Winger, I would suggest 2 sources of information for you to read. The first is JCO's DIY Aquaponics that you can find on the home page. The other is a series of post by Oliver called Aquaponics 101. These two sources are my go to reference for everything I have questions about. Then if I have further clarification needed, which is often, away I go to posting.

DWC=Deep water culture
NFT=Nutrient flow technology