You'll hate using single buckets. Connect then and add waterfalls to them and have an RDWC setup. You'll have a control reservoir too so you can add nutes, water, drain, or whatever.
https://www.rollitup.org/t/i-gotta-lose-the-air-pumps-how-plus-my-awesome-mini-dwc.960807/page-3#post-14262160...