Happy New Years! - I have questions

Happy New Years everyone! Here's to 2011 being the best year yet. :)

As you know I am getting ready for a new project. I want to make an indoor hydroponic herb garden. I'm thinking of making it a NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) type system. My main reason is I want to design a new NFT system because I think it will be a lot of fun. The second reason is from what I've read it is an excellent system for growing herbs.

My major worry is unlike most systems NFT systems are prone to catastrophic failure in the event of a power outage. Maybe I can design some type of a back-up system just for such an event. Living in N.W. Ohio we have had power outages before but fortunately not very often.

My questions are, what are you thoughts about NFT systems? Have you used one? If so, do you have any advice for me? Also I would like to hear suggestions on what herbs you think I should grow and why.

Thanks for checking in and see you next year.

Water quality issues in a Hydroponic System

This question is from a guy who has been having trouble with his bubble cloner system. I have tested and proven you can successfully grow clones of your favorite plants with nothing but water. No chemicals or Hydroponic Fertilizer is necessary for the cloning process.

The issue he seems to be having is his water quality. His first problem is he used tap water which may be harming his cuttings.  The second is his PH has gone too high. The following is my response to him.

Why build the Percolator?

I had a subscriber on You Tube ask me a pretty straight forward question. He basically asked, why build build the Percolator when a bubbleponics system would be so much easier? Couldn't you just put a hole in the lid without the PVC pipe and add an air stone? This in part was my response.

  If you wanted to build a bubbleponics type system you would not need the PVC tube at all. Yes you could just drill a tiny hole in the lid and feed the tube through it, no silicone necessary. I did not want to build a simple bubbleponics system.
This is a variation of a top drip system. It was made to eliminate a few issues I was having building an inexpensive home made system.

How to make a Top Drip Bucket Hydroponic System

This video contains instructions for building your own Top Drip Bucket Hydroponic System using a 5 Gallon Bucket, a Mesh Pot Bucket Lid, and the GH Farm Kit. This kit was intended to be used for the General Hydroponics Water Farm System. I knew with a little modification I could build my own system and save a few dollars.
The Pumping Column is an "Air Lift Pump". It uses air bubbles instead of an electric water pump to supply the hydroponic nutrient to the plant.
I recommend you buy the 10" lid. As you see in the video the 8" will work also with a very easy modification. I'm using this system to have my own home grown heirloom tomatoes.
Here is the list
Bucket Boss 10002 5-Gallon Bucket
10" Round Mesh Pot
8" Round Mesh Pot
General Hydroponics Farm Kit
General Hydroponics Flora Kit 1 Pint each
Hydroton 10 Liter Bag
Elite 800 Air Pump - Elite A800