[SIP Gro-Tubs]

5 gl Gro-Bucket using only 1 Bucket
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This first photo is of bucket for sale at the Farmers Mkt.

The second, fifth, and sixth photos show a section of the bucket cut away so you can see the inside of the reservoir, using either 4" PVC pipe or 10 mm Coroplast supports, this is the reason that you only need 1 bucket, and its most times cheaper, cleaner to use, and increase the depth of your water reservoir. This is a 2 gl resevior.

Those are 4" PVC sewer pipes that have been cut to 5 3/4" long. 4 of them can stand upright inside a bucket with room to spare.

Just left to the bucket is a PVC signboard material called Coroplast 10 mm thickness, very light weight, 2 thin sheets spaced apart with fins every 3/8''.

A 4x8' sheet of 10 mm material weighs less than 10 lbs. but is super strong. I'm a big man weighing over 300 lbs. and I, can stand on top of a sheet laying on the floor and not even put a foot impression on the surface.

To the left is a fabricated X shaped coroplast support I, make, the one you see and is enough to support me standing on top of it.

The round 10 mm Coroplast reservoir top, I, cut with a router and my circle-cutter jig.

Aeration and drain holes thru the side of the bucket. I even have a way to make six 3/4" diameter worm holes thru the bucket for better aeration of the media.

Minimum to no draining from the soil-less chamber won't get into your water reservoir, so u know that no smelly foul oders from water saturated soil wicks.

Total cost for me to build less than $3 per bucket and thats with the soil-less media, add 3 starter tomatoes or other vegetables $0.25.

All plastic parts are made from #2 or #5 plastic chips.

About Coroplast: Best material made to make a SIP, SWC, or whatever you want to call them. Super-Strong, very liteweight, you see it everyday along roadways, its called "Politcal Signs" "Yard Sale signs" "New Home signs", etc. but that coroplast is the 4 mm thickness and doesn't have the strength and ridgidity of the 10 mm that I, use. But if you double, or triple it up, it can be used.

Next to that, there are 2 different types of wicks, the slight yellow one is a Microfiber cleaning cloth for cow udders. 16" x 16" 320 Grams/SM you pobably know it with the TV screen name "Sham-WoW"

The white round pc. is just a polyester cord, that can be bought at any fabric store, its called Piping Cord.

Cotton vs Polyester:
Many posts that I, read here say to use cotton. Cotton will rot very fast in water, are you going to chance your growing plants to a wick that may rot off at the reservoir top and fall in the water, disrupting any wicking.

I've been building these systems for over 23 years, and most of my planters are used continously for years on end without being repotted. But when they are repotted by the customers or they bring them to me, the Polyester wicks are in the same condition as when I, first installed them. Any ways 22/32" diameter Polyester piping cord costs me less than cotton cord.

Next to that is a 3/4" PVC pipe 11.75" long, no slanted cuts, no holes in the side of the pipe needed. I, do put a 3/4'' PVC coupling on top, that way the inside of the coupling will accept most male ends of hoses. That fill tube is secured to the outside of the bucket with a short sheetmetal screw.

So what is my cost to build one bucket:
Buckets: $0.50 but most are FREE, the black bucket is from asphalt sealer, made from #2 plastic.

10 mm Coroplast: 1.5 s/f $FREE I get recycled material, free just haul it away, but if I have to buy it its $0.88 s/f for 4' x 8' sheets.

Polyester Piping cord $0.14 l/f or 1/3 of a 16" sq. sheet of Microfiber Udder cloth $0.24

3/4" x 11 3/4'' PVC fill tube $0.18

3/4" PVC coupling $0.22

3 - #6 x 1'' sheetmetal screws $0.09

1 - #8 x 2" SS screw $0.12

1/5 of a hand sqeeze tube of DAP tub and tile caulk $0.30

Total cost $1.55 using Piping cord, or if using Microfiber $1.65

Add my soil-less mix 3 gls at $0.40 gl.

Total ready to be planted $2.75 w/ piping cord or $2.85 w/ Microfiber

Retail costs I get at Trade shows, Plant shows and Farmers Mkt's with 3 peppers $30 ea. 3 herbs $35 ea. 3 Patio tomatos $30 ea.

I'm not boosting about the costs I, pay for items. I'm a 1 man manufacturer and buy in bulk at wholesale prices. But did you know that you also can buy wholesale in your area. Before I, got my tax certificate and buisness liscene, I bought wholesale at many a distributors that wholesale only. No big secret, walk in, go to the sales desk, ask for what you need, they will ask you to fill out a bunch of forms. Tell them you don't do buisness that way and then reach into your pocket and pull out a wad of green bills. 95 out of 100 buisnesses will sell to you at wholesale.

Finding a source for Coroplast. www.coroplast.com ask them for a distributor in your area, those distributors can lead you to there sellers. Coroplast is made from #5 plastic chips.

Look up "Plastic or Signs" in the yellow pages. But beware, here in SA, TX there are 4 sign suppliers within 1 mile radius of each other, the one with the biggest name is the most expensive, but is the best to get scrap and cut-offs from, some even for FREE. But when I have to buy a full sheet, I call all 4 places to get todays costs. Costs can vary between the 4, as much as $24 a sheet.

They sell some cut-offs for $2 lb, but a 4x8 sht of 10 mm wieghs less than 10 lbs, thats only $0.47 for 1.5 S/F, so its still a good bargain. But most pcs less than 6" wide, and sometimes 12" are thrown into dumsters. Recycling this is not a option for many plastics suppliers.

Buying Polyester wicking material, you have to buy two 10 lb spools min. order, less than $6 a pound, 22/32'' diameter, 42 l/f per lb. http://www.textol.com/textol.asp

Microfiber udder cloths https://maximmart.com/ buy 1 or 1,000 at a time, plus shipping, Order in the 240 pc box's with FREE S/H

Or send me a PM, I, sell the kits to convert a bucket, or round tubs.

Want a sample of the 2 sizes ( 4 & 10 mm ) of Coroplast PM me for details.