Commercial Aquaponics Systems
For more information about Commercial Aquaponics: CLICK HERE.
Portable Farms® Aquaponics Systems grow vegetables and fish to feed 240 people in a 10,000 square foot greenhouse (30m x 30m).
Feed 1,000 people in four-10,000 square foot greenhouses on one acre (929 square meters). One acre of aquaponics creates a minimum of twelve new jobs.
One acre of land can accommodate 120 Portable Farms® Aquaponics Systems.
- These modules are installed in four separate greenhouses housing 30 modules each.
- Each module is 5′ wide and 40′ feet long with 200′ of grow table space.
- These 120 modules grow 320,000 vegetables and 92,000 pounds of fish.
This food will feed 960 people which is enough food for them to remain healthy FOREVER. Plus, it only takes 12 people to operate a full acre. - Note: Aquaponics does NOT GROW wheat, corn, rice, rye, soy or most beans but it DOES GROW most lettuces and table greens such as kale, Swiss chard, bok choi and several blooming plants such as tomatoes, peppers, peas, green beans, cucumbers and peas, and of course, fresh-water-warm-water fish (tilapia or catfish).
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Colle and Phyllis Davis, inventors of Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems, announce the breaking news that one in four Americans are now suffering from hunger due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Aquaponics is one of many ways to provide food and jobs during these difficult times.
Commercial Portable Farms® Aquaponics System
in Botswana, Africa. 100′ x 100′ (30m x 30m)
Please read an endorsement from a Commercial Aquaponics Farmer and License Holder for Portable Farms® in Botswana, Africa, that we received: CLICK HERE.
Phyllis Davis quoted in The New York Times April 7, 2020.
“Phyllis Davis, president of Virginia-based Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems, said its web traffic has doubled since the coronavirus outbreak. The company offers clients at-home farming kits, with online instructional courses on assembling its portable system and understanding aquaponics, a process of growing food using fish excretions as fertilizer. “Food security and sustainability are a very hot topic right now,” Ms. Davis said.”
Aquaponics with Portable Farms® Aquaponics Systems
To find out what is IN the Portable Farms® Kit and what is NOT in the Portable Farms® Kit,
please request the FREE AND INSTANTANEOUS PRICE LIST
(second box on top panel on every page of this website).
You may pay with PayPal, Major Credit Cards and Wire Transfers. If you’d prefer, you may call us to give us your credit number over the phone: 800-906-0256 OR 800-952-6224. We also accept checks, wire transfers and money orders.
Shipping and postage are included to addresses in the US only, BUT for all order outside the US there is a US$140 shipping and handling charge for each Portable Farms Kit.
Most students complete our online aquaponics’ course in about twelve hours. It’s self-paced and you have one year to complete the course. Many families install a backyard aquaponics system over a weekend assuming they have some basic skills for home repair and have access to repair tools.
Listen to Colle Davis, Lead Inventor, Portable Farms® Aquaponics Systems, talk about commercial aquaponics and his book, Commercial Aquaponics GOLD.
Commercial Aquaponics Gold, EBOOK. For more information and to purchase, CLICK HERE.
This comprehensive aquaponics plan instructs investors in the area of commercial aquaponics to make an informed business decision about commercial aquaponics growing in controlled environment agricultural (CEA)
We’re also offering TWO FREE BONUSES with the purchase of Commercial Aquaponics GOLD:
- 1) A formal ten-step strategy business plan template designed specifically for commercial aquaponics growing to present to funders and,
- 2) PFAS LLC’s Executive Summary showing production and operating costs, profits and best-produce choices to achieve the shortest Return on Investment.
One Portable Farms® Kit provides you with the technology to build one Portable Farms® Aquaponics System that feeds eight people FOREVER. One Portable Farms® Grow Table requires less than ten-minutes of care per day to plant, harvest and feed the fish.
- There have been over 300 different varieties of seeds and plants that have been tested that can be grown in a Portable Farms® Aquaponics System. CLICK HERE to see foods we recommend growing in Portable Farms®.
- The major food groups that are not recommended for Portable Farms are root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, onions, etc.) and corn, wheat, soy or rice. Perennial plants (strawberries, blackberries, asparagus, etc.) are not recommended because the plants are dormant nine months per year and do not produce harvest-able food year round.
- Aquaponics is easier and more productive for year round growing than traditional gardening or agriculture and uses 95% less water. Portable Farms® Aquaponics Systems also use lower levels of electricity and less labor than any other aquaponics system in the world.
PFAS LLC is an aquaponics consulting company. We offer online training instructing users how to build and operate a Portable Farms Aquaponics System for growing vegetables (primarily greens) and aquaponics fish in a controlled-environment greenhouse that is adaptable to global locations.
Our clients provide their own acclimatized greenhouses for their climate and location.
We always recommend our customers begin with a small aquaponics systems to learn to operate it and see if it meets their expectations. Even ONE MODULE to feed eight people is a realistic experiment to ‘get your hands wet.’
With an ROI (Return on Investment) of three to five years, and the possibility that by addressing a specific local market needed to produce a specialty (green) crop such as kale, basil or bok choy, and reducing the ROI to less than two years, investors start to take notice. When a single commercial installation pencils out to yield a net-net in the low six figures and the output can match any wholesale supplier’s prices and still make money, serious investors take note.
- Read about the Yield and Return on Investment for planting, growing and selling zucchini.
- Read about the Yield and Return on Investment for planting, growing and selling peppers.
- Read about the Yield and Return on Investment for planting, growing and selling cucumbers.
The carbon footprint of each Commercial PFAS Installation can often be reduced to a negative value through the use of solar power or alternative power because the electrical requirements are lower than any other aquaponics technology currently available in the world today. The electrical needs are highest during the daylight hours and are minimal during the night.
This high-intensity food production and distribution model plan has been carefully designed to work in the urban settings of both developed nations and developing nations, ensuring an excellent return for investors. The time to break-even on each unit depends upon the vegetables and fish produced, but it is anticipated that an average three to five year ROI is possible.
If you are a sophisticated investor, represent an investment group, are a government agency empowered to create jobs, or you are a philanthropic individual or organization, please contact Portable Farm® for more specific information.
44 comments
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Author
The minimum investment to set up a commercial aquaponics system in Nigeria is in the range of US$275,000 to US$350,000.
Good day!
My name is Chris Lee and I would like to propose a potentially a major business opportunity. I own 19.5 acres of undeveloped land in South NJ. I would like to offer the land for development of a large scale aquaponics farm. If interested or know of another party please feel free to reach out to me. Thank you for your time.
Warmest regards,
Chris Lee
Author
Dear Chris:
Thank you for your interest in Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems. In our experience, land is available both in urban and suburban areas, urban and country land.
The issue you address involves building a weather-acclimated greenhouse for growing food in both winter and summer climates. It gets both hot and cold in New Jersey which requires a year-round stabilized indoor temperature of 65F to 95F. Then, installing 120 Portable Farms per acre. Then, hiring 12 people per acre to care for the 120 farms from seed growth to harvest and also, growing and harvesting tilapia fish. Then, harvesting and delivering food to customers and suppliers. There’s a great deal involved. The basic cost per acre in this scenario is about $1.3 million to $1.5 million. The ROI is generally 3 to 5 years depending on the crops you’re selling and at what price your selling them for to your market.
Often people sell some of their land to afford to build a commercial set up. Commercial aquaponics is not a get-rich-quick business investment and requires sales and marketing prior to planting your first crop. Selling food in aquaponics does not mean it costs less than field crops yet you must be competitive.
I hope this answers your questions.
Thanks again,
Phyllis Davis, President/Partner, PFAS LLC
Great ideas!
Hi, I’m very interested in having a small aquafarm for vegetables and fish on our 2 acres..
I’m thinking smaller individual greenhouses which can have different purposes such as some vertical if possible.
How do I get more infor?
Author
Moni – I have responsed to your inquiry by email.
Phyllis Davis
President, PFAS LLC
Hi I am Jose Burgos I love the Video I have A Large Land In Southern California In the city Called New Berry Spring Please let, I Know how I can start to help Feed People Create Jobs and More also
Author
Thank you Jose. If you are interested in growing food commercially, I suggest you read our book, Commercial Aquaponics GOLD. I explains everything you need to know about organizing commercial growing. Here is the link to the purchase the book: https://gumroad.com/l/geyXl . We are here to answer any questions you may have. Please call on us: 804-467-3752.
Happy Holidays to you and your family.
Phyllis Davis – President, PFAS LLC pdavis@portablefarms.com
Author
Jose: We are having a sale- August 2 – 6, 2021. Visit the link to learn more: https://portablefarms.com/2021/portable-farms-sale-august-2-6-2021
Our NEWLY REVISED 2021 ONLINE self-paced aquaponics course contains all we’ve learned in our 49 years in the field of aquaponics and includes a Portable Farms® Kit containing the technology that is the ‘heartbeat of the system’ that allows our systems to grow such beautiful food and healthy fish.
In celebration of Portable Farms® 13th Year Anniversary, we’re offering
the sale of One Portable Farms® Course and Kit for $1,399.00.
Buy one Portable Farms® Course and the Kit – $1,399.00
or Buy Two Portable Farms® Courses and Kits – $1,999.00
O’fish-ally Your Friends,
Phyllis and Colle Davis
Dear Concern,
This is Tarikul Islam from Bangladesh. I am interested to start a commercial aquaponic system at my roof. i have 4000 SFT free space at rooftop and 3000 sft and ground floor. So i want to make the greenhouse for plant at rooftop and install the fish tank at ground floor. It is a 6 stored building.
Would you please advice your valuable comments and help us to install the complete commercially viable Aquaponic System.
Will be waiting for your reply.
Regards
Tarikul Islam
Farmers Agro
My Email: tarikul@farmersagro.com
Phone: +88 01678117117
Author
Thank you for your interest in Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems. We do sell a course that teaches your to build and operate Portable Farms modules. The fish tank and the farm are CONNECTED so it’s advisable to install them next to each other. We are having a buy one-get-one sale for our farms October 5 – 10, 2020, for US$1,599.00.
We sell a book about commercial aquaponics. Commercial Aquaponics GOLD. Here is the link to buy the book: https://gumroad.com/l/geyXl
This comprehensive information about commercial aquaponics provides you will all the facts you’ll need to make an informed business decision about commercial aquaponics growing in controlled environment agricultural (CEA).
We’re also offering TWO FREE BONUSES with the purchase of Commercial Aquaponics GOLD: 1) A formal ten-step strategy business plan template designed specifically for commercial aquaponics growing to present to funders and, 2) PFAS LLC’s Executive Summary showing production and operating costs, profits and best-produce choices to achieve the shortest Return on Investment.
Thanks again.
Colle Davis, CEO, PFAS LLC
Dear Colle
I’m in South Africa and wish to visit farm in Botswana. I am interested in buying your commercial farm. Can I please have contact details and address of farm owner.
Author
I regret not being able to give you the farm owners name in Botswana. At his request, he has asked us not to share it. Sorry!!
Sales/Export,
Send me a quotation for commercial aquaponics system greenhouse size 40length * 8Wlength,meters for fish farming only
Author
We specialize in aquaponics, not aquaculture. We suggest you contact aquaculture specialists. – Colle Davis, CEO, PFAS LLC
I would like to start a commercial aquaponics system in my city’s west side. The area no longer has any grocery stores, only leaving small convinience stores that charge a hefty price for fresh fruits and vegetables. My concern is that your e-book is based on structures that our 10,000sqft or bigger. The area I’d like to service has lots that are 6,000sqft or less than. Should I buy the gold ebook and will it help me pursue my dream of opening up a aquaponic greenhouse?
Author
Alessandra,
The Commercial Aquaponics GOLD is based on commercial aquaponics of any size. 10,000 sq ft is a common size and we used that size to demonstrate the ROI (Return on Investment). From about 2,500 sq ft up is commercial size, meaning more than a family can consume and give away. The information in the book is valuable no matter what size commercial installation you build.
Good luck in all of your endeavors and buying the ebook is the best first step. Second step is to line up your buyers.
Colle
hey are you guys a development team as well so can i buy your system and have you guys install it for me ?
Author
Mohamed, thanks for stopping buy. PFAS LLC offers an online course that teaches users how to assemble and operate a Portable Farms® Aquaponics System. When the user finishes the online course, we mail them a Portable Farms® Kit to use in the assembly of their aquaponics system. Most students dedicate one hour per day for a week or ten days to complete the online course. They often build and install their backyard Portable Farms® Aquaponics System over a single weekend. Portable Farms® Aquaponics Systems are in fifty US states and twenty-five other countries. You will need these tools: power saw, hammer, power drill, level, hydraulic jack (for leveling), staple gun, hack saw or PVC pipe cutter, box cutter and maybe a few band-aids. Think of the Grow Table as a large shallow tray on legs. You will need two people, three is better because the Grow Table is heavy. The hardest part of the process is washing and placing the gravel a slow, heavy and wet process best delegated to young, strong helpers.
Building a Portable Farms® Aquaponics Systems Module does requires some carpentry skills and a person with the skills to hang a door or build a cabinet will do a fine job.
Hello,
Am a Nigerian civil engineer, what would it cost me for installation of 100by50 of green house in Nigeria.
And what would it cost for the installation training .
Thanks
Sanya
Author
Olusanya,
If you are using metric measurements, the total installation will be in the US$120,000 range. The training is part of the Aquaponics University Course.
Colle
I’m doing a business [pitch on aquaponic greenhouses and would like to know how much it would cost to install your system in a 100,000SQFT greenhouse.
Author
Michael,
If the greenhouses are already accounted for, the cost per 10,000 sq ft of Portable Farms Aquaponics Systems is approximately US$60,000. This figure includes the technology, the materials (not included in the Portable Farms Kits) and the labor to build the Modules. An installation of 100,000 sq ft will be in the range of US$600,000 to US$700,000.
Good luck in your endeavors.
Colle
Is Tilapia The Only Fish Tht Can Be Raised In The Tanks? I Really Like Salmon, White Fish & Trout.
Author
Warm water, fresh water fish that have commercial chow available will work. Tilapia are favored because you can obtain the young year round.
Colle
In your answer above to Murphy, in reference to your recommendation of crushed gravel, are you talking limestone. I am soon retiring and will be entering this portable farms business to supplement income and remain active. I will build first 1 30′ by 100′ greenhouse. I will use the quantity of portable farms units as you proscribe. I will install solar power. I have a one acre pond that I would like to know if I can make use of in this? Any advise will be appreciated. Wife and I will both do the course together. Will start in May of 2016. Based on the above, like to get your feedback and advise? Crushed lime stone? 30 by 100 building is this a good choice as we would choose to start with minimum of 3000 Sq foot? Mostly the building size for now as I will go ahead and get that and solar unit built and installed.
Regards
Joe
Author
Joseph,
The gravel is usually limestone or granite whatever is available cheaply, locally. Glad your going to take the Aquaponics University Course. The pond water can be used to initially fill up your Fish Tanks as long as you filter it a bit. Nice size building to start. You really need to buy the Commercial Aquaponics GOLD ebook if you plan to go commercial. IT will save you lots of time and heartache because it gives you the step by step process to succeed.
Colle
You say there is an endorsement from a farm in Botswana. Please help as I cannot see it and I am interested in doing it in Botswana as well
Author
Drew,
By using the SEARCH box, top right, enter the search word ‘Botswana’ and up will pop the link to the page you are requesting. You will still have to work with the current Country License Holder for Botswana as his company is the license holder.
Good luck.
Colle
Hi, I am really interested in taking the course and start to build an aquaponic system of a commercial size, I think at least one acre, and portable farms look the best system I have ever found…I don’t think I will be able to attent the course because of the visa from my country, but is there any way I can take the course from here ( Central America)without me being in California?….please let me know and thank you in advance for your kindness.
DOUGLAS
Author
Douglas,
The Aquaponics University Course is an EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE COURSE that you take at your own pace from anywhere in the world you can correspond by email. The onsite classes have not been offered in over 4 years, only the email correspondence course.
We look forward to having you as a student.
Colle Davis – Inventor
Hello Colle,
I am interested in starting a commercial aquaponics farm in the north west in the United States. I was wondering if it is possible to be profitable and grow organic produce if organic fish food is so expensive/hard to find. How difficult is it to certify aquaponically grown produce as 100% organic?
Author
Joel,
Thank you for your inquiry. The question of ‘organic’ is becoming problematic because the rules keep changing. There is no such thing as organic fish anyway.
What we are recommending and have seen more and more references to are describing your output as: Locally grown, pesticide free produce
Locally grown is now beginning to trump ‘organic’ and the pesticide free is a HUGE bonus. No pesticides can be used or the fish will be killed.
We have never tried to have our systems ‘certified organic’ because we do not sell produce, only technology. The Farm Bureau rep in San Diego California told us that the Portable Farms® Aquaponics Systems would be certifiable the moment it was operational because it contains NO soil.
I trust this information helps.
Colle Davis – Inventor
Hi I am interested in discovering if you have any representation in Australia. In particular in Queensland.
I am looking for a future proof business that I can develop using my marketing and sales skills.
Regards
David
Author
David:
Future proofing is actually possible with Portable Farms® Aquaponics Systems.
Currently there is no Territorial Portable Farms® Aquaponics Systems Technology License Holder for Queensland. Your marketing and sales skill will be invaluable, but its the money to purchase the Territorial License and the ability to build four commercial PFAS installations each year that will make you a huge success.
That financial bar is around US$1.3M to get the talk started. Not all of that amount is necessary to start and only a small part of it actually goes to PFAS LLC. The rest is spent locally for greenhouses, installations and materials.
To better assess your project and offer answers that are timely and relevant to YOUR unique situation, please answer the following general questions related to your project and we’ll get back to you ASAP. Some of the questions may be redundant, answer them anyway.
1. What size project is your group planning to build? ¼ acre? 1 acre? Etc.
2. What state, country or territory is your project targeted for installation?
3. What is your projected time frame to begin your project? 90 days? One year? Etc.
4. What project of this size, in any arena, has your group accomplished in the recent past? In other words, can your group actually build this installation?
5. Is your funding in place? That means your group could pay cash for the entire installation TODAY. If not, do you have a target date for that available funding for the project?
6. Have you explored the marketing study for selling the food Portable Farms is capable of growing? This means, you have actually talked the chefs, food managers and buyers and have solid commitments from them to buy the production from your installation.
After completing the above responses, please return them to me and I’ll send you the 5 Phases information.
Colle Davis – Inventor
HI,
I am from tunisia and highly intersted on launching a first aquaponic comercial farm in the country.
Could you please give me a first pricing information (an estimate price)for an 3000 sqt ft farm and an estimate number of protable farm I will need ?!
Thanks and Regards,
Harcha
Author
Harcha:
There is a form on the right side of each page that says ‘Price List’, please fill it out and click Submit to receive the price list.
In a 3,000 sq ft installation you will need between 10 and 12 PFAS Modules and the installation will be profitable from the third month of production. It will take several months to build such an installation and in the meantime you need to take the Aquaponics University Course so you have a much deeper understanding of the technology and how to effectively operate the installation.
Talk soon.
Colle Davis – Inventor
Dear Colle,
Hi,I admire your website because it is full of useful information and there is 2 questions:
1- I noticed from the videos that you don’t use hydroton so in your opinion what is the best
grow media (cons & pros)?
2- Is there a way to pay for the digital information of the course apart from the kit(pumps,tools….)
and if yes what would be the cost? because I think it is hard to ship the materials to my country (Syria)
Thank you in advance
Author
Nabil,
Thank you for the kind words.
1- We have found gravel (limestone or granite or basalt) 17 to 19mm is the least expensive, most readily available and easiest medium to work with for our systems.
2 – Credit cards, PayPal, wire transfer are all accepted and the course (which is digital and done through email) is the same cost whether we ship the PFAS Kit or not. Shipping may or may not have be be delayed, but farming equipment is probably not an embargoed item. We can check with international shippers to see if a box 30cm x 30cm x 30cm and 7kilos can be shipped to you.
Let us know when you want to start.
Colle Davis – Inventor
You mention limestone, but due to the chemical properties of limestone wouldn’t this affect the ph levels in an aquaponic system.
Author
Murphy,
Yes, limestone will affect the pH level in the system. The fish waste tends to be acidic and the limestone (with a higher pH) tends to buffer the acid. We have used many different types of gravel and find the limestone works exceptionally well. Make sure to use CRUSHED gravel not river rock because the surface area is so much greater with the crushed gravel.
Good luck.
Colle Davis – Inventor
I have been researching for a while trying to find a system that will work in the colder climates of Oregon. Your system sounds and looks like it would fit the bill. However I can not find how much replacement water you need to add to the system, ie 5 gpm. I am trying to design a plan and budget and need to know if I can afford to heat water with heaters or need to find a geo thermal location. Thw water out of the tap is about 50 degrees give or take. In other research I found the Tilapia needed 80 or more degree water. With evaporation and such how is the temperatures maintained, and or achieved. I would just take your course to find this out, but I am still in the phase 1 as you put it. This could be a life changer for our family and allow us to work for ourselves, I want to make sure we pick the right operation and location. If it turns out to be achievable in our location, we will hopefully be following up with the course in the future. Thank you for your input, Kate.
Author
Kate,
Thank you for your inquiry. Very little evaporation takes place in the system, but the transpiration from the plants is very significant. On a very hot, dry day in the summertime the plants can pump 35 gallons of water out of the system. That is a maximum we have observed in our research center here in the desert. The water in the insulated fish tanks is kept at 78 to 80 degrees F using small heaters in the tanks. Some installations use solar swimming pool heaters to bring the water up to the proper temperature.
Suggestion on growing your business: Start with an existing greenhouse or build the largest climatically adapted greenhouse you can afford and fill it up with PFAS Modules as you can afford to over time. This way you also become expert operators and marketers as you grow.
Good luck, and yes the Aquaponics University Course is the place to start.
Colle Davis – Inventor
Will Marijuana grow well in portable farms?
Author
Bill,
Yes, extraordinarily well. Although we have never tried growing it, we’re told our systems work well for growing herbs of all kinds.
Colle Davis, Inventor