Thanks to Reefline that provided us the ceiling light, we did our tests on the new Aquaillumination Hydra 32 HD in the DaniReef Lab, analyzing the PAR and creating the relative distribution curves. Let’s see what we found.
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The Hydra 32 HD is a new ceiling light just came out on the market. It’s the sister of the older Hydra 26 HD very appreciated and very well sold during the past years. Used in various types of aquariums, from nanoreefs to big tanks coupled to others. So we had to have it in our hands and do our tests.
Technical characteristics of the Aquaillumination Hydra 32
The LED are in 7 different colorations and are divided in 7 channels, plus a couple of LED for the moonlight simulation. So in total we have a couple of cluster of 14 LED plus the 2 moonlight LED.
The LED are divided in this way:
- 2 UV LED;
- 2 purple LED;
- 8 royal blue LED;
- 8 blue LED;
- 2 green LED;
- 2 deep red LED;
- 8 warm white LED;
- 2 moonlight LED.
The other declared characteristics are:
- Power: 90 w
- Dimensions: 13,7×18,5×3,6(h) cm
- Selling price: 429,90 euro vat included
Construction
The ceiling light is constructively flawless. It hasn’t any crunches and the aluminium of the heatsink is very well done. The power button now it’s under the ceiling light and easy to reach. The software is intuitive, simple and powerful and it connects by Bluetooth.
The Programming
The ceiling light can be controlled by an app, Mobius, for Apple or Android and used by Bluetooth. Based on my experience, I prefer this solution rather than WiFi, because you have less problems about configuration and connection. In fact, the software is powerful and direct. Once launched the app you will asked to activate the Bluetooth, then you can reach the ceiling light. In a few minutes everything will be at your fingertips. The ceiling light can be configured for 7 channels, plus the moonlight.
Here above there’s the menu for programming the Hydra 32 (as it appears on iPhone), where you can set the various intensities at every hour we want. Obviously it’s possible to set the ceiling light even manually to do a few tests and play, as we did.
Notice that the app will show you the absorbed power, and then you can see the resulting light spectrum. One of the best features of the HD series from AquaIllumination is that it can go over the 100% of each channel, when the other channels are unused.
AI creates a spectrum that should be perfect for their plans and it also adds a power supply designed for those spectrum and power. Inside that power it’s possible to balance the channels incresing one part and decreasing the other. A feature that I like very much.
Know there’s no delay between registration of command on the smartphone and modification of parameters of ceiling light in real time. Super fast.
Channel 1: UV
Channel 2: Purple
Channel 3: Royal Blue
Channel 4: Blue
Channel 5: Green
Channel 6: Deep Red
Channel 7: Moonlight
Channel 8: Warm White
The consumption values are practically identical to the measurement one, moonlight apart.
All the values we measured and our working method DaniReef LAB on page two.
