AI Hydra® Edge 44HD — Smart Reef LED

Hydra Edge 44HD

$562.49

AI Hydra® Edge 44HD — Smart Reef LED

$562.49

The Hydra® Edge 44HD brings AquaIllumination's next-generation optical architecture to a mid-size reef fixture. EdgeField™ Optics produce a 100° spread with significantly more homogeneous color mixing than standard lens arrays — eliminating the "disco effect" stripes visible under traditional LED clusters — while Solar Blue spectrum drives chlorophyll a and c absorption in coral zooxanthellae at peak efficiency wavelengths (420–480nm).

Coral Compatibility & PAR Reference

PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation, µmol photons/m²/s) measures light intensity usable by coral zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium spp.) for photosynthesis. EdgeField™ Optics on the 44HD produce a 100° spread that delivers more uniform PAR distribution edge-to-edge across the tank — meaning corals at the perimeter receive closer to the same intensity as corals directly beneath the fixture.

Coral Type	Target PAR (µmol/m²/s)	Edge 44HD Intensity
Soft corals (mushrooms, zoanthids, leathers)	25–75	30–50%
LPS (hammer, torch, frogspawn, brain corals)	50–200	40–70%
Mixed reef (LPS + moderate SPS)	100–300	60–85%
SPS-dominant (acropora, montipora, stylophora)	200–450	80–100%

Peak PAR: 125 µmol at center, 60–125 µmol across a 24" spread. EdgeField™ optics distribute light more uniformly than standard lenses — edge-of-tank PAR is closer to center PAR than conventional reef LEDs. Always verify at coral placement depth with a PAR meter.

Photoacclimation Protocol

Coral zooxanthellae cannot rapidly regulate their density in response to abrupt PAR increases — the result is photoinhibition, visually presenting as bleaching from colony tips downward. When commissioning a new fixture or introducing new corals:

Weeks 1–2: 30–40% of target schedule
Weeks 3–4: Step up to 55–65%
Weeks 5–6: Step up to 75–85%
Week 7+: Full target intensity

Too much light: pale/white coloration beginning at tips or upper colonies, tissue recession. Too little: brown coloration, polyp elongation toward the fixture.

Key Features

EdgeField™ Optics — 100° wide-angle spread with superior color mixing and uniform PAR distribution
Solar Blue Spectrum — optimized for 420–480nm chlorophyll absorption in coral zooxanthellae
Solar Ring shimmer control for wave-like shimmer effects
Full Mobius® app control (iOS & Android)
Neptune Apex / Fusion compatible
PAR: 125 µmol peak / 60–125 across a 24" spread