Apology accepted.
I'm gonna post now like gambler isn't here and will never read this (he will). I was disappointed he didn't give ebb and flow a fair shake. He started out in hempy and realized the scale he wanted wasn't there. That's where I'm at right now, too. He made a good run at E&F (God knows he has energy to burn) but didn't get to his goal out of THAT, but, as has been said, dialed in it's a great yielder. I personally would have stuck with that for a few more cycles, changing media and containers and stuff to make it work better, not fling it aside and go for a new and not very widely known method. Even if some newbies are pulling huge weight out of it, it's a system with a steep learning curve and built-in mistakes to make. Plus a considerable downstroke on startup.
Like you said, meds, he is well into it now, nowhere to go but forward. I never meant to stomp on it. Personally, I'm hoping to see a monster tree grow. gambler deserves it just on the grounds that he's worked so hard and he's a hella nice guy
Oregon, I took no offense and I am one of the "ignorant" (that word has a negative connotation, but it's correct to describe my knowledge of the system you're discussing).
That being said, it's my thorough belief that horizontal systems are, by and large, fairly interchangeable with each other (DWC=aero=E&F, with <5% differences at most between them, assuming all else equal).
Now going off of that premise (which may or may not be correct, but I believe it is), I think it makes much, much, much more sense to stick with one of those systems until dialed in, rather then change to a new/gimmicky system which may or may not work, and for which there are not many people who are knowledgeable and able to be queried about issues.
You say noobs are pulling massive weight off of this system, but think about it - would a noob really know how to construct a system like this, let alone grow well in it? Without knowing anything about it, sounds more like a noob has offered up floor space to a vet, the vet builds the system, helps the noob monitor it and grow, and then voila, a noob has "pulled massive yields".
Long story short (too late for that), whatever issues he's having with getting the yields he wants isn't gonna be fixed by installing a new system - he needs to iron that out first, IMO.
I honestly think that switching to hydroton will increase his yield by >25% right off the bat.
Do something else and get +10%, etc., and then you're rocking and rolling with a simple, repeatable system.
i think ur hearts are in the right places 
