What the Botanicare CORE ID Tray Gives You on the Bench
This is the black, mid-gauge member of the ID tray family. It is the one most rooms land on when cost per square foot matters. It is a flood tray formed from mid-gauge black ABS, with 7 in sidewalls and gusseted corners carrying the load. Botanicare publish the ID sizes as the inside measurement, so a 3x3 really does give you 36.0 x 36.0 in of usable floor. Outside, that same tray measures 40.8 x 40.8 in, because the sidewalls and the moulded lip sit beyond the growing area. The smallest size runs 24.0 x 48.0 in inside and holds 30 gallons at the brim. Step up through the range and the 4x4 holds 60 gallons, the 3x6 holds 66, and the 4x8 takes 120. The drainage grid uses wide, curved channels rather than the diagonal grid Botanicare moulded into their outside-dimension trays. Curved channels matter at cleaning time, because a brush follows them instead of catching every few inches. Every size in the range drops onto Fast Fit tray stands without shimming or drilling. Nothing here is virgin-capped, though, since that cap belongs to the Premium White version of the same mould.
Running It as a Hydroponic Drain Tray, and the Size Trap
Most growers set one of these on a stand at waist height and run it as a hydroponic drain tray under pots or slabs. That is where inside-dimension sizing starts to bite. A tray sold as 4x4 will not sit inside a 4x4 tent, because the tent floor is narrower than the tray's outer lip. Growers who hit that wall usually drop to the 3x3, which clears the tent poles with room for a hand to reach past. Check the stand as well, since Fast Fit frames are cut around these outer measurements and other brands are not. In a flood and drain cycle the gallon figures above are brim capacity, not a working fill. Fill to roughly half of that and a wave will not run over the lip when the pump kicks in. Black ABS hides algae staining far better than white does, which is the quiet reason a lot of commercial rooms pick it. That is also the honest weak point here, because mid-gauge flexes more than heavy gauge when a full tray gets carried across a room. Two people on a full 4x8 is not caution, it is just how that size moves. If you want a shallower profile for a rolling bench, the Low Tide line sits at about 3.5 in instead.
Key Features
- Mid-gauge black ABS: Costs less than the virgin-capped white version, same mould and same depth.
- 7 in sidewalls: Deep enough for tall pots and a real flood without lapping the edge.
- Sized by inside dimension: A 3x3 gives a true 36.0 x 36.0 in of usable floor for pots.
- Wide, curved drainage channels: A brush follows the channel instead of catching on a diagonal grid.
- Gusseted corners: The corners take the load when a tray gets carried full of water.
- Fast Fit tray stand fit: Drops onto the frame without shimming, drilling or trimming the lip.
- Five footprints: From the 2x4 bench tray up to the 4x8 room-scale tray.
- Brim capacity 30 to 120 gallons: Lets you size a pump and a reservoir against a real number.
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| SKUs | HGC732427, HGC732428, HGC732429, HGC732431, HGC732433 |
| Brand | Botanicare |
| Line | Core ID, the black mid-gauge version |
| Material | Mid-gauge black ABS plastic |
| Sidewall depth | 7 in on every size in the range |
| Drainage | Wide, curved channels in a moulded grid |
| Corners | Gusseted for structural support |
| Sizing convention | The named size is the inside dimension |
| 2x4 | 28.8 x 52.8 in outside, 24.0 x 48.0 in inside, 30 gal |
| 3x3 | 40.8 x 40.8 in outside, 36.0 x 36.0 in inside, 33 gal |
| 3x6 | 40.8 x 76.0 in outside, 36.0 x 72.0 in inside, 66 gal |
| 4x4 | 52.8 x 52.8 in outside, 48.0 x 48.0 in inside, 60 gal |
| 4x8 | 52.8 x 100.8 in outside, 48.0 x 96.0 in inside, 120 gal |
| Benching | Compatible with Fast Fit tray stands |
| Not published | Weight, drain fitting size and warranty |
| Barcode | 757900002671 on the 2x4; none on file for the other four sizes |
