Duralastics White Hydroponic ID Tray – 4 Feet x 8 Feet

The Duralastics White Hydroponic ID Tray 4 ft x 8 ft is a one-piece thermoformed ABS grow tray sized to a true 4 ft x 8 ft inside dimension (ID), giving you the full 32 sq ft of usable growing surface that most flood trays lose to thicker sidewalls. The white interior reflects light back into the canopy and makes algae, sediment, and root debris immediately visible during routine cleaning. Built from heavy-gauge food-grade ABS plastic with reinforced corners and a molded drainage channel pattern, this tray is purpose-built for commercial ebb-and-flow, drain-to-waste, and rolling-bench setups where a full 4×8 of working surface matters.

Duralastics 4×8 ID Tray Specifications

The specifications below reflect the published Duralastics product data, the primary supplier listing at HTG Supply (SKU HYC-DL-WT4X8), and standard published reference data for the Duralastics White ID Tray line. All dimensions and capacities are specific to the 4 ft x 8 ft size on this listing.

Specification	Value
Brand	Duralastics
Supplier SKU	HYC-DL-WT4X8
Color	White
Inside dimensions (ID, L x W)	96 in x 48 in (8 ft x 4 ft)
Outside dimensions (approx.)	~100 in x 52 in (overall footprint including sidewalls)
Sidewall height	~7 in (standard flood-tray depth)
Usable growing area	32 sq ft
Material	Thermoformed food-grade ABS plastic
Construction	Single-piece (no seams), reinforced corners
Drainage design	Molded channel grid directing flow toward end drain points
Drain fitting size (typical)	Accepts ¾ in or 1 in bulkhead fittings (sold separately)
Country of origin	USA
Shipping note	Oversize freight item; ships LTL or by in-store pickup at most suppliers

Why Choose the Duralastics 4×8 ID Tray

Duralastics ID (Inside Dimension) trays are the format most commercial cultivators specify when they want a true 4×8 of usable surface rather than an outside-dimension tray whose ID falls noticeably short. The label matters: a tray sold as “4×8 OD” commonly delivers about 3.7 ft x 7.7 ft of actual growing area once the thick sidewalls and corner radius are accounted for, which is roughly 28 sq ft instead of the full 32 sq ft you get on this listing.

• True 4 ft x 8 ft inside dimension. The ID spec is what determines how many pots, propagation flats, or net pots actually fit on the tray. A full 96 in x 48 in interior accepts twelve standard 10×20 propagation flats in a 4 x 3 grid with very little wasted space, or accommodates a 4×8 grid of 1-gallon containers, or fits four standard 24 in x 48 in rockwool mat sections side by side. On an outside-dimension tray of the same nominal size, you would lose roughly one row of containers along the long edge.
• White interior reflects light back into the canopy. Light that reaches the tray surface on a black tray is absorbed and converted to heat at the root zone. The white Duralastics surface bounces a meaningful fraction of that light back up into the lower canopy, where it adds to the photosynthetic budget for buds and leaves on the underside of the plant. White interiors also make algae growth, mineral scale, and root-zone debris visible at a glance — you can spot a problem during a walkthrough rather than discovering it when the drain backs up.
• Single-piece thermoformed ABS construction. The tray is formed from a single sheet of ABS plastic with no seams, joints, or glued sections that can fail under sustained water load or repeated flood cycles. Reinforced corners and ribbed sidewalls keep the tray rigid under the weight of a full flood (a 4×8 tray flooded to 1 in depth holds roughly 20 gal of water, or about 165 lb). Standard flood-tray gauge ABS resists the typical chemical attack from hydroponic nutrient solutions, pH adjusters, and dilute hydrogen peroxide sanitizers within the manufacturer’s rated concentrations.
• Molded drainage channel grid. The tray floor is molded with a network of raised ribs and recessed channels that direct water and runoff toward the drain points at the tray ends. Containers sit on the raised ribs while water flows below them, so the pot bases are not sitting in standing water between flood and drain cycles. The channel design also makes the tray easier to clean — debris collects in the channels rather than spreading evenly across a flat floor.
• Made in USA with food-grade ABS. Duralastics manufactures domestically with food-grade ABS resin, which matters for growers producing edible crops where nutrient solution and water contact the tray surface and return to the reservoir for recirculation. The tray meets the chemical resistance and dimensional stability standards that commercial cultivators rely on for multi-year service in continuously operating grow rooms.

Best Uses for the Duralastics 4×8 ID Tray

The 4×8 ID tray is the largest standard footprint in commercial ebb-and-flow and drain-to-waste hydroponic systems. The use cases below reflect how growers most commonly deploy a tray of this size and how the Duralastics ID format and white interior change the math compared to smaller or darker trays.

• Commercial ebb-and-flow flood tables. A 4×8 flood tray plus a 50–75 gal reservoir, a submersible pump, fill and drain fittings, and a recycling timer is the canonical recirculating flood-and-drain setup. The 32 sq ft of usable surface holds roughly 32 plants in 3-gal containers (one per square foot) or 64 plants in 1-gal containers in a 2-per-square-foot grid. Flood depth typically runs 1–2 in for rockwool and coco coir media, and 2–4 in for expanded clay pebble systems. The 7 in sidewalls support the deepest flood profiles in the standard flood-tray range.
• Drain-to-waste runoff catchment for large container gardens. Set on a level surface or a sloped bench, the 4×8 ID tray catches runoff from a row of large containers (3–7 gal fabric pots, plastic nursery pots, or stone wool slabs on top) and channels the runoff to a waste container, floor drain, or return reservoir below. With a target 15–25 percent runoff fraction on a 2 L per plant feeding to twenty plants, expect 6–10 L (1.5–2.5 gal) of runoff per feeding — well within the tray’s effective capacity. The white interior makes it obvious when runoff EC creeps up or salt deposits start accumulating along the drainage channels.
• Rolling-bench grow rooms. The 4×8 footprint is the dominant tray size on commercial rolling-bench layouts. Paired with a rolling-bench tray stand, two or three benches share a single aisle that rolls between rows, recovering 25–35 percent of the floor area that fixed benches lose to permanent aisles. If you are building out a rolling-bench room, a Fast Fit rolling bench tray stand 4 ft x 8 ft accepts this Duralastics tray on its 50-1/4 in x 102-1/4 in tabletop with room to spare.
• Propagation and clone production at scale. The 96 in x 48 in interior holds twelve standard 10×20 propagation flats in a 4-wide by 3-deep grid (40 in x 30 in occupied), leaving a 56 in x 18 in area for humidity domes, reservoir cups, or supplemental water sources. A single 4×8 tray supports the propagation output of a small-to-medium commercial nursery on one bench. The white interior reflects supplemental T5 or LED propagation light evenly across the cuttings, reducing shadow zones that lead to inconsistent rooting.
• Mother-plant and stock-plant rooms. The full 32 sq ft holds eight to twelve mature mother plants in 5–7 gal containers with room for the working space around each plant. The 7 in sidewalls catch the heavy runoff that comes from large-container hand watering or drip systems, and the white interior provides a clean, professional appearance during facility tours and inspections. Pair with a calibrated water and nutrient monitoring routine. For ongoing pH meter maintenance, the Apera GroStar pH probe maintenance kit handles electrode cleaning and storage between calibrations.
• Cold-frame and greenhouse bench applications. In greenhouse settings, the 4×8 ID tray sits on bench framing or sawhorses to create a contained growing surface that catches drip irrigation runoff and prevents water damage to the bench top and concrete floor below. The ABS plastic with UV inhibitors handles indirect sunlight in greenhouse environments; for direct unfiltered exposure on south-facing benches, position the tray under shade cloth or partial canopy to extend service life.

Duralastics ID Tray vs Botanicare OD Tray

The most direct competitor at this size is the Botanicare 4 ft x 8 ft OD (outside-dimension) tray, the dominant flood tray in the North American commercial hydroponic market. The two trays look similar on a shelf but are spec’d differently in a way that materially affects how you load them.

The headline difference is the dimension convention. The Duralastics 4×8 is sold by its inside dimension (true 96 in x 48 in interior). The Botanicare 4×8 is sold by its outside dimension (approximately 99 in x 49 in overall, with an interior closer to 92 in x 44 in once you subtract sidewall thickness and the corner radius). On the Botanicare tray you give up roughly 28–32 sq in along each long edge and 7–8 sq in along each short edge of usable surface — about 3.5 to 4 sq ft total — for the same nominal “4×8” label.

Other trade-offs to weigh:

• Color and visibility. Duralastics ships in white; Botanicare ships in black (with a black OD low-tide variant). The white surface reflects roughly 70–85 percent of incident light back into the canopy versus near-zero reflectivity on black ABS. White also reveals contamination, mineral deposits, and root debris that hide on black surfaces. Black trays absorb heat under direct light, which can be either an advantage (warmer root zone in a cool room) or a problem (overheated root zone in a hot room).
• Construction and material thickness. Both trays use food-grade ABS with reinforced corners and ribbed sidewalls. Duralastics positions its trays as commercial-grade with heavier thermoformed gauge ABS; Botanicare offers a similar build with the added marketing point of at least 80 percent recycled content on its current production runs. In practice, both trays support multi-year service in continuously operating grow rooms when handled and cleaned per manufacturer guidance.
• Drainage channel pattern. Duralastics uses raised ribs and recessed channels with drain points at the tray ends, suited for fittings installed at either short end. Botanicare uses a diagonal grid with drain points at one corner (low-tide series) or center-end (standard OD). Match the drainage layout to your plumbing plan: end-drain trays plumb cleanly along the long axis of the bench, corner-drain trays route plumbing along one end.
• Price and availability. Both lines are priced in a similar commercial range; specific list prices vary by supplier, batch, and shipping mode. The Botanicare ecosystem has a broader catalog of matching accessories (line locks, header locks, branded bench systems). The Duralastics ecosystem is more focused on the trays and reservoirs themselves, with cross-brand compatibility for common drain fittings, bench systems, and irrigation hardware.

If your room layout requires the full 32 sq ft of growing area and you value the white surface for canopy reflectance and visible inspection, the Duralastics ID tray is the right call. If you are already running a Botanicare-equipped room with matching line locks and bench rails, staying in-system on a Botanicare OD tray keeps your accessory parts unified.

Compatibility & Plumbing Notes

Compatibility data below reflects the published Duralastics ID tray specifications, standard commercial flood-tray practice, and the cross-brand bench systems and fittings most commonly used with 4×8 ID trays.

• Bench and stand compatibility. The 4×8 ID tray fits on any commercial 4×8 bench rated for the loaded weight of a flooded tray (approximately 165 lb of water at 1 in flood depth, 330 lb at 2 in, plus container weight and plant biomass). Rolling-bench systems with a 50-plus inch tabletop accept this tray with room for the sidewall flare; cross-brand options include Fast Fit, Active Aqua, and Botanicare Track Bench. Verify your bench’s rated load capacity exceeds the fully loaded tray weight (typically 600–1,200 lb in production).
• Drain fittings. The tray accepts standard ¾ in or 1 in bulkhead fittings at the recessed drain points molded into the tray floor. Both sizes are widely available in plastic (PVC, polypropylene) and brass; for grow-room use, plastic is preferred for corrosion resistance. Install with a rubber gasket on each side of the tray floor and hand-tighten plus a quarter turn — over-tightening can crack the ABS at the bulkhead recess.
• Pump and reservoir sizing for ebb-and-flow. Plan for a reservoir at least 1.5 times the flood volume; for a 1 in flood depth that means roughly 30 gal of reservoir capacity, and for a 2 in flood depth roughly 60 gal. Submersible pump flow should fill the tray to the target depth in 5–10 minutes (about 200–400 GPH for a 1 in flood, 400–800 GPH for a 2 in flood) and drain back to the reservoir in 15–30 minutes under gravity.
• Drain-to-waste plumbing. For drain-to-waste, install a single ¾ in or 1 in bulkhead fitting at one end of the tray (the lower end if you slope the tray for drainage) and route ¾ in or 1 in ID vinyl tubing to a waste container, floor drain, or holding tank below the tray. A 1–2 percent slope along the long axis (1 to 2 in of drop across 96 in) ensures runoff flows cleanly without pooling.
• Light reflectivity and supplemental lighting. The white interior pairs well with LED, HPS, and CMH/MH lighting in the standard horticultural PAR range. Reflectance is broadband across the visible and near-IR portions of the spectrum, so the canopy benefit applies regardless of lamp choice. Position lights to maintain even canopy coverage; the reflective tray surface amplifies hot spots along with cool spots, so uniform lighting design matters.
• Chemical compatibility. ABS plastic tolerates the pH range used in hydroponic nutrient programs (pH 5.0–7.0), standard hydroponic nutrient formulations, and dilute hydrogen peroxide sanitizers at concentrations up to about 3 percent. Avoid concentrated solvents (acetone, MEK, chlorinated solvents) and strong oxidizers (concentrated bleach over 10 percent, peracetic acid above manufacturer-rated concentration), which can degrade ABS over repeated exposure.
• Temperature range. ABS is stable across the temperature range of typical indoor grow rooms (55–95°F / 13–35°C). For greenhouse use with possible exposure to direct sunlight, the UV inhibitors in commercial-grade ABS provide service life of multiple seasons, but direct unfiltered UV will eventually embrittle the plastic. Position under shade cloth or canopy where possible.
• Floor and freight considerations. The 4×8 tray is an oversize freight item. Most suppliers ship it LTL on a pallet or offer in-store pickup. Allow for a delivery vehicle that can handle a pallet, and inspect the tray on arrival for cracks at the corners or warping that may have occurred in transit.

Usage Guidelines for the Duralastics 4×8 ID Tray

Day-to-day operation of a 4×8 flood tray is straightforward once the room is plumbed and the bench is leveled. The guidelines below cover the operational details that come up most often in commercial cultivation.

Initial leveling. Set the tray on a fully assembled and squared bench. Place a 4 ft bubble level across both axes of the tray surface and confirm level (or, for drain-to-waste, confirm the intended 1–2 percent slope along the long axis toward the drain). Shim under the bench legs if the room floor is uneven. An out-of-level flood tray leaves a pool of water at one end after each drain cycle, which accelerates salt buildup and algae growth in that section.

Container layout for ebb-and-flow. Common loadouts on the 96 in x 48 in interior include: a 4 x 8 grid of 32 plants in 3-gal containers (12 in spacing center to center along the 4 ft axis, 12 in along the 8 ft axis); a 6 x 12 grid of 72 plants in 1-gal containers (8 in spacing each axis); or twelve 10×20 propagation flats in a 4-wide by 3-deep arrangement. Keep at least 1 in of clearance from the tray sidewalls so the drainage channels along the edges remain unobstructed.

Flood cycle parameters. Typical flood-and-drain timing for a 4×8 tray on rockwool, coco coir, or expanded clay pebbles runs 1–4 floods per day depending on plant size, root mass, and room climate. Flood depth of 1–2 in is standard for rockwool and coco, with deeper 3–4 in floods used for thicker expanded clay beds. Hold the flood at target depth for 10–20 minutes, then drain over 15–30 minutes. Verify the pump is sized to fill the tray to the target depth within 10 minutes — longer fill times reduce the effective flood duration and stress the pump.

Drain-to-waste operation. For drain-to-waste, set drip emitters or hand-watering volumes to produce a target 15–25 percent runoff fraction. A row of twenty 3-gal containers receiving 2 L per feeding (40 L total) will produce 6–10 L of runoff per feeding cycle. Monitor the runoff EC and pH on a regular schedule and flush the substrate when runoff EC creeps more than 30–50 percent above the feed EC, which indicates salt accumulation in the media.

Cleaning between crop cycles. Remove all containers, debris, and root material from the tray surface. Rinse with plain water, then apply a dilute cleaning solution: 1:4 white vinegar in water for mineral scale, or a commercial mineral remover rated for ABS plastic. Scrub the drainage channels with a long-handled soft-bristle brush, paying particular attention to the corners and the recessed drain points. Rinse thoroughly and allow the tray to air-dry. The white interior makes residual contamination immediately obvious during the final inspection.

Sanitization for pathogen control. Between crop cycles, sanitize the tray after cleaning to break the pathogen chain. Apply 3 percent hydrogen peroxide undiluted to all interior surfaces and the drainage channels, let it sit for 10 minutes, then rinse with clean water. Alternative sanitizers include quaternary ammonium products at manufacturer-rated dilutions, and dilute peracetic acid solutions at concentrations rated for ABS plastic. Avoid concentrated bleach above 10 percent, which can degrade ABS over repeated applications.

Algae control. Algae grow wherever light meets standing water and nutrient solution. The white tray surface makes algae visible early, which is the main defense. Keep the tray covered with a reflective film, panda film, or fitted tray cover where roots emerge from net pots; this blocks the light that algae need to colonize the tray surface and root zone. Replace covers if they tear or develop mold spots.

EC and pH monitoring. Maintain regular calibration of EC and pH meters used in the reservoir and runoff measurements. Drift in the readings leads to incorrect feed adjustments and salt accumulation that shows up in the tray as mineral deposits along the drainage channels.

How to Install the 4×8 Tray on an Ebb-and-Flow Bench

The steps below describe installing the Duralastics 4×8 ID tray on a commercial bench for an ebb-and-flow flood system. For drain-to-waste setups, the same steps apply with the addition of a slope to one end (step 4) and a single drain fitting routed to a waste container instead of a return reservoir.

1. Inspect the tray on arrival. Unbox the tray on a clean surface and inspect for cracks at the corners, warping along the sidewalls, or molding defects. A tray that arrives warped will not sit flat on a bench and will pool water on one side. Report damage to the supplier within their stated inspection window before installation.
2. Confirm bench capacity and squareness. Verify the bench is rated for the fully loaded tray weight (typically 600–1,200 lb in production). Check that the bench tabletop is square (diagonal measurements match) and level along both axes. An out-of-square bench will stress the tray sidewalls; an out-of-level bench will leave standing water in one end of the tray.
3. Position the tray on the bench. With a second person, lift the tray onto the bench tabletop, centering it so the sidewall flare clears the bench frame on all four sides. The tray should rest evenly on the tabletop with no rocking. Check that the tray drain recesses align with where you plan to install the bulkhead fittings.
4. Confirm tray level. Place a 4 ft bubble level across the tray surface in both axes. For ebb-and-flow, confirm fully level so the tray fills and drains evenly. For drain-to-waste, shim the high end to create a 1–2 percent slope along the long axis toward the drain.
5. Install the drain fitting. Drill or knock out the molded drain recess if not pre-cut (use a hole saw matching the bulkhead size). Insert the bulkhead fitting with a rubber gasket on each side of the tray floor. Hand-tighten plus a quarter turn with a wrench — do not overtighten. Attach the barbed outlet to vinyl tubing of matching ID.
6. Plumb the return line. Route the drain tubing from the tray fitting down to the reservoir below the bench. Use the largest tubing diameter your fittings accept (1 in ID is preferred over ¾ in for the larger 4×8 flood volume) and minimize sharp bends that restrict flow. Secure the tubing to the bench frame with cable ties.
7. Install the pump and fill line. Place the submersible pump in the reservoir, sized to fill the tray to your target flood depth in 5–10 minutes. Connect the pump outlet to a fill line that runs up to the tray, terminating at the opposite end from the drain so the flood water flows across the full length of the tray before draining. Secure the fill line to the bench frame.
8. Wire the timer. Connect the pump to a recirculating timer set to your initial flood schedule (typically 1–2 floods per day for established plants on rockwool or coco, more for hot/dry rooms or large root masses). The timer should turn the pump on for the fill cycle duration only; the tray drains by gravity once the pump is off.
9. Dry-fit and test with plain water. Fill the reservoir with plain water (no nutrients yet) and run a full flood cycle. Watch the fill rate, confirm the tray reaches the target depth, and verify the drain returns water to the reservoir without leaks at the fittings or overflows at the tray sidewalls. Run two or three test cycles before adding plants or nutrients.
10. Load containers and begin growing. Place containers on the tray in the planned layout. Confirm clearance to the sidewalls and verify containers sit flat on the drainage channel ribs without rocking. Switch from plain water to nutrient solution and begin the production schedule.

Sources & Further Reading