Pneumatically controlled aquaculture apparatus

An aquaculture apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of elongated tubular lift tanks positioned parallel to each other and spaced apart, wherein each lift tank has an opening located on a bottom side of the lift tank, wherein each lift tank has a first end and a second end, wherein the opening of each respective lift tank is positioned at the second end of the lift tank,
• a container for holding shellfish,
• an inflatable buoy bladder disposed above the container and above the lift tanks when the apparatus is in an upright position,
• a frame adapted to retain the inflatable buoy bladder in a centered position of the apparatus,
• a compressed gas source fluidly connected to a manifold through a primary fluid supply line,
• a plurality of lift tank fluid supply lines individually connecting each respective lift tank to the manifold, wherein each lift tank fluid supply line is connected to the first end of each respective lift tank, wherein the manifold comprises a plurality of lift valves arranged to individually control the flow of gas to each respective lift tank, and
• a buoy bladder fluid supply line connecting the buoy bladder to the manifold, wherein the manifold comprises a float valve adapted to control the flow of gas to the buoy bladder,
• wherein the container is positioned above a water surface when the apparatus is in a floating position on the water surface in which each lift tank is filled with gas, and wherein the container is positioned below the water surface when the apparatus is in a suspended position in which the buoy bladder is inflated with gas and each lift tank is filled with water.

A method of controlling floatation of an aquaculture apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing an aquaculture apparatus comprising:
• a lift vessel,
• a container for holding shellfish,
• an inflatable buoy bladder disposed above the container and above the lift vessel when the apparatus is in an upright position, wherein the inflatable buoy bladder is retained in a centered position of the apparatus,
• a compressed gas source configured to independently supply gas to each of the lift vessel and the buoy bladder, respectively,
• a lift vessel fluid supply line connecting the lift vessel to the compressed gas source, and
• a buoy bladder fluid supply line connecting the buoy bladder to the compressed gas source,
• wherein the container is positioned above a water surface when the apparatus is in a floating position on the water surface in which the lift vessel is filled with gas, and wherein the container is positioned below the water surface when the apparatus is in a suspended position in which the buoy bladder is inflated with gas and in which gas is evacuated from the lift vessel;
• submerging the apparatus in a body of water by evacuating gas from the lift vessel and deflating the buoy bladder;
• then supplying gas from the compressed gas source to the buoy bladder to inflate the buoy bladder, thereby causing the buoy bladder to rise to the surface of the body of water with the lift vessel and the container suspended in the body of water below the inflated buoy bladder;
• and
• then floating the apparatus by supplying gas from the compressed gas source to the lift vessel, thereby causing the apparatus to float with the container being held above the surface of the water.