Successful results from photoperiod with LED bulbs
The local salmon producing company Trusal has a lot of experience with photoperiod in Coho salmon using metal halide bulbs. Through a project partially financed by the Chilean Economic Development Agency (Corfo), the company has performed trials using LED bulbs in the fattening stage of two different farming sites.
According to Daniel Suárez, veterinarian of the company, the company has used LED bulbs starting with fish of 1,000 grams during the hours of darkness in these trials. Therefore, fish were under a 24-hour light regime. He also commented that savings -just from electricity, have represented around US$ 8,000 per lifecycle in each farming site (metal halide bulbs use around 400 watts while LED lights close to 32 watts).
Meanwhile, Ximena Navarro, general manager of Bioled, supplier company of LED bulbs, explained that this technology uses just one part of the color range: 500nm (green). Consequently, these bulbs use less electricity and do not generate heat in the water or damage to the fish eyes (e.g. Cataracts).
Finally, Andrés Castillo, representative of Trusal, revealed several benefits they have observed from trials comparing this technology against control cages with metal halide bulbs. Among other benefits, Castillo observed improvements in feeding, growth and mortality rates, as well as higher average harvest weight and less early sexual maturity. Besides, he revealed that fish from several of those cages were harvested 1 and even 2 months in advance compared to control cages.
