🧠 19 L control bucket: the brain of the RDWC system
The control bucket is the central piece of an RDWC system. Unlike the grow buckets that hold the plants, the controller stays free of vegetation and concentrates all the hydraulic intelligence of the circuit. It houses the submerged Hailea HX2500 water pump that pushes the solution to the grow buckets, and it serves as the single point for measuring and adjusting the pH and EC of the whole system.
No controller, no recirculation. It is therefore a critical part: you need one to replace a damaged controller, to expand an existing system (going from a 4-bucket kit to an 8 or 12-bucket one) or to build a custom setup.
💧 Solid lid and submerged pump
Unlike the grow bucket, the control bucket comes with a solid lid (not drilled for a net pot). It houses the water pump and prevents rapid evaporation as well as any outside contamination. An access hatch lets you insert the pH/EC probe, check the level and dose nutrients without dismantling anything.
The Hailea HX2500 pump (sold with the kits, not with this bucket alone) is completely silent and draws less than 8 W for a 650 L/h flow rate. It is enough to feed up to 12 buckets connected in parallel with no noticeable pressure loss.
📊 Technical specifications
- Capacity: 19 litres
- Dimensions: 30 cm diameter x 33 cm height
- Material: food-grade double-wall polypropylene
- Lid: solid, with access hatch and pipe pass-through
- Fittings: 32 mm push-fit (2.0 variant) or 50 mm (PRO variant)
- Colour: black interior, heat-reflective white exterior
- Country of origin: Italy, Growrilla workshop (Turin)
🔧 Compatibility and use cases
This bucket is compatible with all Growrilla RDWC 2.0 and PRO kits depending on the chosen variant. It is mainly used to replace a damaged controller, set up a second controller for very large systems (18 buckets and more), or build a custom configuration from spare parts.
To expand an existing kit from a smaller to a larger format, you generally keep the same controller (one is enough for 12 buckets). This product does not replace a complete kit: it contains neither pump nor fittings.
💡 Pro tips for getting the most out of the controller
The controller also acts as a centralised dosing point: add your nutrients and pH correctors here, never directly into the grow buckets. The pump then ensures a homogeneous mix within a few minutes. This is one of the big advantages of RDWC over simple DWC.
For 16-18 bucket setups, some growers run two controllers in parallel to double the buffer volume and reduce corrections. A second controller also makes things easier if a pump temporarily fails.
🛡️ Origin and warranty
Made in Italy at the Growrilla workshop in Robassomero (Turin), injection-moulded food-grade polypropylene with quality control on every batch. 2-year warranty on the tank and lid. Spare parts permanently available at Univers-Aquaponie.
