I think your doing great.
I've never grown with
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straight only use it as an additive with soilless as it is a hot soil. What your watering neut sch? I found in the past doing a 3 day water cycl without newts always helps dispel the paranoid feeling you have. At this point you want to start your bloom mix. I have my first two grows in here somewhere lol and had same types of issues. I'm sure you're on the right track. Will sub and look forward to your updates.