The Solar 1000 series of dimmers are microprocessor based controllers designed to simulate all the important solar and lunar events. Advanced models include wavemaker and measurement and control functionality. Solar dimmers are designed to be used in conjunction with IceCap VHO electronic ballasts to dim VHO lamps. They will not dim metal halide or compact fluorescent lamps.

All dimmers are approved by IceCap for use with all their ballasts. Solar dimmers were approved well over a year before any other system.

Dimmable Combinations

*Ballast may require dimmer modification. Contact IceCap first.

Solar Simulations

Dawn and dusk provide marine organisms time to adjust to the changes in the suns intensity. Actinic bulbs have been used to simulate dawn and dusk in the aquarium, coming on an hour before the main lights and staying on an hour after the main lights go out. The human eye does not perceive blue light very well so the actinics appear dim to us. On the other hand, coral and fish see the blue light quite differently. Blue is the color they have adapted to as it penetrates furthest into the ocean depths. To a marine organism, the actinics are actually a very bright light. This sudden transition from darkness to light can create an unnatural and stressful environment.
A more natural approach would be to have light increase and decrease gradually throughout the day. The Solar 1000 family of products allow you to dim from as little as one lux in the morning to the maximum output of your bulbs during the middle of the day. You no longer need to worry about whether you are applying the correct spectrum and/or intensity to properly simulate dawn or dusk. The Solar 1000 will accurately control the light intensity as it brightens and dims your lights.
Natural sunlight does not suddenly turn on in the morning, keep the same intensity throughout the day and then turn off at night. The intensity varies throughout the day as the sun passes overhead. Less light is reflected off the waters surface and therefore penetrates further into the ocean. The Solar 1000 lets you duplicate this natural phenomena in your aquarium.

Dim lamps throughout the day for a natural intensity curve

Set the maximum lamp intensity less than 100%

Lunar Simulations

Studies have shown that many coral spawn in synchronism with the lunar cycle. Removal of this stimulus has been shown to cause a dramatic decline in coral reproduction within two to three lunar cycles.
The Solar 1000 allows you to simulate the lunar cycle with preprogrammed lunar cycles for the next 100 years! The figure below illustrates the operation of the Solar 1000's lunar cycle. The lunar simulation is astronomically correct.

Seasonal Changes

When simulating the photoperiod anywhere but at the equator, the length of day changes with the seasons. Even at the Equator the length of peak light intensity changes. The Solar 1000 allows you to recreate these seasonal changes anywhere on earth. Merely program in the photoperiod for the longest (Summer Solstice) and shortest (Winter Solstice) day of the year and the Solar 1000 will calculate the other 363 days and change the length of day, day by day, throughout the year. Your aquarium will experience the same gradual changes in the photoperiod that would occur in nature.

 


Weather Simulation

The Storm Center allows the Solar 1000 to create weather through cloud and wave simulations. There are several programmable levels of activity that determine the frequency of stormy days and the intensity of the wave action during those periods. The weather simulation allows the user to duplicate typical weather patterns seen in the tropics.
A seasons option creates weather patterns that change with the time of year. Peak storm activity occurs around the normal stormy August / September time frame.
 

Wavemaker

The Solar 1000 wavemaker simulates realistic wave action. It does not take more than a few minutes at a beach to notice that wave action increases and decreases over a short period on time. Ask any surfer and they will tell you that they wait for the set of large waves that invariable come in sets of three. Keeping this in mind, the Solar wavemaker emulates this very phenomena by having the wave action vary in intensity to duplicate the "wave sets". The Solar 1000 wavemaker experiences a period of low wave action then builds to the set of three large waves, and then subsides back to the original level.
Eight Ports - X10 based wavemaker allows for an unlimited number of pumps and configurations
Night Mode - allows you to set the aquarium into a quieter nighttime wave action.
Lunar Mode - simulates the strengthening of the tides found around the full moon.
Storm Cycle - wave action increases on "stormy days" with the increase proportional to the weather found in the forecast.
Feed Mode - allows you to shut down the wavemakers and possibly the main pump if there is a concern that the food will be swept away and sucked into a filter
 

Temperature, pH and ORP

Temperature, pH and ORP can all be measured and Temperature and pH can be controlled from the Solar 1000. Temperature control includes a feature which will adjust the temperature slowly with the change of seasons. Heaters, Chillers, CO2 and Dosers are controlled with X10 modules for easy interfacing.
Calibration is accomplished from the front panel with no screw adjustments required.
 

• Incandescent Lights only
• Dimming Range: 0 - 100%
• Total Wattage: 150 watts
• Cannot be used with LED moonlights
   

IceCap Ports

• Ballasts: IceCap 660 (modified for a dimmer)
• Dimming Range: 0 - 100%
   

Temperature Port

• Range: 50F to 100F
• Resolution: 0.2F
   

pH Port

• Range 3pH to 12pH
• *Resolution: 0.05pH
   

ORP Port

• Range: 0 to 550mv
• Resolution: 1mv
   

Safety

• Circuitry designed to UL specifications
• Setup and control from a water resistant front panel membrane keypad
• All hazardous voltages are optically isolated from the user

Other Features

• Battery backup for 10 years
• Easy Menu Driven interface (no programming required)

Select which model is right for you: