Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems Assembly Manual Colle Davis, All rights reserved Utility Patent Application Filed December 24, 2013.

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1 Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems Assembly Manual 2008-2015 Colle Davis, All rights reserved Utility Patent Application Filed December 24, 2013.

1 1 Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems Assembly Manual Colle Davis, All rights reserved Utility Patent Application Filed December 24, Section E Materials for Your Portable Farms Aquaponics System Module Photos 1: Building the Grow Tables for Portable Farms The materials needed to assemble your PFAS, with the exception of those in the Portable Farms Kit are available at most home centers throughout the world. This is the list of components in the PFAS Kit. 1. The CAD Pump (the technological heart of the system) 2. Automatic Trip Valve - ATV 3. Large Air pump to make the magic of Portable Farms work and keep the fish healthy 4. Smaller air pump to keep the water heavily oxygenated 5. Two air stones 6. Air tubing used to connect components 7. Electrical control panel to keep the system operating at all times 8. FF Mineral Rock Dust and FF Organic Worm Castings to ensure the health of the plants and the fish as well as providing trace elements for growing blooming plants (These two items are not included in Portable Farms Kits shipped out of the US due to customs complexities for both exporting and importing.) 9. Materials List of everything you'll need for building the Module 10. Included, as part of the Portable Farms Kit, is a Technology License which is

We have had to modify that slightly because not everywhere has the same-sized fittings and some dimensions are different in different countries in the world.

2 2 similar to a software license; you have the right to use the technology for the number of modules you have purchased. The original idea behind the building of the Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems Modules was to have as much of the materials as possible available to anyone, anywhere in the world. We have had to modify that slightly because not everywhere has the same-sized fittings and some dimensions are different in different countries in the world. The number of man-hours required to complete a Portable Farms installation are listed below and these hours DO NOT INCLUDE installing or building the enclosure (greenhouse) building time. The protected time (below) is based on a skilled worker with the proper tools and having an assistant available about 20% of the time that is available (mostly) to hold or lift items during the installation process per Module. The Grow Table requires approximately 6 hours to complete after the materials are procured Cleaning and loading the gravel in approximately 4 hours of very hard, wet and heavy work. Hire this work out if possible. The Clarifier requires 5 to 10 hours to assemble with the Clarifier Stand taking most of the time. In most cases, the insulated box will take the most time. The Fish Tank placement is mostly just dragging the tank into place and placing the CAD Pump and air stones in it and requires less than 1 hour The Plumbing of the System requires about 3 hours. Items below are seldom found at home centers (Home Depot, Lowes, etc.), but are readily available from a variety of suppliers anywhere in the world (research online for suppliers). You will notice later in the course a pickle barrel type Clarifier, which we highly recommend. Photo gallon (400 liter) Fish Tank Photo 3-20 gallon and 15 gallon Clarifiers

3 Photo 4: 55 Gallon Clarifier in Lagos, Nigeria The assembly of the components into a Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems Module requires some expertise in building, following directions and the

3 3 Photo 4: 55 Gallon Clarifier in Lagos, Nigeria The assembly of the components into a Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems Module requires some expertise in building, following directions and the willingness to make a few mistakes. The materials and components are replaceable and easy to work with so please, be patient and keep this information handy as you move your project forward. The numbers below are approximate prices and the costs may vary in your area and they do not include taxes or shipping costs (if you need to order online and have items shipped to you). Items and costs are priced in $US dollars. The information below is for a single PFAS Grow Table of 200 sq. ft., 55 gallon Clarifier and stand, all the plumbing and materials needed to complete the installation of a single Module. Fish Tank round or oval rubber, polyethylene or plastic (prices may range according Up to $300 to materials, size and manufacturer - 85 to 400 gallon - dictated by the size of the Grow Table) Clarifier 55/30 gallon (200 liter/135 liter) drum - clean, used ones are okay $ 40 Lumber for Grow Tables and Clarifier stand (dimension lumber) $160 Pond Liner (used to line the Grow Tables) $ 145 PVC pipe and fittings $ 80 Shade cloth and plastic for covering greenhouse $ 80 Gravel - Exact amount depends on size of Grow Table. $ 75 Starter Grow medium for seeds [No soil can be used in the PFAS] $ 15 Seeds - Your choice of organic or non-organic $ 20 [continued on next page]

4 4 Tilapia fish fingerlings range from $.25 to $1.00 per fish. ($.70 average used here) x $25 to $ fish Miscellaneous (silicone seal, screws, etc.) $200 Approximate total - Installation components cost per module $1,395 The (above) list of materials will build one Module with a Grow Table that is 5 x 40 (or 6 x 32 ) with a 400 gallon Fish Tank and a 55 gallon Clarifier. That Module creates 200 sq. ft. of grow space in the Grow Table and is designed to produce 400 fish times per year - and produce 2,592 heads of lettuce (a 40 day crop used in Grow Table as an example) per year. Not included in this list are: The cost of the labor for construction. Does not include any (optional) paint or stain used for the lumber. Does not include the cost of the insulation for cold weather installations: The extra plywood and lumber to build insulated Fish Tanks and Clarifiers is $150 to $200. Does not include the cost of the climatically adapted structure for your particular climate. Does not include the additional materials (excluding the climatically adapted structure) We also did not add in the cost of a simple (optional) trellis above the Grow Table for supporting tomatoes, beans or cucumbers. Generally, you will need 40 ft of 1x2 lumber for the trellis and 2 coated chicken wire. PFAS LLC s Warranty for the Contents of the Portable Farms Kits: The only warranty implied or expressed for the Portable Farms Kits are for the electrical and mechanical components included in the Kit which carry a full one year warranty from date of purchase. The PFAS technology works if properly constructed and operated as taught in the Coursework. Please use talented builders with several years of experience whom you trust to build your installation. PLEASE NOTE: As a reminder, after satisfactory completion of the Coursework from Aquaponics University, you will then be eligible for six s and two phone calls of technical support for your installation within a year of date of purchase. After you have taken advantage of your six s and two phone calls or after a year has passed from the date of purchase, calls to us with questions are billed at $95 per call no matter how long the call runs and s with questions are $35 per .

5 Image 5: Blue Tilapia (left) If you are interested in buying a colony of Tilapia (6 females and 1 male which breed 35,000 fry per year), please consult our friend Edgar at Tilapia Farming At Home

5 5 Image 5: Blue Tilapia (left) If you are interested in buying a colony of Tilapia (6 females and 1 male which breed 35,000 fry per year), please consult our friend Edgar at Tilapia Farming At Home and ask for the current prices for purchasing and shipping a colony for you. Or, simply use Edgar as your fish supplier as we do. Edgar is a good man and we trust him and his fish stock implicitly; we ve worked with him for many years. More on other options for obtaining tilapia from fish breeders in Section N Page 3. Assembly and Supervision - depending on local labor, labor costs need to be added in to the total. [The cost of the Portable Farms Kit you ordered is not included in this costing list because you ve already paid for it.] The materials costs reflected in the above box (This Section E - Page 3 and 4) information are retail prices and can, in most cases, be reduced with contract or bulk buying or even buying off Craigslist. Notice that in some of the pictures of lumber, there are a few pieces that are obviously older than others; we used what we nearly always have on hand here at our PFAS LLC Research and Development Center in Southern Florida. All of the materials are readily available in most large cities in the world. Local building materials can be used as much as possible. Building the Grow Table to be VERY strong is very important because when filled with gravel, they carry thousands of pounds (kilos) of dead weight. If dimension lumber is not available, have your local saw mill cut the lumber as close as possible to the required sizes. If you cannot secure plastic drums, use galvanized steel and paint the inside with two coats of epoxy paint (very expensive to purchase). If you are using concrete as the materials to build the Grow Table(s) and or the Fish Tank(s), the cost will be different than those quoted above, but not by much and in most cases the total will be lower. As far as planting and harvesting your food in the Grow Tables, you will need minimal gardening hand tools, but they are all important and you ll use them every single day. Just remember to keep everything clean and wash your tools with soap and water every time you use them to keep your fish and plants healthy.

6 The tools in the blue basket (Photo 6 below) are ample and fully adequate and again, can be washed in soap and water after each use. Sure beats a big green tractor doesn t it?

not introduce any human pathogens, germs or unwanted bacteria into the Grow Table or the Fish Tanks.

6 6 The tools in the blue basket (Photo 6 below) are ample and fully adequate and again, can be washed in soap and water after each use. Sure beats a big green tractor doesn t it? Photo 6 Simple garden tools for your Portable Farms Aquaponics System Always, always wear disposable gloves when working your Portable Farms Aquaponics System to remain as sanitary as possible and not introduce any human pathogens, germs or unwanted bacteria into the Grow Table or the Fish Tanks. If friends come to see your farm, don t let them TOUCH ANYTHING (and they will want to so be prepared to stop them). Don t let them touch the plants, the gravel or the areas around the Fish Tank. If they have germs/bacteria, hand cream, perfume, etc. on their hands, they will contaminate the plants and fish. Photo 7: Wear disposable gloves when working in your farm EVERY TIME

7 You will need a common garden hose for adding makeup water when you need to replenish lost water in the

added directly into the Fish Tanks (by the way).

7 7 You will need a common garden hose for adding makeup water when you need to replenish lost water in the Fish Tanks (due to plant transpiration); the makeup water is added in the top of the Grow Table and NOT added directly into the Fish Tanks (by the way). Photo 8: A garden hose for adding makeup water to your module A fly swatter for any creepy crawlies (wash after use). Photo 9: A fly swatter to kill bugs near your farm Thin, white clothesline rope (not too thick) to use for supporting heavy tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, etc. on a simple trellis installed above the Grow Table, if necessary. Photo 10: Clothes line rope to trellis up your plants

Clip and tie up your growing plants to feed them through the trellis so they will grow vertically.

8 8 A good pair of scissors or a pair of small garden shears for cutting back growth on plants. Wash with soap and water after each use. Photo 11: Scissors or gardening shears Green garden tape found in garden supply stores for supporting tomatoes and other blooming plants. Clip and tie up your growing plants to feed them through the trellis so they will grow vertically. It s fast, inexpensive, easy to use and best of all, the tape is disposable after use. Photo 12: Green garden tape Warranty for Aquaponics University s Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems Course is available on following page - Page 9 of Section E.

9 Warranty for Aquaponics University s Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems Course : The instructions contained in Aquaponics University s Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems Course presented by PFAS LLC

9 9 Warranty for Aquaponics University s Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems Course : The instructions contained in Aquaponics University s Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems Course presented by PFAS LLC are designed to create a working Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems that operates correctly and successfully as stated in our coursework as soon as it is completed and the water and electricity have been turned to the on position. Any deviations regarding design layout, size of Grow Table or Fish Tank, height of Grow Table, depth of Grow Tables or Fish Tank, fish-stocking rate, PVC diameter and connections, placement within a structure with recommendations for air flow, protection from weather elements and insects, recommendation for the size of air pumps, installation for the Calibration Air Displacement Pump (CAD) or the Automatic Trip Valve (ATV), timing for the pumping systems or any other nonstandard installation changes will void any and all guarantees and warranties. If there are any deviations to these and other specifications covered in the Aquaponics University s Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems Course, there will be no follow-up support forthcoming and the warranty is automatically rendered void. If any problems arise with a Portable Farms Aquaponics System that has been built to the specifications in Aquaponics University s Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems Course, please contact PFAS LLC and include.jpg images* and a complete written description of the 'problem' so we can help you in solving any issues you may have for moving your project forward. Send to mailto:cdavis@portablefarms.com. *.jpg format: Minimum size image of 7" wide x 5.75 wide - resolution or 2100 pix wide and 1575 height.

Building a Simple At-home Aquaponics System

Southern Regional Aquaculture Center SRAC Publication No. 5010 August 2016 PR VI Building a Simple At-home Aquaponics System Matthew Recsetar and Anita Kelly 1 Many people are becoming concerned about