The VervVe LED module is one of the latest LED lights to hit the market, and we were able to recently get a few for testing. The very first thing you notice after pulling this light out of the box is how heavy it is. Normally you might think that is a bad thing, however in this case it's clear that the entire body is a heatsink that amplifies cooling and results in happier and more efficient LEDs. A quiet fan mounted in the top of the housing further enhances the cooling ability of this fixture in tandem with a smart temperature management system that can adjust the fan speed in relation to the temperature of the LED boards.

The housing itself is made out of an aluminum and magnesium alloy, and finished in a tough and very sharp looking iridium powder coat all while remaining low profile. I think that it's pretty evident that Giesemann put some work into the design of this fixture to make sure it remains pleasing to the eye, but also not detract anything from your reef tank as a whole.

There are two models on the market currently; the VervVe One, and the VervVe Plus. The main difference being that the VervVe Plus features Bluetooth controllability from the soon to be released app for PC, MAC, iOS, and Android which eliminates the need for wires, adapters, or often complicated and confusing WIFI router setups, and enables the ability for up to 99 VervVe Plus fixtures to be connected in Master Slave configuration.

One of my favorite features from either of these models however is that both have an on-board interface with a nicely back-lit LCD screen on the side of the fixture paired with a slick little joystick that allows you to navigate the menu, cycle through the light's many preset light curves, enable weather effects like lightning, clouds, and lunar cycles, and program the light to suit your tank's taste as well as your own. If you have larger fingers, the joystick can be a bit tricky to use at first but I was able to get the hang of it after a few minutes of using it.

When initially setting up the light I found the light curve presets to be particularly helpful. The light ships with two daylight cycles dubbed Reef One and Two, an acclimation mode to help accustom your tank and it's inhabitants to the VervVe, Lagoon for a shallow reef tank, Deep Blue for a deep reef look, and even a fish mode for the folks that are running fish only setups. All these presets can be tweaked to further mesh with your tank and your preferences.

The two LED clusters on the fixture are chock full of 7 different colors of LEDs on 6 separately programmable channels with Cool White, Deep Blue, Blue, Royal Blue, Deep Red, Warm White, and UV for a grand total of 56 LEDs per fixture and a wider band in the blue spectrum all at a price that is comparable or even less than other fixtures on the market. A glass splash shield keeps the LEDs safe from the errant saltwater splash from the occasional hungry fish or jumper.

Installing the light over the tank is pretty similar to a lot of other fixtures on the market, and that is simply because this method works well. There's a channel on top of the light that holds some mounting nuts, and the wire cable hanging kit screws into those allowing the light to be suspended above the tank. I've also heard a rumor that there is an Aquarium Mounting Arm from Giesemann in development to be released in the next few months.

If you have any questions about the Vervve, be sure to let us know by giving us a call at 763.432.9691, or shooting us an email at support@bulkreefsupply.com