Haven't checked this thread in a while... I see someone exploded because the AG isn't the best way to grow if you want huge commercial yields.
I skimmed through a page or two..
There are tons of other options out there. Nobody ever said the AG is the best, or the cheapest. Nobody has been led to believe something that was false. Nowhere has anyone said anything about how much you will yield.... For a novice grower you are worried about an ACTUAL harvest, not HOW MUCH or HOW AWESOME. Number one priority is to learn how to do it first, then perfect your methods. The AG is nice and compact, much easier to work with than a huge 10 gallon tub with 6 gallons of water in it. Plus you don't have to ever even question your handiwork.. its already premade for you, without having to buy shit from a hydroponic store.. alot of people are turned away because of that, I know I was when I started up.
The AG should be seen as a learning tool and a gateway into growing, if I could do it all over again I would still have purchased my AG, dont regret it at all. I don't have much use for it now, but I learned so much using it that I would not have learned anywhere else and that is what makes it worth the money if you do buy it.
Alot of people get aerogardens as gifts, so buying a few extra cfls and an extra air pump isn't really that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things.
If you are truly concerned with how much you are spending, you probably shouldn't be looking into an aerogarden to begin with you should do some soil.
Hydro is more expensive just by nature, so the aerogarden only further exemplifies that.
I know for a fact that I would not have even thought about building my own hydroponic setup on my own without really knowing how it works.
That is why I bought the AG, I know its something thats is proven to WORK, The fact that it is a commercially sold product gives consumers a sort of mental safety net, and as a beginner it has everything you need to get started right out of the box.
No hydro stores or shady online places.
Not proven to be the best, but its a proven method that has results. You can grow MJ in an AG and yield a respectable amount.
And, yes, you can also spend the same amount of money on another setup and yield much more, but its going to be alot more work and you will have a much higher chance of failure doing things on your own the first time.
I can't say it enough, the AG is a wonderful learning tool and it has taught me so much.. and I decided to spread the knowledge that I have learned with other people.
Some people just have a real problem when things are made easier for newer people.
People really need to stop trying to force their methods onto other people.