The Growrilla RDWC 2.0 : the Italian benchmark in modular DWC
RDWC (Recirculating Deep Water Culture) continuously circulates an ultra-oxygenated nutrient solution through several interconnected grow pots. The roots sit directly in this solution, absorbing dissolved oxygen and nutrients, and benefit from a perfectly homogeneous environment with no substrate at all. The result : explosive root growth, high yields and precise pH and EC control from a single central point.
The RDWC 2.0 is the second generation designed by Growrilla, released in 2022. It introduces 32 mm push-fit fittings that assemble and disassemble without tools, full modularity (pots can be added or removed in minutes) and black-and-white double-wall pots made in Italy. The kit comes complete, with air pump, water pump, central controller, tubing, fittings and net pots.
💧 How it works and how it is designed
The heart of the system is the controller pot. It houses the Hailea HX2500 water pump (650 L/h, 8 W), which pushes the solution to each grow pot through 32 mm tubing. Once in the pot, the solution oxygenates the roots through a 50 x 50 mm cylindrical air stone powered by the Hailea ACO 9602 air pump, then flows back to the controller by gravity through the same network. The cycle repeats 24 hours a day, without interruption.
The key advantage of recirculation is the perfect homogeneity of pH, EC and temperature across all pots. A simple DWC, isolated pot by pot, sees its parameters drift over the days, with plants growing differently depending on their position. Here, all your plants receive the same dose at the same time, and you only make corrections in one place : the central controller.
Growrilla pots have a recognisable visual signature. The inside is black to block light and prevent green algae from developing in the solution. The outside is white to reflect heat and limit warming when the system is installed under powerful HPS or LED lights. This simple detail makes all the difference to the stability of a summer grow.
🌱 How to choose between 2 and 18 pots
Choosing the right size depends on three criteria : the floor space available, the number of plants you want to grow in parallel, and your level of experience. The 2, 3 and 4 pot formats are perfect for an apartment, a mezzanine or a first trial, on a footprint of 60 x 60 to 100 x 100 cm. The 6, 8 and 9 pot formats target the 120 x 120 cm grow box, the most popular for indoor growing, with a good balance between yield and ease of management.
The 12, 16 and 18 pot formats move into semi-professional production, for a dedicated greenhouse or a fully fitted-out room, on footprints of 200 x 200 to 300 x 300 cm. Whichever format you choose, the supplied air pump and water pump are sized to deliver sufficient flow across the entire circuit, with no upgrade needed.
⚙️ Technical specifications
- System type : recirculating RDWC, 32 mm push-fit, second generation
- Grow pot : 19 L, black-and-white double wall, 30 cm diameter, 33 cm height
- Net pot : 14 cm (5.5 inch) heavy duty, 1 per grow pot
- Water pump : Hailea HX2500, 650 L/h max, 8 W, submerged in the controller
- Air pump : Hailea ACO 9602, 4 outlets, 2 x 432 L/h, 7 W
- Diffusers : 50 x 50 mm cylindrical air stones, 1 per pot
- Fittings : 32 mm push-fit, tool-free assembly, removable
- Voltage : 220 to 240 V AC, 50 to 60 Hz, standard European plug
- Total power consumption : around 15 W (air pump + water pump)
- Country of origin : Italy, Growrilla workshop in Robassomero (Turin)
- Warranty : 2-year manufacturer warranty, pumps included
🔧 Installation and day-to-day maintenance
Installation : unpack and identify the parts (pots, controller, fittings, pumps, tubing, net pots, air stones). Place the system on a flat, stable, waterproof surface, close to a power outlet.
Connect the pots to the controller using the 32 mm push-fit fittings — a simple click is all it takes. Install the air pump outside the hydraulic circuit, then connect the air stones with the silicone tubing. Fill with water, ideally reverse-osmosis or low-mineral water, set the pH to 5.8 and the EC according to the growth stage. Run both pumps continuously and check for leaks before placing the plants in the net pots.
Daily maintenance : check the water level in the controller, the visible flow at the outlets, the EC and the pH. Adjust if any drift appears. Do a full drain every 7 to 14 days to prevent salt build-up and biofilm development.
Mistakes to avoid : never leave the pots exposed to direct light (risk of algae despite the black wall if light enters from the top), do not overdose nutrients (the EC rises quickly in a closed circuit), and do not forget to replace the air stones every 6 to 12 months depending on water hardness (telltale sign : larger bubbles, less foam).
Winter period : if the room temperature drops below 18 degrees Celsius, add an aquarium heater to the controller to keep the solution around 20-22 degrees and preserve root vigour.
🌟 Why choose the Growrilla RDWC 2.0
The Growrilla RDWC 2.0 combines several strengths rarely found together. It is a fully Made in Italy product : design, moulding and assembly are all carried out in the Growrilla workshop in Robassomero, near Turin, since 2014. The anti-algae double wall (light-blocking black interior, heat-reflective white exterior) is a technical signature of the brand that limits both algae growth and solution warming.
Full modularity lets you go from a 4-pot to an 8-pot format simply by ordering the extensions, without changing the controller. The 2-year manufacturer warranty covers the entire system, pumps included, and after-sales service is handled directly by Univers-Aquaponie from France. Finally, the system is compatible with virtually every species suited to DWC : tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers, strawberries, lettuces, herbs, flowering plants. And it uses up to 70 percent less water than an equivalent soil-based grow.
The RDWC 2.0 versus other hydroponic systems
Compared with a simple DWC, the RDWC 2.0's recirculation keeps pH and EC perfectly homogeneous across the pots — something an isolated system simply cannot do. Against NFT, the much larger water volume (19 L per pot) provides great thermal stability and resilience to pump failures for several hours, whereas an NFT will see its roots dry out in under an hour.
Against aeroponics, RDWC is far simpler to set up, more tolerant of power failures, and requires neither nozzles nor frequent cleaning. Against drip irrigation, there is no risk of clogged drippers, root oxygenation is much higher and productivity is typically 20 to 40 percent greater.
