hydroponic help

hi guys, i'm new to hydroponics, i have read a couple of guides about it and still dont get it. i'd like one of you to explain it to me in simplest of terms.

then, i have another question, if i plug a timer to the hydroponic system i can go away on vacation and the plants feed themselfs right?

thirdly and finally, i was wondering if this system was any good for a beginner

hydroponics, nutrients, NFT, flood and drain

Hydroponics is really simple. You have a reservoir holding your water mixed with nutrients. That water is pumped to your plants which sit in a medium(clay pebbles, rockwool, etc.) The water then drains back down into the reservoir. The pump is on a timer, it waters 3-5 times a day for a 15-30 min. For a beginner i would say start with a drip or you could try a flood and drain, but if you dont have a good grasp on hydro i would wait on the flood and drain. You can also make these system cheaper than you can buy them. Good luck

You can go away on vacation but don't expect to come back to living plants. You have to adjust the PH and add water every day to your res or things will go wrong. Its not a set it and forget it method.

soil grows give you much less maintenance and as long as you have a watering system set up for them you can go away for weeks at a time.