Hydro generally has higher startup costs and is often a more automated system than soil. It is very frequently more appealing to new growers due to the high-tech aspect of the process. Being more complex than soil, it technically isn't the best choice for novice growers but you should definately go with what you're interested in. Most hydro systems supply all the air the roots need by design. Soil is more forgiving than hydro since soil components often have trace amounts of nutrients and/or organic matter that decomposes into useable nutrients, while hydro only has what you put in it. These traces of nutrients decrease the chance of micronute deficiencies. Soil is more constricting for the roots and helping air get to them usually helps overall growth. More complex flavors than from hydro in the finished smoke are often reported from soil grows. With soil you have to provide and dispose of substrates, with hydro you have to clean the system regularly. Hydro can be done with less vertical space. It's easier to use most organics in soil as they can gunk-up hydro systems.
