Patent ID: 8726568

Claim:
An apparatus for growing living organisms comprising: a first plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units, each growing unit having a horizontal lower surface, such that all surfaces are located on a first substantially horizontal plane, each growing unit adapted to receive at least one living organism, and a first plurality of inter-unit pipes each such pipe connecting lower portions of two adjacent units of said first plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units, wherein each of said first plurality of inter-unit pipes is longitudinally positioned on a second horizontal plane; a second plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units, each of said fluid carrying growing unit having a horizontal lower surface, such that all surfaces are located on said first substantially horizontal plane, each such growing unit adapted to receive at least one living organism, and a second plurality of inter-unit pipes each such pipe connecting lower portions of two adjacent units of said second plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units, wherein each of said second plurality inter-unit pipes is longitudinally positioned on said second horizontal plane; a pump engaged with a manifold, said manifold being directly connected to a first outlet pipe and a second outlet pipe, said first outlet pipe connected to an end unit of said first plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units and said second outlet pipe connected to an end unit of said second plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units, said pump being capable of applying a negative pressure to a fluid in said first and second outlet pipes; and a tank having a horizontal lower surface located on said first substantially horizontal plane, said tank providing said fluid and being connected with a first inlet pipe and a second inlet pipe, said first inlet pipe directly connecting said tank to a first unit of said first plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units and said second inlet pipe directly connecting said tank to a first unit of said second plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units, said tank being directly connected to said pump by a return pipe for returning said fluid to said tank, wherein said tank, said first and second inlet pipes, said first and second pluralities of interconnected fluid carrying growing units, said pump, and said return pipe are interconnected in a series and in gravitational fluid supplying relation along a continuous and substantially horizontal path of travel facilitating gravity flow of the fluid through said series.