Looking for 18x48" drip/drain trays

[Rivka]

I'm looking to hand or mount something under each shelf of my wire racks to catch watering overflow and whatever. would love it to be ridged enough to hang from hooks or something below rather than sit on the rack and have to move all the orchids to clean it.

in dream world it would also be clear so that it does not darken the lower shelf of my two on each rack. but i may just work on putting a reflector on the under side of it

i will probably be fitting it with a drain line

I'm open to making something if nothing is out there, just seems like there has to be something out there.

[Ray]

I can get you the 20" x 49" X 1.5" deep fiberglass trays they use in "Floracarts", but they are opaque. (I suspect you're overestimating the "pass-though" lighting.)

[Discus]

Anything clear is likely to grow algae in it anyway - you'll be better of lighting each layer separately.

[Rivka]

I am on window light only, so every little bit helps. I do windows that are down low on my lower shelf and do keep my lower light chids down there.
I think I need to stick with something a tad smaller than my racks if I'm going to hang them from under each shelf. If they were larger like the size you mention Ray, they would not fit between the posts, something the would need to do in at least one dimension.
As for alge, these are just overflow and splash pans, they would be dry most of the time. And hanging below rather than having the pots sit in them will make wiping out pretty straight forward.

All that being said, I understand that clear might be the first thing I have to compromise on. Getting lights may be in my future.

[BikerDoc5968]

You might want to try your local post office. They have large trays for sorting mail that they pitch from time to time.

[Rivka]

Yeah I was actually thinking of getting a sheet of that material and making one that fit perfectly. That corrugated plastic is useful stuff.

[Rivka]

Ok I ordered some trays that are for the bottom of dog crates. They are exactly the right length 47.25 and just a bit wide. I am going to see if I can slice it and slid the two halves together overlapping and epoxy them back together.

I am going to suspend them under the shelves, there is a lip at goes down around the shelf so I think I can run some cross bars under the trays to hold them in place.

I will also be putting a threaded drain hole in one corner (and hand that corner a tad lower) and attach a tube there that will go into whatever larger drain system I work out.

Will post pictures when they get here.

[derv88]

Curious Ray and everyone - what do people use as trays on their 48" x 72" wire racks? I'm getting tired of pots tipping over.

[Optimist]

Making your own out of acrylic from home depo or something might not be out of line. Then there are long low under-bed totes you could cut down. Acrylic or plexi-glass seems to be very expensive. I have looked all over too.