I got in touch with a couple of local restaurants (friends) that will hold 5 gallon buckets for me, starting now.  I'm going to try some self watering containers since I see a lot of advantages with it.  With the buckets being free, I can spend a few bucks on the stuff needed to build the SWC.  The proper pots are just too costly when you need more than 50.
Based on your experience, will the 5 gallon buckets work for a couple years?

Frank, I've just started with the SWC project but I have used 5 and 6 gallon buckets for 5+ years as larger pots with no degradation in the material. For my SWC I am using 3 inch PVC as the wicking chamber and a stand under the second bucket so the second bucket sits higher and I get a larger water reservoir. A 5 gallon bucket in a 6 gallon bucket works nice. Gal at the local BK saves the 5's for me.

Vince,

That's great to hear.  Do you think the 5gal stacked in another 5gal will work fine as well?  Thanks!

Frank,

(2) 5 gals stacked inside works out very well. I was able to get 12 medium/small persimmons in a 5 gal stacked SWC. Should work well for figs that are not to big.

I used them last year, not even as SWC. I just drilled drainage holes along the bottom rim and made them into big nursery-style pots. Sure, I had to water more often, but it worked well for me. I grew nice tomatoes in some as well.

Once I was given a few of restaurant (food grade) 4-5 gal buckets that I used for figs.
They were rectangular in shape (not the traditional round). Later I found that they tended
to (UV) disintegrate much, much faster than those 5 gal buckets, that came with say sheet rock compound.

Frank the 5 in a 5 works well by all others accounts I've read I believe we can call that true. I'm a lazy fig hence the reason I wanted a larger space in the lower bucket for the water. I am going to experiment with how well the wicking works because I am asking it to travel higher into the second bucket than the standard setup.

Thanks for the input guys.

Can you post the link to the SWC using the 5 gal buckets? Thanks much.

Can you share how you build the SWC system?
I found a lot of free buckets in a flower section of my local grocery store.

I got the inspiration from Vince (striveforfreedom) when he posted this link in the SWC thread:  Http://www.globalbuckets.org

You know, I'd like to see a link too. There was a good link on F4F to a great youtube video out of Cali but then I went back later to check it a 2nd time it said that the user had removed the video. That one was really nice! Had an awesome tutorial.

There are a lot of instructions out there on the internet for SWC, often called Earth Box. Here's one link that has a lot of different plans that one can adopt per ur application/use.

http://www.seattleoil.com/Flyers/Earthbox.pdf

I think option No. 3 shows the two 5 gallon bucket plan of attack.

This is also a good link. http://www.globalbuckets.org/

Frank,
Thanks for the link, nice!
The water in the lower bucket provides enough for the bottom 3/4 of the soil.
How do you seal off the soil surface so it doesn't become dry too much?  I assume, you don't water from the top?
How often do you add the water?

greenfig,

It's all new to me too.  But there seems to be enough evidence that it works.  If you browse youtube or google, there's several ways to make one.  I'll be making mine in the upcoming weeks.

This thread should be read too:
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/potting-mix-for-self-watering-container-%28SWC%29-6254526

Super! I was going to make some too. Don't know when but I'll post the pics when I have something.
I also want them to look nice so the orange HD buckets wont do for me.

So paint them. There is mine from last year.

If you have a Firehouse subs in your area, I would try there.  They get pickles in them.  In my area, they sell them for $2.

That looks very nice, bugs.

Hey Frank,
I seen all of Bugs figs. His figs in the self watering containers are growing way faster/bigger.

Sharp looking bugs. Keeps them cool too.

Very nice tree and container , bugs !

Has anyone tried these containers as an alternative to the global bucket design?  They come in various sizes/colors are aren't as expensive as you might think.  However, I haven't seen them in person and don't know exactly how they are designed internally.

http://www.amazon.com/Misco-1654-Watering-Planter-16-Inch/dp/B0053NKIVA/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1363808304&sr=1-1&keywords=self+watering+planters+and+pots

Moss,

It is just latex paint from Home Depot or Lowe's in, you have to take the shine off the buckets.
Find some color that some one did not want.