Submitted: 07-20-2003
Images archived: 2003
How do I Build a Bato-Bucket/Dutch-Pot System?
Introduction:
Here is my photo-report on building a Bato-Bucket, also called Dutch-pots, system.
It is a very efficient top-drip set-up, easy to use and very safe. No more fear of power outage, the bato buckets have a 2l (about 1/2 Gallon) reservoir built in, that works as a wick system if nothing comes from above. The other big advantage over other drip systems like tube, tubbler or slab set-ups is that the plants are in individual containers that can be moved around, plus the (almost) 3 gallon container provides enough space for the root-mass. Batos have been around for years with proven results but lately haven't been seen that much.
You might have seen the bato buckets in a system called "Eve's Garden", which is a "Brand" product and therefore costs about $350 for a 6 pot and up to $600 for a 12 bucket system... OUCH! That might be the reason for the decline of the batos in the community.
Parts & Price List:
This is a grand total of $191.02! Pretty good savings if you ask me.
Getting Started:
First you'll have to measure your space and decide how many buckets you will want to use. You can design this system as big or small as you like. In this FAQ, we build a 16 bucket system. Each bato measures 10"x12"x9". 4x 5' Rows with 4 batos each. We space the buckets 16" at center. You can space them wider or closer, depending on how long you're planning to veg. The rows are 20" on center which fits the footprint of the 1K light and reflector I'm using. Store price (without the light) would be about $750.
The batos are designed to be drained by 1 1/2" PVC pipe, which means the drains plug right into the pipe which in turn stabilizes the bucket. 10' PVC pipe cost's less than $4 and they will cut it for you to size at Home Depot.
Constructing the Drain System:
First we measure and mark our PVC pipe where the hole for the drains will be drilled. I used a pair of pruning scissors to get a little groove into the PVC, so the drill bit with the pointy end would grip right away. It worked great. A 3/4" drill bit would be enough but I went a bit larger. Now drill out holes for the bucket-drains.
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Here's the bato bucket, you can see the reservoir. Two elbows are combined for one drain fitting. This way, the water always siphons out from the bottom and never leaves stale water in the bucket. The next pisture shows how the bato drain-plug fits into the PVC pipe. The buckets are the same just a different color.
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You will of course have to figure out how many T-fittings and elbows you'll need to construct the drain pipe. ($0.50 - $2 a piece) It's really very easy to piece this together an Erector set would be way more complicated. Make sure you get PVC Primer and PVC Cement to make sure they are leak-proof.
One more important point about the PVC pipes: They are dirty when you buy them. Take the time to wash them with a bleach solution to sterilize everything. I scrubbed them on the outside, and used a long stick to shove a big sponge with bleach-water through them. Rinse very well and let them be for at least a day before using. After all, your girls' food will run through those pipes.
Constructing the Feeding System:

I use a MAG-drive pump with a rate of 250gph (Gallons per Hour) The pump is placed in the reservoir (or outside if you want to use the pump in-line). A 1' riser is connected to the output via a female/female adapter. (Risers only come male/male and the pump's output is also always male). I screwed a T- piece to the top to split the output. One side goes back to the res for mixing and pressure adjustment via a shut-off valve, the other side goes to the feed-line, also with a shut-off valve in between.


You put your 1/4" connectors into the holes of the feed line, in this case they came with the drippers. Again, these plugs are tight and a perfect fit. If you punch a hole at a wrong position you can get a "goof-plug" to fix it. I use these, from 0-10gph adjustable drippers, available at Home Depot Or Lowes. Connect your drip-line to the 1/4" connector and then to the dripper. Use 2 drippers per bucket.
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Here's what the set-up looks like without the buckets.


The batos run well with all kinds of media: coco coir, clay, lava rocks, granulated rockwool but perlite is the most common medium. It's relatively cheap, provides stability and keeps light from the roots. A 24 lbs. bag will fill about 10 buckets.

The Outcome:
Here are my clones. Next shot is a week later. Followed by the final product!
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