ZipGrow™ Technology
Towards a Brighter Future of Food
ZipGrow™ vertical farming/gardening towers by Bright Agrotech are highly productive, high density, modular, and functional in a variety of plant production scenarios, from commercial greens production to landscape design. Bright Agrotech was founded by Dr. Nate Storey, who developed the technology through years of research at the University of Wyoming. ZipGrow™ towers are designed to increase productivity and reduce costs for hydroponic and aquaponic growers. The towers are great for aquaponic plant production - a utility that takes advantage of the massive mechanical and biological filtration capacity of the towers.
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Benefits
ZipGrow™ Towers are:
- Typically 2-3 times more productive per square foot compared to traditional horizontal production methods, without significantly increasing production costs.
- Most greens can be produced at 2-3 times higher densities and 3-4 times more productive than raft or NFT (traditional hydroponics) per square foot. ZipGrow™ towers produces more than any other vertical farming technique on the market.
- Lightweight and mobile. Easy to move about and transporting towers from mass to mass or from greenhouse to a live display at a market, grocery store, restaurant is a breeze.
- Ergonomic design reduces post-harvest labor and packaging costs (about 60% of a small farmer's cost).
- Manufactured from high quality, food-safe and outdoor-safe materials. Built for long-term durability.
How It Works?
Tower Design
The single-face design is a result of scientific research on the effects of light depletion rates. By ensuring high reflectivity with a white, single-faced design ZipGrow™ Towers reduce light extinction significantly and maximize yields in small spaces.Matrix Media
The matrix media has high biological surface area to promote the growth of good bacteria inside to help plant growth. The matrix media is 93% void space, which ensures that the plants are very well aerated, as well as prevents anaerobic problems.For aquaponic production, redworms are recommended to be added inside the towers to help break down solids, metabolize fish waste and deliver more nutrients to the plants.Planting a ZipGrow™ Tower
Seedlings are planted into the matrix media.Matrix media containing the planted seedlings is then inserted into the tower housing.Once the seeds or seedlings have been encased in the matrix media, the towers can then be hung and irrigated by a hydroponic (nutrient tank) or aquaponic (fish tank) system.
Irrigating a ZipGrow™ Tower
Water/nutrient solution is pumped into pipes from the fish/nutrient tank.A drip nozzle directs the water/nutrient solution to the top of the tower and into the matrix media where the plants’ roots are being held.
As the water/nutrient solution trickles down through the media, plants are able to uptake the nutrients from their roots.
What Grows In ZipGrow™ Towers?
Examples of crops ideal for the towers:|
Leafy Greens
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Herbs
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Fruiting Crops
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