DWC is easy and doesn't cost much to get going. Rubbermaid tub, 2 x 12" airstones and some line, dual outlet aquarium air pump and RO water.
Everything else is stuff you need to grow any method that can use hydro nutes. Seeds/clones, nutes, place to grow, fans etc.
I did about 50 tubs worth from '01 - '20. With RO water and the 3-part AN pH Perfect nutes don't need a pH pen but a ppm pen is advised. Those are around $20 + $10 for calibration fluid. 3 - 1L jugs of the nutes around $50 or less and another $50 for the air supply shit. I like some Big Bud for flowering and silica is nice too but not a necessity.
Only need to top up with RO and check ppm every 3 days then add small amounts of nutes in the same ratio to raise it back to the target ppm to replace what the plants ate in 3 days. No need to change nutes until ready to flip to flower and I was not changing at all from clone to crop my last 10 tubs or so with good results.
Really don't need to top up but once a week when the plants are small and I've had up to 16 plants in one tub tho 4 is more manageable.
I found DWC to be the easiest way to grow with the least amount of problems and biggest yields. Much less work than growing in pots of soilless or soil.
