oh okay well just getting the discussion going, you pretty much got the basic so now we can have some real fun

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As far as Hydro its like I said you can build one or buy one. I built one from two rubbermaid containers, water pump in the bottom tank with your nutrient solution, on a timer, timer goes of pump runs for 30 mins until the timer kicks again, what you want to try and do is, make sure that both tanks do not any light through and you want to feed your water pump from your reservoir (bottom tank) into your top tank make sure you get all holes sealed. and in your top tank right about and inch or so from the top put a nice big drain tube going back to the bottom reservoir. So the water will continuously run for 30 mins saturating the roots and overflowing back into the reservoir. Pump kicks off and they are good for a few hours until you have the timer kick for 30 again, the trick is to allow for a slight leak around the edge of your drain tube, NOT YOUR INCOMING LINE, this way when the pump kicks off the excess will still drain down into the bottom tank, and on the lid for the bottom tank make the hole for the drain tube a inch or so bigger around in diameter and square so that excess will run slowly run back to the bottom tank, where as the top tank can still fill up with solution. and soak the roots while the pump is running. IT miay be hard to imagine so im going to make a quick drawing BRB.
You seem to understand the indoor growing concept really the only major diff is using a different growing medium an you have to build the system or pay someone else to build and just buy one already made in a cabinet.
Its up to you. However Im sure you know that PH levels and other factors are different from soil too.