Pump -may be an aquarium powerhead pump, at least 500 litres per hour is recommended for the above size system. Do not use clear tubing due to algae growth in tubing. Most ebb and flow systems will flow back through the fill fitting, using it as the main drain. Containers -Almost any plastic container may be used as long as proper drainage is ensured. Containers are not nessesary, the ebb and flow tray may be filled with medium and planted, but individual harvesting of plants is harder.
Many people use indiginous material such as sand, gravel and sawdust.
How to run this system Ensure that the tray will flood to the desired height. If planting directly into tray, flood enough that the root system is well watered every time the tray is filled. Do not allow water to go all the way up to the crown of the plant, which is where the plant stem starts out of the growing media. The tray must drain completely and have no puddles left after flood cycles, otherwise problems with pythium could happen. Make sure to install an overflow drain, so that if main drain becomes plugged system will not overflow.