Net Pot, 5″ – pack of 50

The Net Pot, 5" (pack of 50) is a case of fifty 5-inch mesh net cups from Hydrofarm (SKU HG5NETPOT, UPC 638104000789). The black slotted plastic basket is the workhorse vessel for hydroponic deep water culture, recirculating deep water culture, ebb-and-flow tables, top-fed drip systems, aeroponics, and Kratky-style setups. Sold as a case of fifty only; single units ship under SKU HG5NETPOT-1. Pricing reflects the full case quantity.

Net Pot 5-inch Specifications

The specifications below are drawn from the Hydrofarm product listing (SKU HG5NETPOT), the Grow Wiser Garden Supply catalog page, and cross-referenced retailer data at indoorgardens.com. All measurements refer to a single 5-inch net cup; the case-of-50 packaging multiplies these accordingly.

Specification	Value
Supplier SKU	HG5NETPOT (Hydrofarm / Grow Wiser)
UPC / GTIN-12	638104000789
Nominal size	5 inches (rim outside diameter)
Color	Black
Material	Slotted injection-molded plastic (polypropylene-class)
Rim style	Wide flat lip designed to rest on a lid or tray cutout
Sidewall pattern	Mesh slots running top to rim and around the basket sidewall
Packaging	Case of 50 cups only (single-unit SKU is HG5NETPOT-1)
Brand	Hydrofarm
Reusable	Yes — designed for multiple growing cycles
Compatible media	Clay pebbles (hydroton), rockwool cubes, coco coir, perlite, lava rock, rinsed peat plugs

Why Choose the Hydrofarm 5-inch Net Pot (Case of 50)

The 5-inch net cup is one of the most widely used basket sizes in hobbyist and small-commercial hydroponics. The Hydrofarm version is a well-known reference product, and buying the case of fifty rather than singles is the right move for any grower running multiple plant sites at the same time. The points below are drawn from the Hydrofarm catalog description and standard hydroponic practice.

• Case-of-50 pricing lowers per-cup cost. The HG5NETPOT case quantity is priced for growers who need fifty cups at once — for example, a single rack of DWC totes, a 4×8 ebb-and-flow table, or a season of seedling-to-vegetative transitions. Per-cup cost in a case is meaningfully lower than buying singles, which is why this case SKU exists separately from HG5NETPOT-1.
• Even drainage and root oxygenation. Hydrofarm’s product copy notes that net cups “ensure even drainage and promote bigger, healthier roots.” The slotted sidewall pattern allows the growing medium to drain rapidly, prevents the lower medium from sitting in stagnant water, and lets roots escape into the nutrient solution or air gap below.
• Wide-mesh slot pattern fits the common growing media. The 5-inch basket dimensions and slot spacing accommodate clay pebble (hydroton) media without large pebbles falling through, hold a rockwool cube of 4-inch (Grodan A-OK or Hugo) size, and retain coco coir or perlite when paired with a screen cap or shaped media plug.
• Standard rim diameter pairs with the common lid systems. The 5-inch rim is the canonical size used in most DIY DWC bucket lids, store-bought mesh-pot bucket lids in the 6-inch and 8-inch cutout class, and many ebb-and-flow flood-table trays cut to receive 5-inch baskets. Compatible accessories from the same store include the Mesh Pot Bucket Lid (6-inch) for 5-gallon bucket DWC and the Active Aqua Root Spa 5-gallon bucket system.
• Reusable across many cycles. The injection-molded plastic basket is rated for repeated cleaning and reuse. Between cycles, soak in dilute hydrogen peroxide or a horticultural cleaner, rinse, and re-deploy. With reasonable care a case of fifty supports several seasons of growing without replacement.

Best Uses for the 5-inch Net Pot

The 5-inch net pot is a general-purpose hydroponic basket. The use cases below reflect the basket size, the slotted mesh design, and the case-of-50 packaging quantity.

• Deep water culture (DWC) and recirculating DWC. The 5-inch basket is the most common cup size for single-bucket DWC, multi-bucket recirculating DWC, and bubble-bucket builds. The cup rests in a 5- or 6-inch lid cutout, the plant’s root mass dangles into the oxygenated nutrient reservoir below, and clay pebbles or rockwool hold the stem in place above. A case of fifty cups outfits ten 4-bucket DWC systems or one 50-site recirculating tray.
• Ebb-and-flow (flood and drain) tables. 5-inch net cups slot into flood-table lid cutouts at common 8-inch or 12-inch spacing for vegetative production, transplant staging, or mother-plant maintenance. The slotted design drains cleanly between flood cycles and prevents water from sitting in the medium.
• Top-fed drip systems and aeroponics. The 5-inch basket suspends a media plug or a rockwool block in a chamber where a drip emitter delivers nutrient solution from above or, in low-pressure aeroponics, a misting head wets the roots in the air gap below. The wide slots let both feed water and roots pass through without restriction.
• Kratky and other passive hydroponic methods. The 5-inch basket supports passive Kratky setups in 5-gallon buckets, tote-bin Kratky grows, and small-jar Kratky herb experiments. The slot pattern lets the lower portion of the root mass dangle into the nutrient solution while the upper portion remains in the air gap, which is the central principle of the Kratky method.
• Cloning and seedling transfer baskets. Use 5-inch cups to transition rooted cuttings from a propagation tray into a vegetative hydroponic system without disturbing the developing root structure. The basket holds a 4-inch rockwool cube, a coco plug, or a perlite-and-vermiculite mix at the appropriate height for early-stage root extension into the nutrient solution.
• Bulk replacement stock for a working hydroponic operation. Any grower running a fixed roster of 5-inch baskets across multiple systems will lose cups over time to cracking, root-bound retirement, or system reorganization. A case of fifty is the right hold-in-stock quantity to keep replacements on hand without ordering singles each time a cup breaks.

5-inch Net Pot vs Similar Net Pot Sizes & Alternatives

The hydroponic net pot market includes several common sizes and a few specialty designs. The notes below compare the 5-inch Hydrofarm cup against the most directly relevant alternatives in this catalog. The goal is to help match the cup to the system rather than to position one as objectively better than another.

5-inch vs 6-inch net pots: The 6-inch basket holds substantially more media (roughly 1.7x the volume of a 5-inch cup) and supports larger plants further into the vegetative or flowering stage. The Gro Pro 6-inch net pot is the typical step-up size and pairs with 8-inch bucket lid cutouts. Choose the 5-inch when running smaller plants, more dense planting spacing, or when an existing system is built around the 5-inch cutout class. Step up to the 6-inch when the goal is a larger root mass per site, fewer total sites in a given system, or compatibility with a 6-inch bucket lid like the 8-inch cutout class.

5-inch case-of-50 vs 5-inch single cups: The single-cup SKU (HG5NETPOT-1, Net Pot 5-inch single) ships individually and is priced per unit. The case-of-50 SKU on this page is the right choice when fifty or more cups will be deployed at once or held in stock. For replacement cups, repair stock, or small expansions of an existing system, the single SKU is the better fit. The case here cannot be split — it ships as fifty units only.

5-inch round mesh-bottom pots: A related product class is the round mesh-bottom net pot — for example the Round Mesh-Bottom Pot 8-inch (pack of 50) — which uses a fully meshed bottom rather than slotted sidewalls. The mesh-bottom design biases drainage downward and is preferred in flood-table and tray-based systems where the cup sits on a moist mat. The slotted-sidewall 5-inch Hydrofarm cup biases drainage outward as well as downward and is preferred when the cup hangs in an air gap or sits in a lid suspended above a reservoir, as in DWC.

5-inch net pot vs full bucket DWC system: For growers who do not yet own a DWC bucket system, the Active Aqua Root Spa 5-gallon bucket system ships as a complete kit with a 5-gallon bucket, an air pump, an air stone, and a pre-fitted mesh lid. That kit is more cost-effective than buying a case of fifty 5-inch net pots if you only need one or two complete bucket DWC sites. Buy the case of fifty cups when you already own the buckets, lids, and air systems and need to outfit them at scale.

Compatibility & Operating Notes

The 5-inch net cup is a passive container with no electrical components and no operating voltage or temperature limits beyond those of the plastic material itself. The compatibility notes below cover lid systems, media choices, sizing references, and cleaning practice.

• Lid cutout sizing: A 5-inch net cup requires a lid cutout slightly smaller than the rim outside diameter so the wide flat lip rests on the lid surface. Most pre-cut DWC bucket lids in the 5-inch class are dimensioned for the HG5NETPOT or equivalent Hydrofarm-spec basket. When cutting your own lids, measure the underside of the rim shoulder and cut the hole to that dimension so the cup sits flush.
• Compatible growing media: The slot pattern is open enough for clay pebbles (hydroton) of standard 8–16 mm size, 4-inch rockwool cubes (Grodan A-OK plug in larger Hugo block, or equivalents), coco coir plugs and chips, perlite mixes, and lava rock. Very fine media such as loose vermiculite, fine perlite dust, or peat moss without coarser additions will sift through the slots and should be combined with a coarser bottom layer or paired with a screen liner.
• Saucer and tray pairing: The 5-inch basket fits standard flood-table cutouts and bucket lid cutouts in the 5- and 6-inch class. For a DWC bucket, the Mesh Pot Bucket Lid (6-inch) is the typical fit for a 5-gallon bucket; check the cutout dimension against your specific cup before drilling or trimming.
• Temperature and chemical exposure: The black injection-molded plastic is rated for the standard indoor hydroponic temperature range of 55–90°F (13–32°C). The material is compatible with dilute hydrogen peroxide cleaning solutions (3 percent), dilute bleach (followed by a thorough rinse), pH-up and pH-down standard horticultural products, and standard mineral nutrient salts in solution. Avoid concentrated solvents and strong oxidizers in undiluted form.
• Reuse and cleaning: Between growing cycles, remove all root matter, soak the cups in a dilute cleaning or sterilizing solution for 15–30 minutes, scrub with a soft brush to remove biofilm from the slot edges, rinse thoroughly with clean water, and allow to dry. Inspect for cracks at the rim or sidewall slots and retire any damaged cups before re-deploying.

Usage Guidelines

The 5-inch net cup is used the same way across every common hydroponic method. The notes below describe the standard procedure for filling, planting, and maintaining the cup in a working system.

Filling the cup with media: Place a small layer of media at the base of the cup — usually a single layer of clay pebbles, a partial rockwool plug, or a small wad of coco coir — to support the plant’s root ball or starter cube. Set the rooted plug, cube, or seedling at the appropriate height so the root crown sits roughly at the level of the cup rim. Fill the remaining volume around the plug with clay pebbles or your chosen medium, working the pebbles gently around the roots to stabilize the plant without compacting the root mass.

Establishing root contact with the nutrient solution: For DWC and Kratky setups, position the cup in the lid so the lower 0.5–1 inch of the cup base sits in the nutrient solution at the start of the cycle. As the plant grows and the reservoir drops, the root mass extends downward into the solution and air gap below. For ebb-and-flow and drip systems, the cup is typically suspended above the nutrient solution and is wetted on a timer.

Watering and feeding: Watering frequency and nutrient strength are governed by the hydroponic system and the plant’s growth stage, not the cup itself. The cup’s job is to drain rapidly and provide structural support. In a DWC system, the air pump and reservoir do the watering work. In a drip system, a timer manages the schedule. The net cup’s open design means it neither retains nor restricts water beyond what the media inside the cup naturally holds.

Root pruning and growth monitoring: Roots will grow out through the slots in the sidewall and base over the course of a vegetative and flowering cycle. This is expected and desired in most systems. In ebb-and-flow tables, the lateral slot growth helps anchor the plant and provides additional contact with flood-cycle nutrient solution. In DWC, the bulk of the root mass dangles below the cup; what grows through the slots is the lateral surface roots that contribute to plant stability.

Storage and stacking: Cups nest for storage and transport. A case of fifty nests into a compact stack that takes up significantly less shelf space than fifty individually packaged singles. Denest carefully — the wide rim can wedge into the cup below if the stack is compressed, requiring a firm twist to separate.

How to Set Up a 5-inch Net Pot in a DWC System

The procedure below describes the most common deployment of a 5-inch net pot — a single-bucket DWC site. The same steps adapt to ebb-and-flow tables, recirculating bucket arrays, and drip systems with minor modifications.

1. Inspect the cups before use. Pull cups from the case and check for cracks at the rim or hairline fractures in the sidewall slots. Discard any damaged cups. Rinse all cups briefly with clean water to remove manufacturing residue.
2. Confirm the lid cutout is sized for the 5-inch cup. Drop the cup into the bucket lid cutout. The rim should rest flush on the lid surface, and the cup body should hang straight down without binding. If the cutout is too tight, the cup will not seat properly; if too loose, the cup will tip in the lid.
3. Add nutrient solution to the bucket. Fill the bucket with prepared nutrient solution at the appropriate strength for your crop’s growth stage. Stop filling when the solution surface sits roughly 0.5–1 inch below the underside of the lid — this places the lower section of the cup just barely in contact with the solution at the start of the cycle.
4. Set up the air pump and air stone. Drop a hydroponic air stone into the bucket and connect it to an aquarium-style air pump with food-grade airline tubing. Turn on the pump and confirm steady bubble flow across the bottom of the bucket before proceeding.
5. Fill the net cup with media. Add a small starter layer of clay pebbles at the cup base. Set the rooted cube, plug, or seedling at the correct height. Fill the remaining cup volume with clay pebbles, gently distributing them around the plant.
6. Seat the planted cup in the lid. Drop the planted cup into the lid cutout. Confirm the lower portion of the cup is in contact with the nutrient solution. Lightly mist the surface of the clay pebbles with fresh water to wick moisture downward into the root zone for the first 48 hours.
7. Monitor the reservoir over the first week. Check the nutrient solution level daily for the first week. As roots extend down into the solution, the reservoir level will drop. Top off with fresh nutrient solution as needed and confirm the air stone is still producing steady bubbles.
8. Maintain across the cycle. Top off the reservoir on a weekly basis, monitor pH and EC according to your crop’s requirements, and observe root color and density through the cup slots. Healthy roots are off-white to light tan; brown or slimy roots indicate root rot or temperature issues in the reservoir.
9. Reset between cycles. At harvest, remove the plant and root mass from the cup, rinse the cup, soak in a dilute cleaner, rinse again, and store nested with the remaining stock for the next cycle.

Sources & Further Reading