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    It’s more than light,
    because it’s

    more than an aquarium

    Philips CoralCare LED fixture

     

    The unique features of CoralCare Gen2 are:
     

    • Wide spectral range - For excellent coral growth, and natural reef appearance.
    • Perfect light balance - Unique homogeneous light distribution and color mixing solution. Our innovative design features 68 carefully positioned LEDs to mimic the optical effect of sunlight.
    • Easy to control - Control your CoralCare easily and wirelessly, with control over two distinct lighting channels, and preprogrammed schedules.
    • Quality & reliability - The new, slimmer design is energy efficient, has passive cooling and a long lifespan.

    The impact of light on coral growth


    Quoted from report of Tim Wijgerde: “Proper lighting is one of the key aspects when maintaining a marine aquarium with corals and reef fishes.


    First, light is essential to the growth of reef-building corals. These corals are host to symbiotic dinoflagellates known as zooxanthellae, which use light energy for photosynthesis, a biochemical process in which carbon dioxide (CO2) is converted to organic compounds such as glycerol, carbohydrates, fatty acids and amino acids. These compounds are in part translocated to the tissues of the host coral, which uses these for growth and metabolism (Muscatine et al. 1981; Muscatine 1990; 
    Furla et al. 2005).

     

    When regarding light for aquaria, three factors are important; light intensity (irradiance), spectral distribution and light distribution.

     

    In terms of spectrum, sufficient blue radiation is required to evoke healthy zooxanthellae and coral growth, and chlorophyll synthesis (Kinzie et al. 1984, 1987; Wang et al. 2008; Wijgerde et al. 2014).

     

    In addition, to properly visualise the colours of all aquarium life, all wavelengths must be present in a given spectrum. This means that the “ideal” light spectrum for the average marine aquarium is continuous, with a blue peak to create a natural effect. This is comparable to a seawater depth of approximately 10 meters, where all colours are still found, but with decreased presence of red and orange. This is due to the fact that seawater selectively attenuates sunlight, with light of longer wavelengths being filtered more effectively (Mass et al. 2010)”.

     

    As well as ensuring these primary spectral requirements, Philips Lighting has opted to improve the spectral content in order to deliver even better color rendering, maximized photosynthetically active radiation for the corals and enhanced phosphorus reflectivity.

    CoralCare LED engine


    The CoralCare LED engine is designed to create an ideal balance between coral growth and natural reef appearance. The design is based on various publications, our own knowledge of lighting design and scientific studies carried out with the University of Wageningen and Coral Publications.

     

    Philips expertise, extensive user tests and spectrum simulation tools were used to find this balance between appearance (reefers’ color perception) and growth (ensuring coral health and good colorization).

     

    The first CoralCare generation was welcomed by the reefing community and proved to be supplying the correct light for healthy coral growth. In 2018, based on user feedback, the spectrum was refined to highlight the fluorescence of the corals when bluish color tones are selected. With the second generation, the spectrum is again refined resulting in an ideal balance of growth, natural reef appearance and natural light patterns, including fluorescence during evening settings.

    CoralCare Gen2 spectrum

    CoralCare Gen2 spectrum
    CoralCare Gen2 – white channel

    CoralCare Gen2 – white channel
    CoralCare Gen2 – blue channel

    CoralCare Gen2 – blue channel

    By smartly splitting the formula into two independently controllable channels, it is possible for the end-user to adapt the color point without having to worry about setting incorrect spectral content. Our studies have shown that certain spectral settings negatively influence coral growth and could potentially lead to coral mortality.

    Wide spectrum of blue light


    Many corals contain fluorescent chromo proteins and emit vivid colors if the correct light is applied. Most coral phosphors react to wavelengths of between 400 and 500 nm and emit wavelengths in a more visible area for our eyes (500-700 nm). The CoralCare light formula uses a large variety of blue LEDs in the range between 415-490nm to ensure a good fluorescence of corals during evening settings.
    Fluorescence of corals
    Fluorescence of corals

    The CoralCare Gen2 makes use of the following LEDs, divided over 2 channels:
    Channel 1
    Channel 2
    4x Luxeon C PC-Amber
    12x Luxeon C Blue 470nm
    4x Luxeon C Cyan 490nm
    6x Luxeon UV U1 415nm
    20x Luxeon V2 6500k
    16x Luxeon C Royal Blue 450nm
    6x Luxeon C Royal Blue 450nm
    CoralCare Gen2 LED placement

    Fig.1 CoralCare Gen2 LED placement – including glass plate and light guide

    CoralCare LED spread analysis

    The CoralCare LED fixture uses 68 high-power LEDs and 6 different wavelengths. Due to the combination of 6 LED types, the typical flux and color point spread of the LED’s could affect lamp-to-lamp color and performance consistency. A detailed spread analysis was carried out to define the corner points and the potential need for LED binning. For the CoralCare Gen2 LED engine, a custom LED selection scheme directly performed after LED manufacturing (waver-die selection) guarantees that the lamp-to-lamp color consistency stays within 6 SDCM (a standardized color deviation parameter). This enables the use of a wider spread of color wavelengths while ensuring that the total color point difference is indiscernible to the human eye.