TEMPEST
EFFECTIVE PHOTOPERIOD SOLUTION FOR SALMON AQUACULTURE
With over 16 years of experience in lighting engineering and 10 years dedicated exclusively to developing solutions for aquaculture, EVOLUX has created the underwater photoperiod luminaire with the highest measured performance in the industry.
TEMPEST is present in farming sites in Chile, Norway, and Canada — three of the most demanding salmon markets in the world.
16 years in professional lighting · 10 years in aquaculture · 17 active clients · 3 markets
Photoperiod as a Production Variable
The modification of the natural photoperiod through the implementation of artificial light is one of the necessary interventions for optimizing intensive salmon farming. By artificially extending the day during winter months, the nocturnal melatonin signal from the pineal gland is minimized, inhibiting premature sexual maturation and maximizing fish growth throughout the production cycle.
The economic result is direct: shorter grow-out times, lower mortality associated with early maturation, and greater batch uniformity at harvest. However, the photobiological effect depends critically on three variables that most systems on the market do not correctly control: the light intensity on the fish's neuroendocrine system, the illumination spectrum, and the emission direction.
The Four Factors That Determine the Result
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The primary purpose of a photoperiod luminaire is to deliver the energy needed to correctly stimulate the neuroendocrine system. The installed electrical power is only the starting point — what determines the result is the actual irradiance the fish receives in the water column, considering the active spectrum, angular distribution, and spectral attenuation of the water. TEMPEST has been designed to maximize these variables, not the lumens or lux that appear in technical datasheets.
→ See Lux vs W/m² vs µmol vs DUP — how to measure correctly?
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The useful irradiance delivered throughout the entire cycle matters as much as peak intensity. A system with high power but frequent interruptions can perform worse than a more conservative one with full continuity. TEMPEST has completed 100% of its clients' production cycles without interruptions associated with the lighting system in over 10 years of operation.
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Maintenance visits to cages carry a significant operational cost — in vessels, personnel, and lost productive time. TEMPEST is designed to operate through full cycles without intervention: no cleaning thanks to the antifouling system and self-cleaning window, no electrical failures thanks to the thermal protection and DC safety architecture. Up to 20 months of continuous operation without maintenance.
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TEMPEST is designed to last more than 8 years in continuous operation. Each unit is manufactured and tested using 100% renewable energy from our own production at our Puerto Varas facilities. TEMPEST's optical and spectral efficiency allows, in many installations, to reduce the required installed power by up to 70% compared to competing solutions — with the same measured photobiological effect.
Light Direction Matters
An omnidirectional luminaire placed inside a cage emits energy in all directions: downward (cage bottom, ineffective), sideways and upward (toward the surface, energy lost as light pollution). Only a fraction of that energy optimally reaches the salmon's pineal gland and brain.
TEMPEST uses a directional optical distribution developed and validated at EVOLUX LAB with the VISO LabSpion goniophotometric system. The emission pattern concentrates the useful irradiance into the cage's water column, maximizing the energy that reaches the fish and minimizing losses.
We quantify this advantage with the DUP (Directed Useful Power) index — the only metric that simultaneously integrates the salmon's action spectrum, actual angular distribution, and spectral attenuation of seawater.
→ See interactive DUP comparator
Design Built to Last
TEMPEST is not just a water-resistant luminaire — it is a complete engineering system developed for the specific conditions of the southern Chilean sea and the farming sites in Norwegian fjords and Canadian coasts.
Self-cleaning window — no optical degradation throughout the cycle Antifouling on body — up to 20 months without cleaning Industrial sealing 8+ years — validated in hyperbaric chamber at 135m / IP69K Automatic thermal protection — shutdown by temperature out of water Thermal dissipation from the chip — ceramic substrate, controlled junction temperature Hydrodynamic design — stable in storms and high-energy sites Effective weight 1.7 kg underwater — no buoys, stable position without additional ropes Dielectric by ceramic construction — no internal galvanic corrosion Industrial DC protection — instant disconnection in case of submerged cable cut Fine control from 0.1% — compatible with TempestSmart, DALI, DMX, 0–10V, timer
Technical Specifications
| TEMPEST SW | TEMPEST FW | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 260W / 350W / 700W | 100W / 150W / 200W / 260W |
| Spectrum | Full spectrum + blue-green boost (peak ~470 nm) | Full spectrum + blue-green boost (peak ~470 nm) |
| Protection rating | IP69K / validated to 135 m (hyperbaric chamber 10 days) | IP69K / validated to 135 m (hyperbaric chamber 10 days) |
| Operating depth | Up to 80 m | Up to 80 m |
| Internal protection | Automatic thermal shutdown | Automatic thermal shutdown |
| Service life | 80,000 h (L70) | 80,000 h (L70) |
| Weight in air / water | 3.4 kg / 1.95 kg effective | 1.7 kg / 0.9 kg effective |
| Control | TempestSmart · DALI · DMX · 0–10V · Timer | TempestSmart · DALI · DMX · 0–10V · Timer |
| Cable | Marine PU — customizable length | Marine PU — customizable length |
| Warranty | 3 years | 3 years |
| Manufacturing | Puerto Varas, Chile | Puerto Varas, Chile |
SW: SaltWater · FW: FreshWater. Operating depth validated under seawater conditions. Warranty subject to installation and use conditions per EVOLUX policy.
→ Descargar TEMPEST SW Datasheet
→ Descargar TEMPEST FW Datasheet
Control de Fotoperíodo — TempestSmart
TempestSmart is the intelligent photoperiod control system developed by EVOLUX. It incorporates an underwater irradiance sensor that measures the actual light in the water column and automatically regulates the TEMPEST luminaires to ensure the correct photobiological threshold at all times. Programmable gradual cycles, complete irradiance and energy consumption history, and multi-protocol compatibility.
→ See TempestSmart
Satisfied Clients
More than a decade of operation with the world's leading salmon farming groups.
Chile · Norway · Canada
Over 10 Years Exceeding Expectations
100% of cycles completed without issues related to the lighting system.
Sites operating with TEMPEST report complete production cycles without interruptions attributable to the luminaire, with consistent photobiological results and significantly lower maintenance costs than with competing technology.
Contact and Representatives
Technical inquiries and international markets: tempest@evolux.cl
Exclusive Representative in Chile:
BIOMASA / MaqSur
SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS
