I plan to start growing marijuana hydroponically. Which type of system should I use?
To be successful with a marijuana hydroponic system, you need to keep it as simple as possible. Passive systems, like wick and reservoir systems, do not circulate water and require much less attention.
Ebb-and-flo and drip systems circulate the water, but can be mastered with only a small learning curve. NFT and aerponic-based systems are difficult to learn. Still, they are great when they are working properly.
Steer clear of systems that do not have redundancies in the vent of a breakdown (e.g. power failure). For example, a drip system that uses perlite or rockwool as a medium can hold water for around 24 hours if no more water is delivered. Hydrostones dry out in less than six hours in most cases, but, if the stone is sitting in an inch of water, it will draw water through its capillary action. You can find materials for constructing these units at indoor garden shops, nurseries, pet shops, and hardware stores.
Tony