But wait Stiple, is that a ficus in hydroponics, and in fired clay hydroton at that? But wait hydroton cant be almost identical to akadama, because akadama isn't hydroponics. Yes it's true that hydroponics is not just for deep water culture as m5eaygeoff suggested, infact hydroponics is growing a plant in any growing medium that is non organic and fed every watering. Here is a definition:
hy·dro·pon·ics
ˌhīdrəˈpäniks/
noun
1.the process of growing plants in sand, gravel, or liquid, with added nutrients but without soil.
That sure sounds an awful lot like akadama? Hmmmmmm..........so maybe it really is basically hydroponics. But I wouldn't know, even though I was a professional hydroponic grower for years. So now that we have that is straitened out, it's on to a word I have never heard up until m5eaygeoff brought it up, photosynthesis.
M5eaygeoff you claim that in quotes
"The tree does not and cannot absorb the chemicals added to the soil. The tree uses them to convert to useable substances, it is called photosynthesis."
But that is entirely untrue, the plant has to absorb these minerals, not chemicals as you put it, in order to use them for carbohydrate production. In fact, the most effective way for this absorption to happen is through the correct ph of the water, which depending on the plant is roughly 6.0. Tap water can range from 7 which is neutral to an alkaline state upwards of 8.5. Anything out of the ideal range and the plant, or tree can not effectively absorb all the nutrients provided with efficiency.
So although you say fertilizer and I say feeding we both know what the other is talking about and saying the same thing two different ways, so yes semantics.