by Jorge Cervantes
Hydroponics
Hydroponics stores make their money selling you hydroponic systems. The salespeople are knowledgeable and can tell you a lot about the systems they sell, but they may oversell their products, and you could end up buying things you do not need. When you consider purchasing hydroponics, start out slowly and purchase a system that can be expanded. Most systems require that you measure the pH and EC (ppm) of the nutrient solution as well as turn it on and off automatically, which requires a timer. Other than that, you will not need more fancy instruments and cool gadgets. Get as much experience as possible before investing too heavily.
Growing hydroponically is considered by many to be superior to growing in soil because you can give plants maximum levels of the exact nutrients they need. Precise control of nutrient uptake makes it possible to reap higher yields faster.