I keep going back and forth between autos and photos. I don't find any difference in germination. I like to soak in water until they sink and then I usually just go straight into the soil. But I've done paper towels, rapid rooters, rock wool cubes, and so on. I've had good results from every method I've tried with the only thing ever causing me poor results was trying to use the tap water that isn't very good in my area. I bought a dollar jug of purified drinking water at the grocery store and have used it for all my seeds since and it's been easy going.