then let it expire and not renew. You don’t have to pay for it months you don’t need it. And you don’t have to pay for it at all because you could just make a few schedules at different intensities and change schedules each week. It takes 5 min to make a schedule and less than 1 min to switch.

I get it that people don’t like subscriptions, and I’m not a fan either. It is the norm a lot of companies are moving too. You have to decide for yourself if it’s is something you need. Everyone here has been running meridians without it, it’s your choice to buy the new features or not. Nothing is taken away, it’s just option offered if you want to unlock new things.

 

[js-3Design]

The core app is more than functional, it’s smooth, well thought out, easy to use, and works well.

If you found some dire need to automate addition of a new coral you could literally just pay 10$ to unlock this feature for a month, and then let it expire and not renew. You don’t have to pay for it months you don’t need it. And you don’t have to pay for it at all because you could just make a few schedules at different intensities and change schedules each week. It takes 5 min to make a schedule and less than 1 min to switch.

I get it that people don’t like subscriptions, and I’m not a fan either. It is the norm a lot of companies are moving too. You have to decide for yourself if it’s is something you need. Everyone here has been running meridians without it, it’s your choice to buy the new features or not. Nothing is taken away, it’s just option offered if you want to unlock new things.

It has literally nothing to do with that.
Great that there are no normal functions behind the paywall.
But,
If they don’t see a dent in sales and if enough people use the subscription more and more will be put behind a paywall.
Every company that uses subscriptions does this.
And more important,
If other companies see that a subscription model works for Reefbreeders they will follow.
And the only way to make sure you don’t pay 50 dollars a month on a bunch of subscriptions to keep your reeftank running in the future is to boycot every single company that decides to try subscriptions.

It’s not about what it is now, but what it’s going to be…

 

[BryanM]

It has literally nothing to do with that.
Great that there are no normal functions behind the paywall.
But,
If they don’t see a dent in sales and if enough people use the subscription more and more will be put behind a paywall.
Every company that uses subscriptions does this.
And more important,
If other companies see that a subscription model works for Reefbreeders they will follow.
And the only way to make sure you don’t pay 50 dollars a month on a bunch of subscriptions to keep your reeftank running in the future is to boycot every single company that decides to try subscriptions.

It’s not about what it is now, but what it’s going to be…

I do not believe this for a second. I've had nothing but good experiences with ReefBreeders. I had one led panel go out, they told me what to do to troubleshoot, shipped out replacement parts, have been very easy to talk to, and while I don't have a crystal ball I seriously doubt he'd move initial core features that were free behind a subscription.

Time will tell of course.

On the slightly negative side of things I will say that I don't see $199 of value for the few premium features they've released, but we'll see what else they come up with.

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

I do not believe this for a second. I've had nothing but good experiences with ReefBreeders. I had one led panel go out, they told me what to do to troubleshoot, shipped out replacement parts, have been very easy to talk to, and while I don't have a crystal ball I seriously doubt he'd move initial core features that were free behind a subscription.

Time will tell of course.

On the slightly negative side of things I will say that I don't see $199 of value for the few premium features they've released, but we'll see what else they come up with.

Thank you for the kind words!

Just to clarify, the lifetime option is not $199.99 per light. The $199.99 lifetime option covers up to 3 lights on your account and includes access to future Premium app feature releases.

So the breakdown is:

Up to 3 lights: $199.99 lifetime, about $66 per light
Up to 6 lights: $299.99 lifetime, about $50 per light
Up to 12 lights: $399.99 lifetime, about $33 per light

even at the highest lifetime tier, you are looking at about $66 per light to own Premium for life, and the cost per light drops quite a bit with the larger bundles. Since lifetime also includes future Premium features, it is designed to be the best long-term value for customers who plan to stay with the platform.

 

[Biff0rz]

The hate is strong, especially considering no functionality was removed.

That's half-sighted. Future functionality is paywalled, perpetually.



That being said...

BOO HISS!

I've been a ReefBreeders fanboy for YEARS. I have 4 photons over my current tank and this update disgusts me. I was planning to go with 4x meridians over my new 560 build. That's 100% not happening now.

Serious question for Logan, Liam, and ReefBreeders - do you remember your roots???

ReefBreeders set out to make high-quality reef lighting accessible at a reasonable price - giving hobbyists much of the performance and control of premium fixtures without the premium-brand cost.

Apparently you do not.

Good luck ReefBreeders!

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

That's half-sighted. Future functionality is paywalled, perpetually.



That being said...

BOO HISS!

I've been a ReefBreeders fanboy for YEARS. I have 4 photons over my current tank and this update disgusts me. I was planning to go with 4x meridians over my new 560 build. That's 100% not happening now.

Serious question for Logan, Liam, and ReefBreeders - do you remember your roots???

Apparently you do not.

Good luck ReefBreeders!

These features would not exist without Premium.

That is the main point. They are not features that were already going to be built for free and are now being put behind a paywall. Without Premium, or without raising the price of every light, we simply would not have these advanced features.

We chose Premium because it keeps the lights themselves priced as competitively as possible and lets each customer decide if the advanced app features are worth it for their system.

And when you break down the lifetime pricing, it is very reasonable per light.

Lifetime Premium breakdown:

Up to 3 lights: $199.99 total, about $66 per light
Up to 6 lights: $299.99 total, about $50 per light
Up to 12 lights: $399.99 total, about $33 per light

That is lifetime ownership, not a never-ending monthly fee. The larger the system, the lower the cost per light gets.

And if someone does not want Premium, that is completely fine. They can keep using the included core app features just like before. They are in the same position they would have been in if we had never built these advanced features at all.

Last week, these features did not exist for customers to use and I had heard no complaints about our app. Premium simply gives customers the option to access advanced features that would not exist on our app otherwise.

The real choice is not “free advanced features or paid advanced features.”

The choice is having no advanced features at all, or having an optional Premium side that makes those features possible without forcing the cost into every light.

 

[Biff0rz]

These features would not exist without Premium.

That is the main point. They are not features that were already going to be built for free and are now being put behind a paywall. Without Premium, or without raising the price of every light, we simply would not have these advanced features.

We chose Premium because it keeps the lights themselves priced as competitively as possible and lets each customer decide if the advanced app features are worth it for their system.

And when you break down the lifetime pricing, it is very reasonable per light.

Lifetime Premium breakdown:

Up to 3 lights: $199.99 total, about $66 per light
Up to 6 lights: $299.99 total, about $50 per light
Up to 12 lights: $399.99 total, about $33 per light

That is lifetime ownership, not a never-ending monthly fee. The larger the system, the lower the cost per light gets.

And if someone does not want Premium, that is completely fine. They can keep using the included core app features just like before. They are in the same position they would have been in if we had never built these advanced features at all.

Last week, these features did not exist for customers to use and I had heard no complaints about our app. Premium simply gives customers the option to access advanced features that would not exist on our app otherwise.

The real choice is not “free advanced features or paid advanced features.”

The choice is having no advanced features at all, or having an optional Premium side that makes those features possible without forcing the cost into every light.

Cool angle, but I think you’re missing the point.

If the added cost is truly that minimal, then spread it across new light sales and raise the fixture price slightly. If the per-light cost is really only $33-66 over the lifetime of the product, then customers should barely notice it built into the purchase price, and everyone benefits from a better app experience.

What's wrong here is not just the dollar amount. It is the decision to take features that many reefers would reasonably expect from a modern premium lighting system and turn them into a separate paid tier. A lot of what is being framed as 'premium' is not some luxury add-on in the reef lighting market. These are becoming standard expectations on competing lights.

That is why this feels like nickel-and-diming loyal customers rather than building long-term brand trust.

The argument that 'these features would not exist without Premium' may make sense internally, but from the customer side it comes across poorly. We already bought into the ecosystem. We already paid for the hardware. We already promoted the product. Now the better version of the app exists, but existing customers are being told they need to pay again to access functionality that should arguably be part of owning a high end reef light.

That changes how I view & trust the company.

This isn't about whether my lights still turn on tomorrow. It is about trust. It is about the direction of the company. It is about knowing that future improvements to the product I already bought may be carved up and resold to me later.

Out of principle, I cannot support that.

I have recommended these lights to people in the past because I believed in the value, the product, and the company behind it. But this decision makes me feel abused as a customer, and I no longer feel comfortable standing behind the brand.

So regardless of whether the current core functionality remains unchanged, I will not be purchasing additional lights, and I will not be promoting them going forward. Good luck!

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

Cool angle, but I think you’re missing the point.

If the added cost is truly that minimal, then spread it across new light sales and raise the fixture price slightly. If the per-light cost is really only $33-66 over the lifetime of the product, then customers should barely notice it built into the purchase price, and everyone benefits from a better app experience.

What's wrong here is not just the dollar amount. It is the decision to take features that many reefers would reasonably expect from a modern premium lighting system and turn them into a separate paid tier. A lot of what is being framed as 'premium' is not some luxury add-on in the reef lighting market. These are becoming standard expectations on competing lights.

That is why this feels like nickel-and-diming loyal customers rather than building long-term brand trust.

The argument that 'these features would not exist without Premium' may make sense internally, but from the customer side it comes across poorly. We already bought into the ecosystem. We already paid for the hardware. We already promoted the product. Now the better version of the app exists, but existing customers are being told they need to pay again to access functionality that should arguably be part of owning a high end reef light.

That changes how I view & trust the company.

This isn't about whether my lights still turn on tomorrow. It is about trust. It is about the direction of the company. It is about knowing that future improvements to the product I already bought may be carved up and resold to me later.

Out of principle, I cannot support that.

I have recommended these lights to people in the past because I believed in the value, the product, and the company behind it. But this decision makes me feel abused as a customer, and I no longer feel comfortable standing behind the brand.

So regardless of whether the current core functionality remains unchanged, I will not be purchasing additional lights, and I will not be promoting them going forward. Good luck!

I think the comparison to “we already paid for the hardware” only works if every future improvement is treated as something that must be included forever. That has never been realistic, and it has not been how ReefBreeders upgrades have worked in the past.

When someone buys a light, they are buying the light and the features included with it at that time. We stand behind that. We are not taking those features away, and we have continued to improve and support the platform over time.

But there is a difference between protecting what a customer already purchased and saying every future advanced upgrade should automatically be included forever at no additional cost.

A good example is the Photon. The original Photon came with a remote control. Later, when app control became available, customers who wanted that newer functionality could purchase the app upgrade board. That board is currently $175.

By the same logic being used here, those customers had already purchased a ReefBreeders light, so the app board should have been included for free. But that would not have been realistic. App control required development, hardware, testing, support, and manufacturing. It cost money to create, so customers who wanted that upgrade had the option to buy it.

Premium is the same basic principle.

The only difference is that this upgrade is software instead of a physical board. But software is not free. In this case, the software cost us more than the hardware. App developers are extremely expensive, and advanced app features require ongoing design, development, testing, maintenance, support, updates, cloud services, and compatibility work across Apple, Android, firmware, and future products.

So I do not think it makes sense to say a paid hardware upgrade is acceptable, but a paid software upgrade is somehow different. Both are new functionality. Both cost money to create. Both are optional.

We may not see eye to eye on this, but I do appreciate you sharing your perspective. I hope the explanation at least makes our reasoning clearer, even if you still disagree with the decision. Have a great night.

 

[hnguy]

I have over a decade in professional software development and if you thought I was going to come here and defend this…you thought wrong!

I almost can’t believe what I am reading. I know exactly what goes into app development and nothing about a lighting schedule app warrants a subscription.

Don’t be gaslit

 

[tharbin]

Since this thread is currently very active, I have a general question.

Is there some place that upgrade/conversion parts and prices are announced? I know that not too long after the Meridian 14K version was introduced there was talk of conversion boards for original version lights and I think the price of $50.00 or so per light panel was tossed around. Then there is the conversion to the newer style moonlight boards but I don't remember any idea of a price and I see there must be a conversion board to add BlueTooth since it was being offered to some UK customers.

I have no idea what I will do going forward but I do like the lights I have. So I may never purchase the parts required to bring my lights up to current specs but I would still like to consider a few of these conversions. I feel there is someplace I should be checking to find out about these parts that I am not aware of.

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

I have over a decade in professional software development and if you thought I was going to come here and defend this…you thought wrong!

I almost can’t believe what I am reading. I know exactly what goes into app development and nothing about a lighting schedule app warrants a subscription.

Don’t be gaslit

Premium is not a subscription service.

Subscription-style billing is one option for people who want to pay monthly or annually, but Premium also has a lifetime ownership option. You can buy it once and own it for life.

So the question becomes: would it be better if we removed the monthly and annual options and made Premium lifetime-only?

I do not think that would be better for customers. Some people may want to try Premium first before buying lifetime access. Some people may prefer monthly. Some may prefer annual. Some may want to buy it once and be done forever.

Giving customers more choices is better than forcing everyone into one payment structure.

Also, calling Premium a basic lighting schedule app is not accurate.

The core scheduling and control features are still included with the light. Premium is for more advanced tools.

As of right now, Premium can connect to U.S. government weather data online and replicate what the sun is doing in real time, including sunrise and sunset behavior. When you combine that with the offset location feature, you can set your location anywhere in the world.


Then, when paired with our moonlight mode, which is already included with the light for free, the system can intelligently replicate sun and moon behavior anywhere in the world. That is very different from setting a basic lighting schedule.

You may still disagree with Premium, and that is fine. But it is not accurate to call it a subscription service, and it is not accurate to reduce it to basic scheduling.

At this point, I think I’ve explained the reasoning behind the decision as clearly as I possibly can, so I’m going to leave it there. I appreciate the conversation, and I hope you have a good evening.

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

Since this thread is currently very active, I have a general question.

Is there some place that upgrade/conversion parts and prices are announced? I know that not too long after the Meridian 14K version was introduced there was talk of conversion boards for original version lights and I think the price of $50.00 or so per light panel was tossed around. Then there is the conversion to the newer style moonlight boards but I don't remember any idea of a price and I see there must be a conversion board to add BlueTooth since it was being offered to some UK customers.

I have no idea what I will do going forward but I do like the lights I have. So I may never purchase the parts required to bring my lights up to current specs but I would still like to consider a few of these conversions. I feel there is someplace I should be checking to find out about these parts that I am not aware of.

For now if you just reach out to our customer service portal we can help you out with that.

 

[tharbin]

For now if you just reach out to our customer service portal we can help you out with that.

Thanks

 

[VintageReefer]

Some new features are being given out for free to everyone, new units are getting hardware upgraded to include Bluetooth with no cost increase, and some new features have a cost, which can be monthly or a one time fee for life, for all new features coming down the line also.

 

[reefer10]

So I lost my tank profiles and cannot access edits to programs on the different tanks. How do I update the app.?

 

[Bitflip]

I would need to spend 360 CAD to get my Meridian 45 to dim as it should have from day 0. Now I would need to spend 328 CAD to get acclimation mode. On a 3200 CAD light.

The people at reef breeders are nice and friendly but I don't think that's how you attract new customers. The light is good and not blinding, compete with software, as your is behind the competition. Look at the Straton, they even calculate PAR via software for your tank/light combo.

 

[tedstalcup]

It’s very disappointing. My meridian 35 plus dual edge bars cost $2270 if you bought it today. The advertising has said acclimation was a feature for over a year. Now it’s $199 to add something that never said “coming soon for added cost.” The moonlight feature works but reefbreeders wants $300 to replace the puck drivers to allow sub 1% dimming. $500 to get features the advertising said I was getting a year ago doesn’t make me happy. Incidentally the BOT mounts are $79 each and I had to have TAP plastics fabricate shims for the second set so they wouldn’t slump then snap like the first $159 set. I could have done ecotech radions or Straton-X panels for -less- and they have acclimation and day/night scheduling at that price.