Back in March last year we found a slick-looking aquascaping light called the Skylight Hyperspot and remarked that we would love to see a reef version. 18 months later, the reef spec Skylight Hyperspot R is now available so we were keen to review its looks and specifications.
Like the freshwater Hyperspot, Hyperspot R is a rectangular light fixture coming in three lengths of 14”, 26” and 35.5”. The S, M, and L models are populated with either 4, 6, or 8 LED matrices mounted on the edges and corners of the units, their output is then further enhanced by 60-degree reflectors to offer punch and shimmer.
The freshwater version uses 12-watt clusters made up of 6000-9000K diodes, whereas the reef version has been beefed up with 20-watt clusters of 15000-90000K diodes, but this time, with a profiled undersurface, not flat and reflective like the freshwater model – the major USP for us.
Whether the issue is heat management, wire management, the salty atmosphere above a reef versus freshwater, or the fact that the Polish manufacturer simply wanted a different, more conventional reef light look for the Hyperspot R is unclear. The units are still thin and desirable, but they lack the initial wow factor that we got from seeing the freshwater Hyperspot and its reflections of the aquascape below.
Is the new recess to take an additional striplight? They do produce the rectangular, recess-shaped Skylight AQIR Fluo, and if so that could make things very interesting. If not, it is perhaps a missed opportunity for increased spectrum and spread.
Passive cooling
The Hyperspot R is passively cooled, so no fan noise or maintenance, and with a Wi-Fi controllable spectrum. It can be hung above the tank or mounted on side legs, and the manufacturer’s graphics show a PAR reading of up to 350 on all models.
One problem with LED spotlights and reflectors is the shadow produced by single-point source lighting. Skylight seems to have overcome this by having between four and eight point-sources per unit, spreading the spots out to the very edges of the units and spacing them widely apart. By doing this, hopefully a coral will receive light on all sides versus just above, left or right, and shadowing everything behind it.
We could only find pricing for the Hyperspot R on a website in New Zealand, and those translated to about $490-$829 for the three sizes. Supplied from Poland, international pricing may vary. We look forward to seeing the effect of 4-8 point source lights over a single reef aquarium, and the coral’s response to being powered by these units too.
