The present invention is a system for optimizing production of biomass. The system contains one or more growth modules under a shading element that diffuses light. Each of the growth modules has a plurality of vertical growth columns arranged on a bottom manifold. The biomass is grown within a liquid growth medium held within each of the vertical growth columns until it reaches a desired growth. The biomass is then harvested through gravitational flow of the biomass and the liquid growth medium out of the bottom of each growth column. The bottom manifold collects gravitational flow of the biomass and liquid growth media from each growth column and aggregates the output of each individual column into a collective output of the growth module.