I say... Better to not transplant at all... Sometimes people get lucky and transplant without shock, why risk the possibility at all?
Most times i germinate straight in the hydroton, fill the water up to the bottom of the net pot , bubbler does the rest.
Imagine this.... This will really make you laugh..... I run my lights as soon as I plant my seeds in those empty buckets.... Funny as hell ain't it?!?
honestly it's just how I was shown.(its only a 6 inch net pot lid) once roots form I'm not messing with it. of course it takes longer to see roots, but im not In any hurry I know what they look like. lol. they will show when they show the plant will keep growing. I used to lift my lid every day to check for roots. I'm over that. the plant will tell me whats happening. hey ben I keep my water level up into my net pot (say it ain't so) lol. I get a better roots out the side, my plants tip over at 4 ft if I leave level below net pot cause the roots tend to mainly grow out the bottom. once I have strong roots out the side i lower below net pot. done it for 3 years with no issues. now I have problems, but most are easily corrected. I find most the time it's just a simple ph adjustment. the most trouble I had was when I used any kind of organic, anything with guano. I also just use grow, bloom and a bloom booster. every now and then some hydro rush.