Cover the tops of netpots. No need to have the light beating on the hydroton. Get ya a piece of panda plastic or something similiar. Cut a + in the center of where each pot is, then lay on top of your rez. Slide net pots thru the + you cut and put them back in their spot in rez lid. All you will have is the plant exposed to the light. Thats exactly what ya want. White side up, of course. The more light you can block from your rez, the better your grow will go. Less probs with root rot, lower rez temp (more oxygen), etc etc etc. Lights + rez water = no-no.

As stated above, 7.0 pH is as useless as tits on a fish when growing hydro. I pH to 5.8 and go from there.

With warm weather approaching, unless you are south of equator, keep eye on rez temp. If you need to cool it, freeze a few bottles of water. Toss one in the rez as needed to keep temps in check. IMO you NEVER want above 70 degrees, but thats only my two cents. Hold it around 65 and your plants will send you thank you cards. You grow yer way, I grow mine

Goin green,
b0nger