Economical Ebb and Flow System

I am gearing up for using the greenhouse, and when possible I move some plants into the portable greenhouse to save on lighting. In need of a large tray for an ebb and flow system I purchased a mixing tub from Tractor Supply. The tray is practically indestructible and large enough to hold a lot of net pots. A large heavy duty storage container rescued from recycle serves as a base and reservoir. A few old fittings and a seven dollar pump from Harbor Freight complete this ebb and flow system. The total cost of this system was about twenty dollars. I expect it to last many years and produce a lot of veggies.
Being a vegetarian I eat a lot of veggies, and hydroponics provides year round fresh greens. Additionally, I can enjoy gourmet varieties that are not found in your local supermarket. As a matter of fact, some of them I have never seen locally at all. Right now I am growing a variety of lettuce called Antigo which is from Italy and candy apple red. In fact, it looks more like a house plant than lettuce. With prices rising the way they are, hydroponics becomes even more cost effective. After all, a pack of 200 or more seeds costs less than three dollars.