You're right, there is no one good system. Each have their advantages and disadvantages. I think I've tried them all with the exception of soil. I feel I have the best system possible now. I bought 2 trays each about 4ft by 4 ft and maybe 8 inches high. I've set the first one on the floor, layed a couple of 2x4's across them, and placed the second onto the 2x4s. I have about 15 plants in pots that are about 10" high and they are square 4"x4". Then I put a pump into the bottom tray (now called my reservoir) and ran a hose across the top tray. Drilled a large drain hole into the top tray, and am running 1/4" tubing into each pot from the garden hose (no nozzles, no drippers, just the tube). Turn the pump on and walk away. The plants MUST be in Hydroton for drainage, when you're constantly watering with the tubing. Nutes run into each pot, drain out the bottom and end up draining out into the reservoir again. This method is superior to DWC for two main reasons. You can move the plants around within the tray much easier than in a DWC. I've had a lot of problems keeping the temps down using DWC, with this system no more problems. You really don't need to buy a 'system', when you can just take two trays a pond pump and a piece of garden hose, and have 'your system'.

I can fit up to 25 pots in my tray, but I keep it at 15 or so to keep them from being too crowded. I put them into flowering when they are about 18" high, and then I bend the tips (without cracking them) over to slow the stretching once the are put into flowering.

sn