Aquarium lighting system

摘要

A control system for an aquarium lighting system in which motor drivers alter over time the relative inclination of a light source with respect to an ornamental feature (18) within the aquarium. The effect is that light intensity (92, 94) falling incident on an ornamental feature more accurately simulates natural light impinging on a natural environment from day and seasonal movements of the sun. In addition to the relative change in inclination, power settings for the light source can be adjusted to further mimic the effects experienced with daily variations of climate and/or weather. The system effectively changes the angle of incidence of light and outwardly facing areas of ornamental features or areas beneath overhangs receive programmable levels of illumination that would otherwise not be possible with an overhead, single fixed-position light source.

主权项

1. An aquarium lighting system coupled to an aquarium containing at least one of corals, living plants and algae, the aquarium lighting system comprising:
a frame mounted on the aquarium; at least one light source within a housing mounted on the frame, the light source projecting, in use, a controllable light pattern; an electrical drive unit coupled to the at least one light source, the electrical drive unit configured to moderate projection of the controllable light pattern by at least controlling a change in orientation of the at least one light source in its housing through selective variation of at least one of pan and tilt; and a programmable controller coupled to at least one electrical drive unit, the programmable controller configured to regulate operation of the aquarium lighting system over the course of a day by controlling the at least one electrical drive unit to alter and change the controllable light pattern into the aquarium projected by said at least one light source over the course of the day such that light power intensity in the incident projected light pattern is controlled to influence a rate of growth of the at least one of the corals, the living plants and the algae; and wherein the system comprises a plurality of individually controllable light sources each coupled to the frame, each of said plurality of individually controllable light source coupled to an associated electrical drive unit operationally responsive to the programmable controller, the programmable controller configured to orchestrate individual movement of the plurality of individually controllable light sources to after over time a composite projected light pattern produced by superposition of individual controllable light patterns projected from each of said plurality of individually controllable light sources.