I like my 5 gallon SIP planters. I give 'em a gallon of water or nutes every 3 or 4 days and that seems to do the trick. Takes about 10 minutes to mix the solution and water 3 plants. Automation would be nice but this way was dirt cheap. 3.99 for the 5 gallon paint bucket, 50 cents worth of pvc pipe, some coke cans from the garbage plus dirt and there you go.