Many gardeners have made their dreams come true by making their living in their backyard greenhouse and selling their produce to local restaurants and markets. The potential of hydroponic culture is incredible, but commercial hydroponics in the United States was held back until hydroponic systems that were economical to build and relatively easy to operate became available in the marketplace. As you progress in your hydroponic garden hobby you may also want to switch from an aquarium pump or bubbler system to a more advanced irrigation and drainage system for your garden. Once again, the more plants you have the more advanced equipment you will need. If you are still unsure about starting a hydroponic garden, you can get everything you need in a little kit called a plug-and-go hydroponic gardening kit. There is a common misconception that hydroponics produces organic food. While it is possible to grow organic food through hydroponics, this is the exception and not the rule. Most growers used pesticides on their hydroponic crops. Though the pesticides used in hydroponics do not run-off and pollute the surrounding environment like the pesticides used on traditional fields, they are still on the plants themselves. Many hydroponic gardeners use a method of natural prevention called “companion planting.” In companion planting crops are intermixed with plants that act as spider mite deterrents for the primary crop. For example, marigolds may be planted between rows of herbs in a hydroponic greenhouse. Hydroponics allows plants to be grown faster and with less of a hassle. In hydroponics plants are grown in a solution consisting of water and nutrients required for a particular plant, or within a system that uses a substrate or growing mix medium. There are several hydroponics techniques and systems that exist for producing plant crops. The pH is the most important factor to monitor because the pH of a nutrient solution reads the outcome of an electrical battle between the roots and everything that surrounds them. The run off from growing plants in pots is the best place to measure the pH level. The protein and enzyme molecules in a plant are structured in very specific shapes in order to catalyze a chemical reaction to build the plant cells.