How i learn coco and rockwool whilst soil growing was simply to run one extra plant not in soil each veg and then flower cycle.
Bag of coco plus a & b or a pack of rockwool cubes and a + b again no more that £20.
You can play to your strengths in soil but still use coco or hydro.
Atm im a soil grower in a 1x1 with switchable 600w digi and a bottle of biobizz fish mix does everything start to finish but i keep it far to simple thesedays, just two desk fans for extraction im almost regretting owning a variac and 6" ruck for the cost as gathering a lot of dust.
I think i saw the growers here using barebulb low extraction simple soil grows as a challengecand over the years ditched most things for just bare basic and easy.
Even now thinking i use to have most ferts additives benies boosters ph ppm meters etc etc but now just one bottle in a big old empty cupboard.
Seems almost too easy thesedays, managing to grow qnd juggle life is the problem now, police landlord dru dealers all on my case last year and fuck all worj here plus an 18 year old kid who is doing a good job at becoming a violent drug taking asshole.
Cant grow enough for that shit