Rinsing hydroton is easy. Just wait till you have to pick roots and rinse the old roots out!! Anyways to quickly answer a few of your questions, yes you can use water from those water purifier stores or vending machines. Just add calmag to the water cause it's stripped of any kind of catalyst such as calcium iron or magnesium. If you having no problems with your tap water declorinated keep using it! When you have good tap water use it and only use distilled water for emergency water. Also I have never used bud blankets so I have no imput on that but you should hand water your plant every 4-6 hours for a week or two till the roots reach the water level. Also watch your Rez temps. Oh and you don't need airstone in your Rez. People may say it helps but your growing ebb and it uses gravity from the floods to airate your roots. I found airstones in a ebb grow only heat up your Rez temp and crazy fluxuate ph. What you do need tho is a water pump dropped in the Rez hooked up to a timer to stir the tank. Stirring less is best to. Stir before flood cycles. If you keep the water moving all the time it will heat up your Rez fast