Universal Semi-Hydro Planter System (0.5L 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

UPDATE 04.07.2026. For US users, the outer pot is also compatible with a standard 16 oz disposable plastic cup. For comparison, height / internal diameter:

* The outer pot has a minimum internal diameter of 100 mm; it can be slightly larger depending on the design.

Since the 16 oz cup is slightly shorter, I have included two printable spacer inserts (10 mm and 20 mm tall). Simply place one in the outer pot to raise the reservoir cup to the desired height. The inserts are located in the inner pot print profile.

If you would like a little more clearance between the top of the cup and the outer pot, you can scale the outer pot by 3% in the X and Y axes in your slicer. This increases the internal diameter while preserving the intended 2-wall construction.

I will add a separate, shorter inner pot for the 16 oz cup, working on it…

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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 0.5L disposable plastic cups are widely available with almost no cost? Instead of relying on a printed reservoir, this design uses a standard 0.5L disposable plastic cup 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
• 0.5L disposable plastic cup as the water reservoir
• Printed decorative outer pot

A. Inner Pot

• 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 0.5L disposable plastic cup is used. The size for the reference is: height 145 mm, bottom diameter 60 mm, top diameter 95 mm.

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

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.

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.

The inner and outer pots are provided as two separate print profiles! 

Each outer pot is placed on a separate print plate. The plate names correspond to the numbering shown below: