DE can do the same thing if you top water, but ya don't top water with DE on top to keep it dry. It's far more effective dry. It will still work wet, just not where near as effective.
I'm fairly sure I can finish out without top watering my liquid nutes. I really don't have a dry flower nute. I guess if I have to give some
J or Blue Gold flower nutes, I can reapply the DE later in the day when it dries a bit.
Damn! I thought it was a good idea for the air space to get a good fungal growth. It did do what I intended, and fungal mat is very nice. I think the air space gave them a place to breed and thrive.
Lesson learned!