Recycled Containers

There is a variety of food grade quality containers that one may experiment with in home grown Set and Forget hydroponics. The capacity of the container should be at least one gallon for growing a lettuce plant to harvest. Kale should be in a container that is at least two gallons as it consumes the nutrient solution at a faster rate. Five gallon and even up to 10 gallon containers can be used, but the weight of the container with the nutrient solution becomes a limiting factor when attempting to move the container. One gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds!

The container needs to be opaque, or the container needs to be covered so that light does not permeate through. This is where you can get creative! Containers can be simply wrapped in foil, but a number of other materials have proven to be effective: paper bags, newspaper, contact paper and dark fabrics.

10 gallon Hefty storage container, 9 holes drilled in top, filled with an 8 gallon solution, several varieties of lettuce and kale.
1 gallon water bottle, decoupaged with Day of the Dead theme fabric, Chinese spinach.
1 gallon milk jug, decoupaged with cyano-type treated fabric,opal basil.
1 gallon milk jug, decoupage with quilting scraps, leaf lettuce
Slightly less than a gallon capacity, but this aluminum tray from Outback chicken wing delivery has been tested. Mix up a gallon of nutrient solution and then fill container to slightly less than capacity. Question may arise about the suitability of using aluminum in a Set and Forget system. The following research article reveals it is a safe material to use: AluminumRecycle.pdf
Containers can even be placed within a container as illustrated in this set up of 1 gallon water jugs placed in an old tub. A layer of foil was placed around the jugs and then rocks were placed on top. The banner image on this page illustrates full grown lettuce plants that are easily harvested when needed!
5 gallon container with 3 holes drilled in top lid to accommodate three net pots, kale.
1 gallon water bottles, decoupaged, one in fabric, one in paper bag. These two containers are now in their second season of use. With weathering an interesting effect can emerge, celery and spinach.
In this series of photos, a salad container is inserted into a shoe box, nutrient solution is added and net pot containing a seedling is added.
2 gallon bucket,.kale.
A re-purposed camping water jug, opal basil
Salad container wrapped in cardboard, secured to container with Gorilla glue tape. Container is then further wrapped with Prime mailer envelope, spinach seedling.

It is easy to see, there are many options for containers and many materials one can use.