A concise list of the pro's and con's between various growth medium.
Hydro
Pros: Increased plant growth rates and yields with improved aromatics, potency and taste.
Cons: Requires close monitoring of ph and ppm levels and total reliance on constant electricity.
Organics
Pros: More cost effective, forgiving and simple for inexperienced, smaller growers to manage.
Cons: Harder to ascertain and maintain consistent and optimum moisture, nutrient and ph levels.
Aeroponics
Pros: Unsurpassed plant growth, resin, potency and yields with incredible aromatics and taste.
Cons: Requires close monitoring of ph and ppm levels and total reliance on constant electricity.
Notes:
There is a difference between growth rate and yield. Just because something grows faster does not mean it will yield more when all is said and done.
Having greater aromatics is a matter of opinion and relative to growing skill and methods. When done correctly, organic soil grows can produce buds that smell just as strong as those grown hydroponically. Hydro-grown plants do tend to have a slightly faster growth rate, but to state that they definitively yield more is a bit misleading.
The reason that some switch to organic soil is because they didn't see enough difference in either growth or anything else to warrant the need for all of the monitoring and expensive meters and nutrients required in hydro- or aeroponic systems. The only provable plus to hydroponics is growth rate. One should also consider the potential chemical aftertaste in the flavour of buds, extreme susceptibility to over/under fertilization, very high initial investment, many things to break and clog, etc.
If grown in a nice airy organic soil mix and watered with good organic amendments, growth enhancers and beneficial fungi (mycorrhizae), you will easily compete with that of a hydroponic system. Your end result will be full flavored, non-chemical tasting buds.
Bottom line - unless you are obsessed with fittings, toys and technology (and many are), organics can grow nearly as fast, just as big (if not bigger), better tasting and IMHO more potent buds. And they do this with very little initial investment and are more forgiving of newbie mistakes. This isn't to say you won't find absolutely supurb hydroponically grown marijuana, but since we feel most visitors reading our FAQ will be beginners, we would like to lean towards recommending methods best suited for beginners.
