rick_ca
Newly Registered
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2016 9:45 pm

Questions about Dutch Bucket Hydroponic System

Hello All
This is my 1st post so be gentle LOL, anyway tried growing various peppers last year in a 6ft X 5ft grow room with a 400watt light/ballast the medium I used was soil and watered/feed when pots got light, needless to say the results were dismal.

So over the winter I’ve been researching Hydroponics and I'm leaning towards the “Dutch Bucket” system to try and grow some peppers again. So here are a few questions I have:

1. I can get access to food grade dark blue buckets but they are only 2 gallons. Are they big enough?

2. Totally confused on what medium to use (internet overload) leaning toward perlite and Rockwool. Can I use Rockwool cube surrounded by perlite or would the clay pebbles be bette?.

3. I’ve read watering/feeding 3 to 4 times a day but for what duration or should I set timer to turn off once water come out of overflow?

Ok that’s a start I will be looking for your input and advice before I go any further.

jhinkle
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Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2016 11:02 pm
Location: Key West, Florida

I started 4 Dutch Bucket tomatoes outside in December.

Two gallons is fine. I suggest getting some paint filters and putting the perlite in it. The filer will keep the perlite from washing back into your tank.

I used 5 gal Home Depot buckets. I filled the bottom 3 gallons with clay pebbles just to take up space and make the bucket heavy. My perlite, in filter bag, takes up the top 2 gallons.

Use rockwool cube if you are starting from seeds. I started late (growing season in the Florida Keys is from Oct to May) so I purchased plants from HD and washed the roots free of all dirt and then placed the bare root ball in the perlite.

I run my water system 24/7. You can run it periodically just never let the roots get dry. As the plants get bigger -- they will consume more water so you may have to be 24/7 as they get larger.

Your biggest challenge is going to be providing sufficient light.

Hope that helps.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

We use oasis cubes to start seeds for the hydro, aeroponic and sometimes they can also be used in the aquaponic systems. Start the seeds in the oasis cube using the hydro solution in a seed starting tray.
We planted the seedlings into net pots that went into the aeroponic towers and the raft hydo systems. They are also planted into the cinder biofilters on the aquaponic tables and also droped in the holes for the rail system. The cubes have to be flat on the rail system but don't require a net pot.
You could install a net pot through the lid of the bucket and place the oasis plug seedling in it. The main thing is that the bottom of the net pot does have to be touching the solution.
https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/pro ... ail-pack/s
https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/pro ... 1020-trays

HoopHouseHydroGuyGA
Full Member
Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2016 12:22 am

Dutch buckets are a great system, in the event of timer/power fail you will have a small water reserve in the bottom. Plumb your drain tubes 2 inches from the bottom of the bucket. 2 gallons will be fine but bigger roots mean bigger/more fruit. However, that thinking is somewhat flexible in hydro as it can overcome container limitations in most cases. Perlite is your best bet for media I feel, coco retains high amounts of moisture and can water log. If you use coco, mix 50/50 with perlite. Use a 5 gallon paint strainer to keep media out of your reservoir and pumps. Good luck!

Here is a setup on my deck last summer.
Attachments
dutch3.jpg
dutch2.jpg
dutch1.jpg

HoopHouseHydroGuyGA
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Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2016 12:22 am

Go to YouTube and search MHPGardener up, Bobby has a great video on dutch bucket builds.

aggiejon
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Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2020 3:58 pm

HoopHouseHydroGuyGA wrote:
Tue Feb 23, 2016 12:44 am
Go to YouTube and search MHPGardener up, Bobby has a great video on dutch bucket builds.
I would wholeheartedly agree!



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