Black Plastic 3 Gallon Bucket with Handle | Grow Container and Pail

Black Plastic 3 Gallon Bucket for Growing and Mixing

This black plastic bucket holds 3 gallons and has a carry handle, made for everyday work in the grow room. Growers use it as a container for a single plant, a mixing pail for nutrients, or a small reservoir. The black wall blocks light, which helps keep algae from growing in stored water or nutrient solution. The handle makes it easy to carry a full bucket from the sink to the bench without slopping. Filled with water, it weighs roughly 25 lb, light enough to lift and pour by the handle. The bucket nests inside the 5 gallon bucket from the same line, the basis of a simple two-bucket hydroponic setup. It works just as well for hauling perlite, coco or trimmings as for holding water. Plastic will not rust, and it rinses clean between batches. Hawthorne Gardening Company supplies it for hydroponic and indoor garden use. Keep a few on hand and they end up in every corner of the room.

Turning a Black Plastic Bucket Into a Grow Container

To grow in a black plastic bucket, drill drainage holes first. Five or six holes about 1/2 in across, spread around the base, let water escape freely. Add a layer of coarse media or plastic mesh at the bottom so fine soil does not wash out. Fill with soil, coco or a soilless mix and water until runoff appears. For a two-bucket drain-to-waste setup, drill the inner bucket and seat it inside an undrilled 5 gallon outer bucket. The outer bucket catches runoff, which you can check for EC and pH before tipping it out. For deep water culture, cut a net pot hole in a fitted lid and run an airstone in the solution below. Keep buckets off a cold floor, since root zones chill quickly in winter. In a hot room, the dark wall absorbs heat, so watch solution temperature. Label each bucket by plant or nutrient mix to avoid mix-ups. Rinse and sanitize between runs so pathogens don't carry over.

Key Features

• 3 Gallon Capacity: Sized for a single plant, a mixing batch or a small reservoir.
• Carry Handle: Move a full bucket from the sink to the bench without slopping.
• Black, Light-Blocking Wall: Helps keep algae out of stored water and nutrient solution.
• Nests in the 5 Gallon Bucket: Pairs with the 5 gallon bucket from the same line for two-bucket setups.
• Rinses Clean: Plastic will not rust and cleans up quickly between runs.

Technical Specifications