One tank for every stage
A single shared solution makes it impossible to tune pH, EC and nutrient balance to each cohort.
→ One sealed loop per level, no backflow.
A Moroccan innovation · Patent pending
Grow more, on less ground.
HydroLoop Farm is a modular A-Frame hydroponic system with three independent nutrient loops and a continuous cohort rotation — so a module harvests every 20–27 days, all year. A companion app follows every batch from seed to harvest.
> 80% water savedClosed-loop NFT vs. soil growing
Seed-to-batch appAlerts, AI reports, QR passports
3independent nutrient loops — one per growth stage
48plants per module, 16 on each level
20–27days between harvests, with no idle period
4 m²footprint for a 2.0 × 2.0 × 1.5 m module
Why HydroLoop
Vertical farms grow upward. We also grow forward.
Conventional vertical NFT systems stack plants but treat them as a single crop. HydroLoop was designed around the fact that every stage of a plant's life needs something different.
Upper levels shade lower ones
Stacked shelves leave the bottom rows in the dark and the harvest uneven.
→ Staggered A-Frame, 10 cm anti-shading offset.
Harvest, then wait
Batch systems empty, clean and replant — weeks with no output and irregular cash flow.
→ Calibrated cohort rotation, continuous output.
Paper-based traceability
Regulated buyers need batch-level records that most farms can't produce reliably.
→ A digital passport for every cohort.
The module
Three levels. Three loops. One frame.
A self-supporting A-Frame in galvanised steel or anodised aluminium carries three levels of food-grade PVC NFT channels. Each level is its own growing chamber, with a dedicated reservoir, pump and aeration.
N1
Vegetative growth
Young plants arrive from the nursery at day 10 and build roots and leaves.
200 mm channelEC 1.2–1.6 mS/cm100 L tank
N2
Stretch & pre-flowering
Plants elongate and transition, with a richer solution and more space.
300 mm channelEC 1.8–2.2 mS/cm50 L tank
N3
Flowering & maturation
Mature plants take the top position, closest to the light, until harvest.
400 mm channelEC 2.4–2.8 mS/cm50 L tank
Channels run at a 2% slope (40 mm over 2 m) for a laminar nutrient film of 1–3 mm. No soil, no substrate: roots sit in a recirculating film, so water is reused instead of drained.
Continuous rotation
A cohort moves up. Another one comes in.
Plants don't stay put. At every interval, each cohort climbs one level, the top cohort is harvested and a fresh one enters at the bottom. The module is never empty — and never idle.
- DAY 0 – 9Germination
In a separate nursery, outside the module.
- DAY 10Level 1 — growth
A cohort of 16 plants per level joins the bottom loop.
- +20 to 27 DAYSLevel 2 — stretch
Moved up; the solution and spacing change with it.
- +20 to 27 DAYSLevel 3 — flowering
Top position, strongest light, maturation profile.
- HARVESTHarvest, clean, re-enter
Fresh-frozen at −40 °C, level cleaned in place, next cohort moves up.
Rotation simulator
Day 70Level 3Flowering
Level 2Stretch
Level 1Growth
NurseryGermination
1harvests so far
4cohorts started
20days to next harvest
Illustration with a 20-day interval. The real interval is 20–27 days, depending on the cultivar.
Two versions, one frame
Under the sun, or inside.
Both versions share the same structure, the same independent loops and the same rotation. Only the light changes.
GREENHOUSE
HydroLoop Farm
Built for heated greenhouses, from the coast to the mid-mountain areas of the Rif.
- Natural sunlight as the main light source
- LED top-up switches on automatically when a light sensor detects low light
- Greenhouse held at 24–28 °C, natural ventilation and misting
- Lowest running cost, designed for cooperatives
CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT
HydroLoop Inside
For opaque rooms or insulated containers, with full control of every parameter.
- Full-spectrum LED only, with a different spectrum on each level
- Sensors for temperature, humidity, CO₂, pH and EC
N1
Blue 450–470 nm + cool white 6500 K
N2
Red 660 nm + neutral white 4000 K + far-red 730 nm
N3
Full spectrum enriched in deep red 680–740 nm
The companion app
Every batch, followed from seed to harvest.
Each module comes with the HydroLoop Farm Manager, a web app developed by AIWorkPay that installs on any phone. Growers log a batch in a few taps, see what needs attention and get a clear report on what to adjust.
Seed-to-batch logbook
Batch ID, cultivar, sowing date, module, phase and day — plus pH, EC, solution temperature, dissolved oxygen, NFT flow, PPFD and photoperiod.
Instant alerts
Flags readings outside the safe range: pH below 5.5 or above 6.5, dissolved O₂ under 6 mg/L, solution above 22 °C, low NFT flow.
AI agronomy report
A structured analysis of roots, leaves, trims and flowers for each batch, with system inefficiencies and recommendations you can act on today.
Harvest prediction
Estimated harvest date and window, with a confidence level and what to check on the plants as the date gets closer.
QR code per batch
Print a label for each cohort. Scanning it opens the batch record — the base of the Taqnin ID Batch passport.
Analytics & comparisons
Batches by cultivar, alert frequency, phase distribution, environmental averages and side-by-side comparisons of the same cultivar.
Works offline
Installs like a native app and keeps working in the greenhouse without signal. Records sync to the cloud when the connection returns.
Secure access
Login-protected, so batch data stays with the farm and the people it chooses to share it with.
09:41offline · synced 08:12
Module A-03 · 48 plantsBatch HL-0214
Cultivar A · autoStretch · day 12
pH5.9
EC mS/cm2.0
O₂ dissolved7.4 mg/L
Solution22.6 °C
Solution temperature above 22 °C — risk of root pathogens. Check the reservoir shading.
Cycle progressday 44 / 76
Moves to level 3 in 8 daysHarvest ≈ 32 days
AI report
Roots: dense, cream-white, no sign of disease. Action: lower solution temperature by 1–2 °C and keep aeration at its current level.
BatchesNewAnalyticsScan
Illustrative screen — sample data · App by AIWorkPay
Traceability & compliance
A digital passport for every cohort.
Each cohort gets a unique Taqnin ID Batch identifier the day it enters the module. Genetics, operators, dates, environmental readings, harvest weight and cold-chain data are attached to it — ready for regulated buyers and auditors.
HydroLoop is designed for markets that require documented, reproducible plant material: medicinal and pharmaceutical botany, nutraceutical actives and cosmetic ingredients, including the regulated medicinal sector opened by Morocco's Law 13-21.
GACPPre-GMP readyANRAC · Law 13-21ONSSAISO 22005 traceabilityGénération Green 2030
TAQNIN ID BATCHHL-A03-2026-0214
- Genetics
- Seedless autoflowering
- Module · level
- A-03 · N1 → N2 → N3
- Entered module
- day 10 post-germination
- Environment log
- pH · EC · T° · RH
- Operator
- signed per action
- Harvest
- fresh weight · date · time
- Cold chain
- −40 °C freezing curve
- Destination
- contracted buyer
Technical specifications
The module, in numbers.
| Frame | Self-supporting A-Frame · galvanised steel or anodised aluminium 6060 T5 |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 2.0 m (L) × 2.0 m (W) × 1.5 m (H) · 4 m² footprint |
| Growing levels | 3 levels of food-grade, UV-resistant PVC NFT channels · 200 / 300 / 400 mm · staggered with 10 cm anti-shading offset |
| Capacity | 48 plants per module · 16 per level |
| Nutrient loops | 3 fully independent closed loops · no backflow between levels |
| Reservoirs | HDPE · 100 L (N1) · 50 L (N2) · 50 L (N3) |
| Hydraulics | Submersible pump per loop, ≥ 30 L/min · Ø25 mm supply / Ø32 mm return · forced aeration · clean-in-place fittings |
| Channel slope | 2% (40 mm over 2,000 mm) · 1–3 mm laminar film |
| Monitoring | Independent pH, EC and temperature probes per loop, with automated alerts |
| Rotation | Cohort moves up every 20–27 days · 13.5 to 18.25 harvests per year depending on cultivar |
| Lighting | Farm: sunlight + automatic LED top-up · Inside: per-level full-spectrum LED |
| Water | > 80% less water than soil-based growing |
| Post-harvest | Fresh-frozen at −38 / −40 °C |
| Intellectual property | Patent application by Ahmed Akafou · OMPIC (Morocco) · PCT extension planned · IPC A01G31/02 |
Built for cooperatives
Modern farming, rooted in the Rif.
HydroLoop was designed in Taounate to help Moroccan cooperatives produce more value per square metre with less water — and to create skilled jobs for young people in rural areas.
× 3
Growing area
Three levels on the same footprint, so limited land produces more.
− 80%
Water use
A closed loop with no drainage to soil or groundwater — critical in a drought-exposed region.
2–3
Direct jobs per module
Hydroponics technicians, quality and traceability officers, harvest and maintenance staff.
Target provinces: Al HoceimaChefchaouenTaounateTétouan
Roadmap
From pilot to a regional network.
Pilot
- Partner cooperative identified
- 3 pilot modules installed
- First technicians trained
- First production cycles, growing protocols validated
Validation
- Agronomic monitoring and protocol tuning
- Economic model validated on real data
- Commercial partnerships secured
- Quality certifications requested
Regional rollout
- Extension to other Rif cooperatives
- A regional HydroLoop network
- Target: 50 modules across 5 provinces
- An integrated value chain and a collective brand
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is HydroLoop Farm?
HydroLoop Farm is a modular vertical hydroponic system designed in Morocco. A self-supporting A-Frame (2.0 × 2.0 × 1.5 m) carries three levels of NFT channels, each with its own independent nutrient loop, and plants move up one level every 20–27 days so the module harvests continuously.
Who designed HydroLoop Farm and who holds the patent?
HydroLoop Farm was designed by Ahmed Akafou, who is also the patent holder. The patent application was filed with OMPIC (Morocco), with a PCT international extension planned.
How many plants does one module hold?
48 plants per module: 16 plants on each of the three levels.
How often does a module harvest?
Every 20 to 27 days depending on the cultivar, which is 13.5 to 18.25 harvests per year, with no idle period between cycles.
How much water does it save?
More than 80% compared with soil-based growing, because the nutrient solution recirculates in closed loops with no drainage.
What is the difference between HydroLoop Farm and HydroLoop Inside?
Both share the same frame, loops and rotation. HydroLoop Farm runs in a heated greenhouse on natural sunlight with automatic LED top-up; HydroLoop Inside runs in an opaque room or container with full-spectrum LED differentiated per level and sensors for temperature, humidity, CO₂, pH and EC.
What does the companion app do?
The HydroLoop Farm Manager, developed by AIWorkPay, logs each batch from seed to harvest, raises alerts on pH, EC, dissolved oxygen, solution temperature and NFT flow, produces an AI agronomy report, predicts the harvest window, generates a QR code per batch, shows analytics and works offline with cloud sync.
How is traceability handled?
Each cohort receives a unique Taqnin ID Batch identifier recording genetics, operators, dates, environmental readings, harvest weight, freezing curve and destination, aligned with GACP, pre-GMP, ANRAC (Law 13-21) and ONSSA requirements.
How can I contact HydroLoop Farm?
Email contact@aiworkpay.fr or call / WhatsApp +33 6 02 40 51 47.
Get in touch
Let's grow together.
Cooperatives, investors, research institutes and regulated buyers: we'd be glad to show you the module, the app and the pilot plan.
CooperativesInvestorsINRA · IAV Hassan IILicensed operatorsFunding bodies
Ahmed AkafouDesigner of HydroLoop Farm & patent holder
AIWorkPayDeveloper of the HydroLoop Farm Manager app
Emailcontact@aiworkpay.fr
Phone+33 6 02 40 51 47
WhatsAppMessage us