> Constant daily work and inspection is required to avoid insect infestations and mold outbreaks (cleaning is critical). Many flowering and fruiting cycles in p

> Constant daily work and inspection is required to avoid insect infestations and mold outbreaks (cleaning is critical). Many flowering and fruiting cycles in plants are highly light-period-sensitive so that has to be carefully managed as well. Expect to put in hours of labor every day, without fail. I don’t have any experience with industrial-level hydroponics, only my ~40 plant indoor system, but these problems might only be ones of scale. The only pest I need to deal with is fungus gnats which “Mosquito Bits” added to the reservoir solves completely for a few seconds of effort every month. If you spot algae starting to bloom in the reservoir just toss in a touch of 3% H2O2. LED lighting and water pump are managed by timer switches with day/night phases. For maybe an hour or two a month of effort, I get to supplement my meals with food harvested from 20 feet away that were almost entirely grown through automation with less water than a single shower takes. It feels like sci-fi to me! I’d encourage anyone who is considering it to take the leap.