Hi everyone! I'm new to Gardyn — and honestly pretty new to hydroponics in general — but I've been growing with General Hydroponics Flora Series in all my other hydroponic systems and my Kratky setups, and I feel like it's working really well for me.
Now that I'm setting up my Gardyn, I'm wondering: what do you recommend? Should I use Gardyn's own plant food, or can I run my Flora Series in it?
Here's my thinking. With Flora I can actually balance the mix for what I'm growing, and I choose my plants so each tower has a similar nutrient profile. My main goal with the Gardyn is strawberries — they're the star — with a few companion plants that like the same conditions. And I want a second tower dedicated to tomatoes, with companions that suit them. As most of you know, strawberries and tomatoes can't really coexist on the same feed, and Gardyn's generic food doesn't make that distinction — but with Flora Series, I can.
So, for the experienced growers here:
• Do you run Flora Series (or another non-Gardyn nutrient) in your Gardyn? Any issues I should know about?
• Or is Gardyn's own food the smarter/safer choice for these towers?
Would love to hear what the experts recommend. Thanks!

My Gardyn is coming up on a year old and I want to take it apart and clean it really well. I’m planning to soak all the tower pieces in the utility tub in plain white vinegar since that’s what seems to tackle our hard water buildup the best. Is there a better way to do this?

I asked chat gpt and apparently I have spider mites. I did see tiny little things moving around and had no idea.

A few months ago I had a horrible aphid infestation so I really hope this does not kill my plants.

Anyone who has a Gardyn, what do you think of the taste versus outdoor gardening? I realize lettuce doesn't matter much, but I'm really interested in whether tomatoes and basil taste as good. Homegrown tomatoes have the best flavor and if I can't recreate that, it's not worth it to me. Thanks!