first let me say congratulations and best wishes on the start of your growing adventure.

The variety of seed you purchase or accept will make a big difference in the results as a beginner or not. I have never heard of a strain named "hydro" and it sounds your friend is unknowledgable. I am always checking out the seed banks and "hydro" is a method of growing, not a name of a genetical strain. Beware of that. You need to know what you are growing for best results. For example, sativas tend to grow TALL and probably have a longer flowering period and give rise to a slightly different kind of buzz. Indicas tend to stay shorter and bushier if you want them to. It is best to have the same variety in your garden as a beginner in my opinion. I recomend you buy female seeds too, so you won't have to worry about identifying males and reducing your crop. Start with this advice, you won't be sorry.

I buy all my seeds from Drchronic.com. It is safe, secure, and QUICK. England to the east coast in 5 business days. I stick to one seed company Femaleseeds.nl available for sale at Drchronic.com