Deep Water Culture (DWC) Hydroponic Bucket Kit 5 Gallon, 6 inch

I actually like this set up, however I have never used it to grow a plant. I use it to blend nutrients tea for my plant feeding.

I have read many of the reviews here and thought it might be helpful to add my experience with this system. I got delivery in early May (Minnesota) and set up the system in a few minutes. I bought a single Rutgers tomato plant for two bucks at Fleet Farm, rinsed off roots and planted it on May 15th. A week later there were an abundance of roots coming out of the basket and the plant continued to grow at a very healthy rate until it reached about 6 foot tall. We were able to eat 38 tomatoes (threw out an additional 10 for blossom rot) from the single plant. The largest was 19.3 ounces but most were about 15 ounces. They tasted excellent. The last tomato was taken on August 13 and the first was July 28th. Some problems: End Blossom Rot showed up and this is caused by either a lack of water availability or by a lack of calcium. The plant always had plenty of water so it was a calcium problem which was solved by crushing a Tums and mixing with water in a misting container. I sprayed the plant about every week to ten days and the Rot problem ended. Problem: Once the plant grew large, I could not look inside the bucket to see the water level. The outside tube is very hard to see through to see the water level so I used a dowel like a dip stick in the tube to find the level. Problem: In July when the plant is growing it takes a lot of water (up to 2 - 3 gallons a day) so I had to get a neighbor to come over each day for a week while I was on vacation to add the water. I used a tomato cage attached to the bucket with a bunge and then attached to my deck railing with another bunge. I used a long necked funnel bunged in the cage to add the water. The system takes some work and is not a plant and forget. Nutrients need to be added and mixed and the water level has to be maintained. Prior to trying this system, I had a straw bale garden. In many ways, it was a lot less work. After saying this, I plan on adding another bucket next season for an additional and different tomato species. I would say that the system quality was quite good and I had no issues with the air pump or any leaking. This was my first hydroponic experience. Last year I couldn’t even spell it. :)

I watched many videos in YouTube on how to make this same type of set up but I wanted to see how the setup worked first. I know it cost me a few bucks more than me making it myself but I waited to be on sale and it wasn't that much more. This set up works like a charm and everything worked as advertized.VERY EASY to set up and all I had to do was add water, balance PH, and add nutrients. I think the entire set up took me like 30 min to complete from start to finish.The ONLY problem I had was the shipping but that had nothing to do with the product working or not. The shipping was a day late of the time range they give you. (( Example: 3 Sep 13 - 8 Sep 13 it arrived 9 Sep 13 )) No biggie but if you are going to have an estimated time of delivery at least be between those dates. :)Thank You!

Love these. Have had no issues with them. Water changes easier than I expected. Greatsystem.Edit:Great system but it gets harder to change water as plant gets bigger and roots fill up bucket. So I ordered a small/medium water pump with tubing and it has made my water changes so much easier and faster. So don’t forget that stress saving maintenance addition to this setup.I also replaced the air pump with a heavy duty dual connected air pump and two huge air rocks. I wanted lots of oxygen. This is a good starter setup but you’ll want to modify it a bit to get most from it.😁Edit,edit:These got very annoying for water changes once plants were full sized and in bloom. I understand not everyone is growing what I am 🤯🥳My work around was to buy a water pump for each bucket resolving the hassle of fighting root tangles. Still have to make sure roots don’t grow into pump but that’s easy enough.Overall it’s a very cool starter kit to modify. alone it stands meh kinda weak but that fits the price.

Excellent kit for beginner in hydro, and even advanced. No leaking, love the already attached water level indicator tubing on the side. Pump is a little weak but for a starter kit, its a perfect beginners air pump, but the pump is super quiet and does seem built very well, much nicer then in the photo which kind of looks like it will fall apart in your hands kind of thing. Clay marbles are nice, and decent air stone. As I expand I will buy another one of these kits, but upgrade and get a better air pump, but in the mean time this will work out great.You might need to drill a hole though. Mine, while the water indicating tube was already installed on the bottom, it wasnt on the top and had to mount it. Came with a screw and pre drilled hole, however the hole that was pre drilled was way oversized for the screw, and off centered, so I just drilled another hole next to it and used a self tapping sheet metal screw; hose mounted perfectly. Adding the pods was a nice touch along with the hose.Dont let the price fool you. This is a great kit!

discrete shipping... my favorite. came in a home depot box. i got this product today one day earlier than the expected delivery.comes with all in the pic but the clay pellets. if you read the description carefully it says it comes with growstones.other than that its great. there is a different air pump than the one that is showed in the pic. this one has a control dial to control the amount of air pumped. blue water level tube is just perfect and the best thing is that it is already installed. i was very pleased to see that. 6' net pot fits perfectly. three starter Rockwool cubes. the only thing i am going to replace is the o2 stone. it is okay but i would like a better one for my plants. all in all i am very pleased.thank you amazon once again