Towers are our Core initial product.

MaterialCycle Towers are currently used for easy, low-maintenance gardening — but this is only the beginning.

The whole system is designed to grow with you. As the ecosystem expands, tower owners will be able to add a range of clip-on modules that unlock powerful new functions.

Planned future modules include:

☀️ Solar Distillation Modules
Convert dirty water or seawater into clean drinking water using only the sun.
🍅 Solar Dehydration Modules
Preserve food with passive solar energy — perfect for sun-dried tomatoes and more.
🐝 Beekeeping Modules
Support pollinators and harvest small batches of honey.
💧 Water Filtration Modules
Clean water for eco-pools, aquaponics, fish ponds, or garden irrigation.
🌿 Air Purification Modules
Improve indoor or outdoor air quality using plant-based filtration.
🌡️ Temperature Regulation Modules
Shape and stabilize your micro-climate through clever water circulation.
🔊 Acoustic Optimization Modules
Use flowing water and sound-absorbing design to soften harsh city noise.

And this is only the start — many more modules are still to be explored and developed.

🌱 Grow Tube

Modular Plant Growing Unit
(250 mm diameter × 500 mm deep)

The MaterialCycle Grow Tube is a durable, fully reusable plant-growing module designed for growers who value efficiency, longevity, and minimal waste. It integrates seamlessly into the MaterialCycle tower system, combining robust construction with practical features that support high-quality plant production in compact, vertical spaces.

Rather than treating growing containers as disposable items, the Grow Tube is designed to remain in continuous use across many planting cycles — supporting a more resilient and circular way of growing.

🛠️ Designed for long life & circular use

The tube and removable base plate are constructed from 1 mm clear polycarbonate sheet, selected for its strength, weather resistance, and recyclability at end of life. All bolted connections use small stainless steel bolts and nuts, ensuring corrosion resistance and easy disassembly for repair or recycling.

Snap-fit mounting clips are made from long-lasting UV-stabilised LDPE, designed to withstand prolonged outdoor exposure while remaining flexible and replaceable.

This material strategy keeps the Grow Tube simple, durable, and compatible with circular economy principles.

⚙️ How the Grow Tube works

Plants grow inside a clear cylindrical tube, supported by a suspended removable base plate resting on four aluminium rods. Excess irrigation water drains freely below the base plate, preventing waterlogging while maintaining a well-aerated growing medium.

The transparent tube allows growers to easily monitor soil structure and moisture content, enabling accurate watering and healthier plants without disturbing the soil.

Any water that drains below the base plate is captured by the tower’s reservoir and recirculated back to the plant, forming a closed-loop system where water and nutrients are conserved rather than lost.

🌱 Full plant extraction — without waste

When a plant is ready to be harvested, transplanted, or sold, the four aluminium support rods can be removed, allowing the base plate to be dropped out together with the entire plant and root ball fully intact.

This approach enables:

Stress-free transplanting
Clean harvesting
Sale of mature plants without destroying the growing container

Once the plant is removed, the Grow Tube remains fully reusable and ready for immediate replanting — a significant advantage over conventional potted systems where containers are often discarded after extraction.

🌬️ Built-in wind shelter & extendable protection

The section of transparent tube above soil level doubles as a mini greenhouse, providing valuable wind shelter for young plants while still allowing full sunlight penetration. This is especially beneficial in windy outdoor environments, where early-stage stress can slow or damage growth.

Wind protection and plant support can be extended upward using clip-on wind shelter / plant support rings, allowing growers to adapt protection as plants grow taller.
Additional shelter and support attachments are sold separately.

🔄 Closed-loop efficiency by design

The Grow Tube is designed to work as part of a larger system, where:

💧 Water is captured, reused, and never wasted
🌾 Nutrients remain within the growing loop
🌍 Growing remains efficient even in water-scarce conditions

This makes the Grow Tube particularly well-suited to sustainable food production and long-term outdoor setups.

✅ Key grower benefits (ranked)

♻️ Fully reusable growing container — no disposable pots
💧 Closed-loop water & nutrient reuse with zero runoff
🌱 Stress-free full plant extraction via drop-out base plate
🌬️ Built-in wind shelter for young plants
🔄 Rapid crop turnover without system disruption
🧩 Modular, snap-fit integration with MaterialCycle towers
👀 Easy visual monitoring of soil moisture and condition
⬆️ Extendable wind shelter and plant support
🌡️ More stable growing microclimate
🚚 Safer transport of plants for sale or relocation
📦 Lower consumable costs over time
🧪 Ideal for experimentation and side-by-side trials
🧠 Lower skill barrier for new growers
🧱 Space-efficient vertical growing
🧼 Fast cleaning and reset between cycles
🛠️ Long-lasting, repairable construction
☀️ Outdoor-ready, UV-stable materials
🌍 Reduced plastic waste footprint
🔩 Field-repairable, component-level serviceability
🏷️ Easy plant identification and tracking
🌱 Supports living soil systems
🛒 Clean, professional presentation for resale

🧱 Construction & materials

1 mm UV-stabilised clear polycarbonate tube and base plate
Stainless steel bolts and nuts throughout
Aluminium base plate suspension rods
UV-stabilised LDPE snap clips
Lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and modular

💰 Pricing & availability

Price: R220
Price is indicative and subject to change. Lead times may apply.

For availability, bulk orders, or integration into a complete MaterialCycle tower system, please contact MaterialCycle directly.

🌱 Grow Tube Base Plate

Removable, Reusable Drainage & Support Plate
(250 mm diameter × 1 mm thick)

The MaterialCycle Grow Tube Base Plate is a simple yet essential component for efficient plant growth. Made from clear, durable polycarbonate, it provides a stable, reusable floor for growing media while allowing excess water to drain freely, keeping roots healthy and soil well-aerated.

🛠️ Built to last & reuse

Material: 1 mm UV-stabilised clear polycarbonate — strong, weather-resistant, and recyclable.
Design: Precision-drilled drainage holes ensure free water flow while retaining soil and root systems.
Durability: Fully reusable across multiple planting cycles, supporting a circular growing approach.

⚙️ Function & benefits

💧 Efficient drainage: Prevents waterlogging and promotes healthy root development.
🌱 Supports full plant structure: Keeps soil and roots intact for stress-free harvesting or transplanting.
👀 Transparent monitoring: Lets growers observe soil moisture and root health.
🧼 Quick cleaning: Smooth surface allows rapid reset between cycles.
🧱 Modular compatibility: Fits standard MaterialCycle Grow Tubes seamlessly.
♻️ Sustainable: Eliminates disposable liners or containers, supporting circular growing.

💰 Pricing & availability

Price: R40 per Base Plate
Price is indicative and may vary. Bulk orders or integration into a full Grow Tube system can be arranged via MaterialCycle.

🌿 Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) – Fast-Growing, High-Impact Water Plant

Ideal for Aquaponics • Water Purification • Fish Habitat • Eco-Towers

Price:
• R15 per rosette
• R40 for 3 rosettes
(fresh, healthy plants)

⭐ What You’re Getting

This is Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes), a bright green, free-floating aquatic plant with soft, velvety leaves that form attractive lettuce-like rosettes on the water surface.
Each rosette floats freely and produces long, feathery roots that hang down into the water.

Water lettuce is widely used because it:

Absorbs excess nutrients efficiently
Improves water clarity and stability
Creates habitat for fish and beneficial microbes

🌱 Why Water Lettuce Is So Valuable

✔ Fast, Easy Growth
Water lettuce spreads naturally by runners in warm, sunny conditions. It establishes quickly from just a few rosettes and is easy to thin or harvest as needed.

✔ Powerful Natural Water Cleaner
The dense root systems act like a living filter, removing:

Ammonia and nitrogen
Phosphates
Fine suspended particles

Perfect for improving water quality in ponds, fish systems, and aquaponics setups.

✔ Excellent Fish & Fry Habitat
The hanging roots provide shelter and feeding grounds for:

Small fish and fry
Shrimp and snails
Beneficial bacteria

This helps reduce stress on aquatic life and improves overall system balance.

✔ Helps Control Algae
By shading the water surface and competing for nutrients, water lettuce naturally suppresses algae growth without chemicals.

✔ Low Maintenance, High Return
No soil, no planting, no electricity.
It floats, grows, cleans water, and multiplies — making it ideal for simple, low-energy systems.

🌎 How It Fits the MaterialCycle Vision

MaterialCycle is about small, regenerative loops that turn waste streams into value.
Water lettuce fits this perfectly:

Excess nutrients → living biomass
Dirty water → cleaner, more stable systems
Sunlight → growth and filtration

This same principle drives the MaterialCycle Towers:
simple materials, modular biology, and circular flows that work whenever the sun shines.

💧 Ideal For

Aquaponics and fish systems
Ponds and water features
Water polishing and nutrient removal
Fry and shrimp habitat
Algae control
Eco-Tower and modular water experiments

📦 Availability

Harvested fresh from clean, circulating systems.
Pickup in Cape Town

🌿 True Salvinia (Floating Fern) – Fast-Growing, Beautiful, High-Value Water Plant

Ideal for Aquariums • Water Purification • Ponds • Eco-Towers

Price: R40 per 250 ml portion (fresh scoop)

⭐ What You’re Getting

This is True Salvinia (Salvinia spp.), a soft, velvety floating fern with oval leaves that form attractive surface clusters.

Unlike tiny duckweed, Salvinia has larger, textured leaves that naturally link together into a lush floating mat.

It’s a rapid-growing plant capable of:

Expanding its surface coverage every few days under good conditions

Absorbing nutrients efficiently from the water column

Forming a thick, stable “living green surface layer” that’s both beautiful and functional

🌱 Why Salvinia Is So Valuable

✔ Fast, Controlled Growth

Salvinia grows quickly without becoming difficult to manage.
It spreads steadily across the water surface and can be thinned simply by scooping off clusters. Perfect for beginners, tanks, or outdoor buckets.

✔ Natural Water Polisher

This plant absorbs nitrogen, ammonia, and phosphates, helping stabilise and clear water. Ideal for:

Ponds and bowl ponds / Aquariums / Aquaponics / hydroponics pre-filtration

Eco-Tower reservoir polishing / Holding tanks or nutrient-rich runoff areas

✔ Great for Fish & Micro-Life

Fish love Salvinia. It provides gentle shade, reduces stress, and creates micro-habitats for fry and shrimp. Especially useful for:

Minnows / Guppies and livebearers / Shrimp colonies / Betta setups / Small pond fish

✔ Helps Reduce Algae Naturally

By shading the surface and locking up excess nutrients, Salvinia suppresses algae and keeps the system calmer and cleaner.

✔ Low Maintenance, High Benefit

No soil, no fuss — it floats, multiplies, improves water, and adds a natural aesthetic to any system.

🌎 How It Fits the MaterialCycle Vision

Our regenerative design approach is rooted in small biological loops that clean water, cycle nutrients, and create useful biomass.

Salvinia fits this perfectly:

a floating fern that captures excess nutrients, moderates light, and stabilises water while contributing to the overall balance of the system.

These same principles drive the MaterialCycle Towers:

lightweight systems, simple materials, fast biology, low inputs, and circular flows.

When you buy Salvinia from us, you’re supporting — and participating in — that broader regenerative model.

💧 Ideal For

Aquarium surface cover / Pond shading and cooling / Water polishing / nutrient removal

Natural filtration systems / Shrimp and fry refuge / Eco-Tower reservoir experiments

Backyard buckets and micro-ponds / Decorative bowl ponds

📦 Availability

Harvested fresh from clean, circulating systems.

Pickup in Cape Town.

🌿 True Duckweed (Lemna Species) – Ultra-Fast Growing, High-Value Water Plant

Ideal for Aquaponics • Water Purification • Micro-Farming • Eco-Towers

Price: R40 per 250 ml portion (fresh scoop)

⭐ What You’re Getting

This is True Duckweed (Lemna spp.), mainly Lemna minor — the tiny, bright-green floating plant known for forming a clean, even “green carpet” on water surfaces.

It is one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth, capable of:

Doubling every 24–72 hours under good conditions

Extracting nutrients rapidly from the water

Producing dense, high-quality biomass with very little space

🌱 Why Duckweed Is So Valuable

✔ Ultra-Fast Growth

Duckweed multiplies quickly, giving you nearly continuous harvest cycles. Once established, you can scoop some off daily or every few days without slowing the colony.

✔ Natural Water Polisher

Lemna species pull out nitrogen, ammonia, phosphates, and other excess nutrients — leaving water clearer and more stable. It’s one of the simplest natural tools for improving:

Pond clarity

Aquaponics system balance

Fish tank water quality

Fertiliser runoff areas

✔ High Protein Live Feed

Duckweed typically contains 30–45% protein (dry weight). Perfect as a supplement for:

Tilapia and goldfish / Koi and pond fish / Chickens (when dried) /Compost worms / Snails, tadpoles, shrimp

✔ Helps Reduce Algae

By shading the water surface and absorbing nutrients, duckweed naturally competes with and suppresses algae growth.

✔ Low Maintenance, High Output

No soil, no fuss — it floats, grows, doubles, and keeps producing. It’s one of the easiest “micro crops” anyone can manage.

🌎 How It Fits the MaterialCycle Vision

Our entire approach is built around small-scale regenerative loops — lightweight systems that clean water, cycle nutrients, and generate useful biomass.

Duckweed is a perfect example:

a plant that turns excess nutrients into a valuable resource while keeping the system in balance.

This is the same principle behind the MaterialCycle Towers we design:

fast biology, simple materials, low energy inputs, and circular flows.

When you buy duckweed from us, you're supporting and participating in that bigger regenerative model.

💧 Ideal For

Aquaponics and hydroponics / Water polishing and nutrient removal / Natural filtration systems

Live food for small fish / Compost accelerators / Eco-Tower experiments / Edible biomass for micro-farms

📦 Availability

Harvested fresh from clean, circulating systems.

Pickup in Cape Town

Papyrus- Umbrella Sedge

🌿 Cape Flats Papyrus – A Key Component of the MaterialCycle Water System

Bring resilience, beauty, and ecological function into your home with Cape Flats papyrus (Cyperus textilis) — a fast-growing wetland plant native to South Africa and an important part of natural water purification systems.

Papyrus forms a core component of the MaterialCycle approach: compact, modular, regenerative setups that help households grow more with less — improving water quality, supporting biodiversity, and turning small spaces into productive ecological micro-systems.

Buying a plant supports the development of the broader MaterialCycle urban eco-gardening concept, built around practical, affordable solutions for everyday homes.

✅ What’s Available (Ongoing Supply)

Cape Flats Papyrus – Fresh, rooted clumps prepared upon request

Plants are separated from mature mother clumps at the time of order to ensure:

strong live roots

fast establishment

healthy new growth

compatibility with buckets, ponds, tanks, mini bog filters, and MaterialCycle towers

🌱 Availability:

Always in stock (photos are examples only).

💸 Straightforward Pricing:

Papyrus clumps are priced by the number of healthy shoots attached to live roots.

R50 per shoot

Choose your clump size:

Starter clump (2 shoots): R100
Medium clump (3–4 shoots): R150–R200

Large clump (5+ shoots): R250+

(Cash only)

🌤️ Care Requirements (Beginner Friendly)

Papyrus thrives in the same conditions recommended for MaterialCycle water modules:

Light: Full sun preferred; part shade tolerated

Water: Keep soil waterlogged or submerged — perfect for buckets, reservoirs & wet zones

Temperature: Warm climates; tolerates mild frost

Humidity: Higher humidity encourages lush growth

Feeding: Organic fertiliser every 4–6 weeks

📏 Growth & Uses

Height: 1–2 m

Spread: 30–60 cm

Best in containers 30 cm+ placed inside a water-filled bucket or mini wetland zone

Excellent for:

small bog filters

water clarification systems

natural micro-wetlands

pond edges

improving fish water quality

enhancing the performance of MaterialCycle towers or standalone buckets

🌍 Why MaterialCycle Papyrus?

Each plant supports your space and the broader MaterialCycle mission:

🌱 Sustainable:
Propagated from existing clumps

💧 Functional: Naturally filters water and supports mini-ecosystems

🏡 Urban-friendly:
Works in tight spaces, balconies, courtyards

♻️ Regenerative:
Integrates into MaterialCycle modules & towers

🪴 Aesthetic:
Tall, elegant stems create movement and calm

This positions papyrus not just as a plant — but as a small piece of a bigger regenerative system.

📦 Collection & Contact

📍 Bloubergstrand, Cape Town

(Exact pickup address provided after booking)

🗓️ Collections by appointment only

💬 Message me on Facebook Marketplace Messenger for orders or questions

📌 Larger MaterialCycle systems & components available on request

🌿 Banana Plants – Williams / Lady’s Finger

Fast-Growing • Productive • Edible Landscaping • Regenerative Food Plant

Ideal for Gardens • Smallholdings • Food Forests • Eco-Systems

Price: Message for current sizes & pricing (Prices Range from R250- R450 per Banana Plant)

⭐ What You’re Getting

Healthy, well-established banana plants (Williams or Lady’s Finger varieties), grown locally and ready to establish quickly.

These are true fruiting bananas — not ornamental types — selected for:

Reliable growth

Good fruit quality

Strong root systems

Bananas are technically giant grasses and are capable of remarkably fast biomass production under the right conditions.

🌱 Why Banana Plants Are So Valuable

✔ Fast, Visible Growth

Bananas grow quickly and respond immediately to water, compost, and nutrients.
Few plants give such clear feedback — if they’re happy, you’ll see it.

✔ High-Yield Food Plant

Both Williams and Lady’s Finger are excellent eating bananas, producing large bunches once established.
A single clump can feed a household over time.

✔ Multi-Functional Plant

Beyond fruit, banana plants provide:

Shade and wind buffering

High-biomass leaves for mulch

Moisture retention in gardens

Strong visual impact in small spaces

✔ Great for Warm, Sunny Climates

Perfectly suited to Cape Town’s warmer areas and protected gardens. With enough water and organic matter, bananas thrive.

✔ Low-Tech, High Reward

No grafting, no fancy inputs — just sun, water, and organic material. Simple biology doing heavy lifting.

🌎 How It Fits the MaterialCycle Vision

Banana plants embody the same principles behind the MaterialCycle approach:

fast biology, simple inputs, circular nutrient flows, and maximum utility per square meter.

They convert:

water + sunlight + organic waste into food + shade + biomass + soil improvement.

Whether planted next to greywater systems, compost areas, or Eco-Towers, bananas slot naturally into regenerative, low-cost growing systems.

💧 Ideal For

Home food gardens

Food forests

Greywater-adjacent planting

Compost-rich zones

Eco-Tower companions

Urban and suburban yards

Fast results for new gardeners

📦 Availability

Grown locally.

Pickup in Cape Town.

📩 Message for current stock, sizes, and collection details.

🌿 Azolla (Water Fern) – Fast-Growing, Nitrogen-Fixing Super Plant

Ideal for Aquariums • Ponds • Aquaponics • Poultry Feed • Regenerative Growing

Price: R50 per 250 ml portion (fresh, live culture — approx. a handful)
Cash preferred

⭐ What You’re Getting

Live Azolla, a small floating aquatic fern known for its rapid growth and natural ability to fix nitrogen from the air.
It forms soft green mats on the water surface and grows well in fish tanks, ponds, tubs, eco-pools, and DIY growing systems.

Under good conditions, Azolla can:

• Double its biomass every 3–5 days
• Improve nutrient balance in water
• Produce dense, useful green biomass in very little space

🌱 Why Azolla Is Useful

✔ Great for Aquarium Hobbyists
Helps absorb excess nutrients, provides surface cover, and can be grazed by fish. Suitable for outdoor tanks, tubs, and many pond-style aquariums.

✔ Natural Nitrogen Booster
Azolla fixes nitrogen naturally, making it ideal for regenerative systems, composting, and soil building.

✔ High-Protein Live Feed
Typically 20–30% protein (dry weight). Commonly used as a supplement for:
• Ducks & chickens
• Tilapia, koi & goldfish
• Compost worms & insect larvae

✔ Helps Reduce Algae
By shading the water surface and competing for nutrients, Azolla naturally suppresses algae growth.

✔ Low Maintenance
No soil, no fertiliser. It floats, grows, and keeps reproducing with minimal effort.

🌎 Why I Grow It

I grow Azolla as part of small-scale regenerative systems focused on clean water, nutrient cycling, and high output in small spaces.
It’s the same principle behind the modular eco-tower systems I’m developing — simple biology doing useful work.

💧 Transport & Packaging

• Please bring your own waterproof container for transporting the plants.

• If needed, I can supply suitable packaging for an additional R10 per 250 ml portion

📦 Availability & Pickup

Freshly harvested from clean, circulating systems.
Pickup in the Blouberg / Table View area, Cape Town

🐟 White Cloud Mountain Minnow
(Tanichthys albonubes)

Hardy • Elegant • Ideal for Linked Eco-Towers & Modular Water Systems

Compatible with MaterialCycle Eco-Towers • Linked Tank Vessels • Living Water Infrastructure
Aquaponics-ready

⭐ What You’re Getting

The White Cloud Mountain Minnow (Tanichthys albonubes) is a small, cold-tolerant freshwater fish originating from the mountain streams of Guangdong Province, China. Named after the White Cloud (Baiyun) Mountains, this species evolved in clear, oxygen-rich, slow-to-moderate flowing water — conditions that closely mirror well-designed, circulating eco-tower systems.

Its slim, torpedo-shaped body features a soft metallic stripe along the flank, with red accents on the fins. Calm, resilient, and highly adaptable, it is widely regarded as one of the most robust small freshwater fish available.

💰 Pricing

• R20 per fish (mixed sex)
Healthy, active individuals

🌱 Why White Cloud Mountain Minnows Work Exceptionally Well in MaterialCycle Systems

✔ Designed for Flowing, Linked Water Volumes
White Clouds naturally thrive in systems with gentle circulation and high oxygen levels, making them an excellent biological match for eco-towers linked to shared tank vessels.

✔ Low Bioload, High Stability
Their small size and efficient metabolism produce manageable nutrient output, supporting stable microbial and plant cycles without overloading filtration or water chemistry.

✔ Temperature-Flexible & Energy-Light
They perform well in cooler and variable temperatures (≈14–24 °C), eliminating the need for heaters in most climates — ideal for low-energy, solar-driven systems.

✔ Calm, Non-Destructive Behavior
They do not uproot plants, chew roots, or disturb substrates, allowing plant modules, root zones, and filtration layers to function undisturbed.

✔ Schooling Behavior Improves System Health
Kept in groups, they distribute waste evenly through the system, encouraging consistent nutrient flow and bacterial activity.

🔬 Scientific & Technical Profile

Scientific name: Tanichthys albonubes
Common names: White Cloud Mountain Minnow, White Cloud Minnow
Family: Cyprinidae

Adult size:
• 3–4 cm (occasionally up to 4.5 cm)

Lifespan:
• 3–5 years in stable systems

Preferred temperature:
• 16–22 °C (tolerates ~14–24 °C)

pH range:
• 6.0 – 7.5 (neutral to slightly acidic preferred)

Water hardness:
• Soft to moderately hard

Oxygen demand:
• Moderate to high (benefits from circulation and surface movement)

🍽 Feeding & Nutrient Cycling

White Clouds are omnivorous micro-predators:

Fine flake or micro-pellets
Live or frozen foods (daphnia, mosquito larvae, brine shrimp)
Naturally graze on micro-organisms within mature systems

Their feeding behavior supports predictable nutrient release, making them ideal for systems where plant uptake, microbial filtration, and water clarity must remain balanced.

🐣 Breeding Behavior (System-Friendly)

White Cloud Mountain Minnows are egg scatterers:

No parental aggression or nest defense
Eggs are released among fine plants or root masses
Spawning occurs naturally in stable, well-oxygenated systems
Fry feed on micro-organisms before transitioning to fine foods

In eco-tower setups with dense root zones or bio-media, occasional natural reproduction may occur without intervention — a strong indicator of system health.

🌎 How They Fit the MaterialCycle Vision

White Cloud Mountain Minnows align perfectly with MaterialCycle’s first-principles approach:

Minimal inputs, maximum system value
Biology matched to simple materials and natural flows
Scales cleanly across linked towers and shared reservoirs

They convert food into nutrients, nutrients into plant growth, and circulation into system resilience — all without complex hardware.

💧 Ideal For

Linked MaterialCycle Eco-Towers
Shared tank vessels and circulating reservoirs
Modular living water systems
Educational and experimental ecological setups
Low-energy, solar-assisted infrastructure
Aquaponics systems

📦 Availability

Healthy, active fish raised in clean, circulating systems.
Pickup in Cape Town, Bloubergstrand

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