I am from an area that holds a lot of heritage for growing outdoors, in the dirt, in water, use LED's, MW's blah blah blah... So much choice!!
These guys i speak of have been doing this for a few decades, as these skills where passed down through to us younger lot, we started experimenting with old school vs new school / soil vs hydro.
This becamse a fierce battle of who could get the most per watt and per square metre, along with how many plants in that space and time
For 20+ years this Cheese strain has been grown by many different people and in many different ways.
I have been at this game for about ten years and for 2-3 years it was soil vs hydro. Years 4 to present are hydro.
My methods never change above the soil / water, I just update my equipment.
So... Soil vs hydro is actually a competition of weight/ flavour/ time taken.....
Hydro wins every time with experience
Start with 2 soil and 2 hydro bubble / oxy pots in 1x1x1m tent with 400w hps in summer and 600w in winter (depends on airflow ) and veg them for just 2-3 weeks and then flower...
You will see what I mean
Anyways, I get around 20% higer then anyone else in hydro I know, 30-40% more at least compared to soil BUT hydro is also few weeks faster... Why do I get more?!?
Simples.. I spray them every day from clones until they flower, I check humidity and temp (really important) and I never let the water run out (can explain a magical way to help with this) along with having fresh water always, check airstones twice a day (do all buckets look the same), I never check PH (good water around me) as I read instructions for feeds and I automate as much as possible to keep everything sweet.
(Buy back up pump)
Use canna for food as it's simple, boost is pretty good.
Never skimp on a set up, more watts does not mean more yield all the time....
If you follow instructions for feeding, change water every 5-7days (7days max), you will do the same but faster than your soil grow at the very least!!
During last two weeks, my babies drink 14 litres in two days so be careful or they can fall over
Use decent clones... Trust me.
Aero propagator (ten days rooted and banging clones)... Just wow..T5 light for prop)
MH400 for veg
Dual spectrum for six week flower
Hps for 2 weeks flower
Oxy pots - get a reservoir for later on with a pump
Oscillating fan
Fan and filter
Pruning is only good when you go for long veg cycles / the strain you have also
2x2x2m 4 plants - 4 weeks veg and 8 weeks flower I got 54 oz dry (one clone was shocked) but recovered
Same tent
9 plants 2 weeks veg and 8 weeks flower was 62 (only got more due to perfect clones..
I like the 9 plant set up as its 3 rows of 3 and it takes 10 weeks!!'
Soil could never match that and Anyone that shows me there soil grow convinces me that there's is better but when we start the same time and I finish two - 4 weeks early and get more,they soon copy what I do unles it's a pain to get water access for 60liters +
Long story short, try both ways at the same time, more is not better.
I would gladly advise you on what to buy for a cheap experiment
Time, taste and weight