Who DOESN’T Love a Fresh Tomato?

Aquaponics, Commercial Aquaponics System, Organic food, Portable Farms Aquaponics System, Sustainability

by portfarms

Who DOESN’T Love a Fresh Tomato?

-by Colle and Phyllis Davis

Phyllis Davis harvesting vine-fresh tomatoes harvested from Portable Farms® Aquaponics Systems

(Photo above) Each of these tomatoes weighs approximately 1/2 pound. We harvested them yesterday from a
Farms® Aquaponics System. THEY ARE DELICIOUS.

Tomatoes are the single most requested crop to grow in the Portable Farms® Aquaponics Systems. The expected
yields in this article are based on growth from a single Grow Tray (shown below) and are very conservative. They are
based on the lowest yield per plant, the shortest harvest cycle and the longest time a plant will remain in the Grow
Table of the system. The actual production and yield is often two to four times the stated amounts in most cases
especially after the operator becomes more skilled.
 Colle Davis harvesting tomatoes

Tomatoes that have been planted and raised from a Portable Farms® Aquaponics Systems can be sold as locally-
grown and pesticide free and after certification can also be called ‘organic’ meaning the grower can receive higher
prices based on their growing methods and further reducing the ROI than stated in this article.

 Tomatoes from a single full size 5′ x 40′ (200 sq ft) or 6’ x 32’ [1.5m x 12m (18m2)] Grow Table:
 Each Grow Table can hold 200 plants (1ft or 30cm centers) and be planted twice per year
 Production (harvest time) is normally over a 60 to 85 day period

 The plants require a three month growing period before harvest begins

 Year round growing is accomplished with the use of grow lights above the Grow Tables and a carefully
acclimatized greenhouse or warehouse structure

 Tomato plants bloom to fruit ratio is increased greatly with the addition of FF Mineral Rock Dust. FF Mineral
Rock Dust provides aquaponics growers the perfect balance of many trace elements not consistently available
from just plain ordinary fish poop. Now you can grow consistently blooming plants with the addition of FF
Mineral Rock Dust, as your plants and your fish poop will now contain adequate levels of calcium, iron,
magnesium and potassium, just to mention four of the vital elements for successful growing in aquaponics.

 Staking or trellising is required and can be installed permanently

 No pesticides, fungicides or artificial fertilizers are ever used

 Tomatoes yield is between 5 and 9 lbs. [2 and 4k] per plant depending on variety

 Yield per plant is 25 to 35 tomatoes per plant, depending on variety

 Yield 55lbs [25k] per week

 This level of yield give one 880 lbs. to 1,760lbs [400 to 800k] every six months

 Or in one year 1,760 to 3,500lbs [800 to 1600k]

 PLUS 330lbs [150k] of Tilapia per year from the Fish Tank below the Grow Table
Each Module contains one Grow Table, one Fish Tank and one Clarifier. The components to make the Module
functional include the Portable Farms® Kit with the special pump and valve system, a control panel, air pumps and
related hardware and wiring.

Each Module cost approximately US$3,300 completely installed. This does include the growing medium (gravel), but
not the seeds or fish because the owner will be in charge of the seed variety and the fish will be procured locally at
best prices.  The Modules require being housed in a climatically adapted greenhouse with one or more
thermostatically controlled exhaust fans. In cold climates, more insulation is needed and in the tropics, the sides can
be screen or netting.

By using the lowest yield with the shortest harvest season and two crops per space per year the Return On
Investment will be approximately 55lbs per week at US$1.00 (very low price) or US$55.00 per week x 52 weeks =
US$2,860 or a 1.4 year pay back. This does not include the greenhouse. In most cases this number will be much
higher and will continue to rise as the operators become more skilled.

Please note: The above numbers are based on the lowest expected yields from field grown crops, using the shortest
possible harvest time, plus the longest time from transplant to finish harvest. In other words, the lowest possible
output from the Module for this crop is shown. The actual output from each Module can, and probably will be, from
two to four times as high resulting in a much shorter ROI.