Active Aqua 2.0 Ultra-Low Tray, 4' x 8'

A Gutter Design Built to Beat Uneven Edge Drying

On a standard flood tray, plants along the rim dry out faster than the ones in the middle. Increased airflow along the edges pulls moisture out sooner, leaving an uneven canopy and a harvest that ripens in waves instead of together.

The Active Aqua 2.0 Ultra-Low Tray, engineered by Staal Plast, builds a fix directly into its channels: a gutter design that holds water slightly higher along the tray's edges, so when the flood drains, those edge plants stay irrigated a little longer than the ones in the center. That sits on a 3-ply, UV-stabilized HIPS build with a low 2.5in wall designed specifically for single-tray mobile bench systems, gray, impact- and low-heat resistant, and made in the U.S.A.

Key Features & Benefits

• 4ft x 8ft x 2.5in footprint (W x L x H) — fits 4x8 rolling benches and racking systems built around that single-tray standard.
• Lifted-edge gutter design — raises the water level slightly along the tray's edges so rim plants stay irrigated as long as the ones in the center.
• 3-layer high-impact polystyrene construction — adds strength and durability beyond what a single-layer tray can offer.
• UV-stabilized top layer — protects the tray's gray finish from color change under grow-room lighting over time.
• Impact- and low-heat-resistant, recyclable HIPS — stands up to daily handling and the conditions of a working grow room.

Who Should Use This Ultra-Low Tray

This tray suits growers running 4x8 rolling benches or single-tray racking systems on the ebb-and-flow method who want a more uniform crop edge-to-edge. Anyone who's noticed rim plants finishing behind the rest of the canopy will get the clearest benefit from its gutter design.

About Active Aqua

Staal Plast builds the Ultra-Low Tray for Active Aqua's U.S. manufacturing line, a tray engineered specifically for the single-tray mobile benches and racking systems that Hydrofarm sells alongside it, rather than as a general-purpose flood tray.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the "rim effect" this tray is designed to fight?

It's the tendency for plants along a flood tray's edges to dry out faster than ones in the center, caused by increased airflow at the rim. This tray's gutter design counters that by holding water slightly higher along the edges.

What is the tray made of?

It's built from 3 layers of high-impact polystyrene with a UV-stabilized top layer, in a gray, impact- and low-heat-resistant, recyclable finish. The layered build is what gives it enough strength for daily handling on a mobile bench.

What bench systems is it designed to fit?

It's sized for 4x8 single-tray mobile benches and racking systems, such as Active Aqua's AARBK48 Rolling Bench System. A different footprint bench won't line up with the tray's edges.

How tall are the tray walls?

The wall height is a low-profile 2.5in, matching the design standard for single-tray mobile bench systems rather than the deeper walls used on multi-tray ebb-and-flow trays. The gutter channels do the work of holding water at the edges despite that shallow wall.

Where is it manufactured?

It's manufactured in the U.S.A. by Staal Plast specifically for the Active Aqua 2.0 line, distinct from the Low Rise and High Rise trays in that same catalog.