Almost any plant can grow in a hydroponic system if the grower is careful and plans well. Tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, and ivy are a few of the many plants that a gardener can successfully grow hydroponically at home. Generally, hydroponically grown plants require a little more attention than those grown in soil. Nutrient solutions must be applied regularly. Care must be taken that fertilizer salts do not build up within the system.
Close observation is necessary to prevent rapid spread of disease through the water.
But many home growers find it is worth the extra effort in order to grow plants without the threat of soil-borne diseases and other organisms. Some like the exacting nature of fertilizer application in a hydroponics system. Others like the predictability of hydroponics and the neat, clean approach to growing flowering plants and vegetables. A small, homemade water culture system can be built with only a few materials. The tanks and pipes must be made of non-corrosive materials, such as plastic, glass, ceramic, fiberglass, concrete, wood with thick plastic linings, or stainless steel.