Universal Semi-Hydro Planter System, 0.5L/16Oz Cup

Looking for a reliable self-watering semi-hydro system for Alocasias, Anthuriums, and small Philodendrons?

This fully waterproof modular planter system is built around a universal 0.5L disposable plastic cup. Designed for fast, lightweight printing, it combines a wick-based inner pot with a decorative outer pot. A complete setup weighs only about 70 grams and prints in just 2–2.5 hours.

The outer pot is available in 14 unique designs. All photos show real prints—no renders here

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- I added a new print profile with a single water-level observation window created using a negative-part modifier. The modifier is intentionally larger than the outer pot, so you can simply reposition it on the build plate to create a second window on the opposite side if desired. - US 16 Oz Cup Support: - The outer pot is now also compatible with a 16 Oz disposable plastic cup. To achieve this, the outer pot has been scaled to 105% in the X and Y axes in the slicer. - I added a dedicated inner pot designed for a 16 Oz cup. Although I don’t have a physical 16 Oz cup to test, I designed and verified the inner pot using the following CAD models: - https://grabcad.com/library/16oz-red-solo-cup-1 - https://grabcad.com/library/ball-aluminum-party-cup-16-oz-1 - Since a 16 Oz cup is slightly shorter than the European 0.5 L cup, I have included a printable spacer inset . Simply place the spacer at the bottom of the outer pot to raise the reservoir cup to the correct height. The spacer is included in the inner pot print profile. If your cup differs slightly in height, you can easily adjust the spacer by scaling it in the Z axis only. ### ### ###

Many similar models rely on a fully 3D-printed water reservoir. While they can work well, achieving a waterproof print requires specialized print settings and a fully calibrated printer, a lot of filament (many walls), and significantly longer print times. Even then, a completely leak-free result cannot always be guaranteed.

So why bother when universal 0.5 L and 16 Oz disposable plastic cups are widely available with almost no cost? Instead of relying on a printed reservoir, this design uses these standard disposable plastic cups as the water reservoir. The result is a lightweight, low-cost, reliable, and fully leak-proof planter system that minimizes both print time and filament usage.

The inner planter pot is compatible with all common semi-hydro growing media, including Pon, LECA, Fluval Stratum, perlite , and similar substrates.

The setup consists of:

- Printed inner pot (separate models for 0.5 L and 16 Oz cups) - European 0.5 L or US 16 Oz disposable plastic cup as the water reservoir - Printed decorative outer pot A. Inner Pot

- Two dedicated models: one designed for the European 0.5 L disposable cup and one for the standard US 16 Oz disposable cup - Volume: approximately 420 ml - Reservoir capacity: approximately 120 ml of nutrient solution - Two wick holes - A tested single-wall design, https://makerworld.com/en/models/2153264-self-watering-alocasia-propagation-cup-with-wick - Weight: 13 g, print time: 30 minutes (with printer calibration) - Has two large ventilation openings for improved airflow and healthier root development. The ventilation openings can also be used to refill the reservoir without removing the inner pot (I use a large syringe for this purpose), and can be used for the convenient inner pot removal B. Reservoir

For the reservoir, a standard European 0.5 L or US 16 Oz disposable plastic cup is used. The sizes for the reference are:

C. Decorative Outer Pot

The decorative outer pot conceals the plastic cup while maintaining a lightweight and efficient design. Unlike many decorative pots/planters, this design is optimized for low filament usage and fast printing without sacrificing strength or appearance. It features:

- Double-wall construction for fast printing and low filament usage - Weight: 55–65 g, depending on the design - Print time: 2–2.5 hours, depending on the design - No supports required - Cutouts for convenient reservoir removal - Available in two versions: with or without a water-level observation window Currently, there are 14 decorative pot designs available. All versions were designed to print without supports, have been fully tested, and are currently used with Alocasia plants. ( I have more designs ready to share, but first I’d love to see whether this project interests the community. )

Printing Notes

Inner Pot

PETG is strongly recommended for the inner pot due to its flexibility and superior layer adhesion compared to PLA. I also recommend printing the inner pot in transparent filament to monitor root development and health. Alternatively, transparent and opaque filaments can be combined to match the outer pot color while still allowing root observation (see photos).

Outer Pot

The outer pot can be printed at a 0.24 mm layer height for faster printing. If your printer struggles with the bottom overhangs, consider printing the first 5 mm at a 0.20 mm layer height.

The outer pot can be printed with any filament. I used PLA. A non-transparent filament is recommended to block light and prevent algae growth in the reservoir. For planters placed in direct sunlight, avoid very dark colors to minimize water and substrate heating and potential PLA softening.

16 Oz cup support

Since a 16 Oz cup is 25 mm shorter than the European 0.5 L cup, I have included a printable spacer inset. Simply place the spacer at the bottom of the outer pot to raise the reservoir cup to the correct height. The spacer is included in the inner pot print profile. If your cup differs slightly in height, you can easily adjust the spacer by scaling it in the Z axis only.

Filament Usage

A complete setup consisting of the plain decorative pot and inner pot requires only approximately 70-80 g of filament and prints in 2–2.5 hours.

There are three separate print profiles!

- Inner pot (0.5 L, 16 Oz, inset for 16 Oz cup) - Outer pots without a water-level observation window - Outer pots with a water-level observation window Each outer pot is placed on a separate print plate. The plate names correspond to the numbering shown below: