Anaylitical (sp?) type folks do well with hydro. My very best friend grows in the cheapest soil she can and does the ignore thing......still ends up with a decent harvest.
She's very familiar with my work but it just isn't worth it to her..........whereas I consider the way she grows much more wasteful. If I'm going to put my time and energy in then I have to make it the biggest, best, shiniest I can along the way.