if you bought a basic, 4 pot system with the 12 gallon res, and you grow big plants, it can run dry in 5 days. Ok, not bad but I like a bigger reserve, and to have the ability to expand the system when I'm ready. I plan to add two, 2.2 gallon pots in One Pot trays. 4 pots is really the limit for the 12 gallon. So I went shopping and found an excellent container! Its a 23 gallon trash bin, shaped just like the stock res! Its perfect as its not to deep like a round res would be. And takes up only slightly more floor space, being tall. I'll see if I can find this brand online, I got these at Lowes for $13.99 each. They don't have lids, you'll need to make one. I bought two of them so I'm good...lol!
I set one up today. I just removed the grommet, hose, and filter assembly from the original res. I drilled a 3/8" hole in the bin, centered 1/2" above the bottom. probably needed to use a 9/16" ( don't have metric drills ) but I just very slightly reamed the hole with the drill. The grommet after being wet with water, pushed in reasonably easy. I push the 1/4" hose thru the grommet, and attached the filter housing, and pushed it into the grommet.
I bought online, several 1/4" valves. I have one right at the res, and one to turn off each pot. That comes in handy if not all your plants are not ready to go on the res at the same time. Right now, I have one out of 4 pots running on the res.
I set one up today. I just removed the grommet, hose, and filter assembly from the original res. I drilled a 3/8" hole in the bin, centered 1/2" above the bottom. probably needed to use a 9/16" ( don't have metric drills ) but I just very slightly reamed the hole with the drill. The grommet after being wet with water, pushed in reasonably easy. I push the 1/4" hose thru the grommet, and attached the filter housing, and pushed it into the grommet.
I bought online, several 1/4" valves. I have one right at the res, and one to turn off each pot. That comes in handy if not all your plants are not ready to go on the res at the same time. Right now, I have one out of 4 pots running on the res.
