If you got soot, you got soot, I don't know what to say other than the world is a big place, every garden is it's own snowflake. A lot of assumptions, x, y, and z. I mean, specifically, I got 10 x 10 rooms, I got a heater, a humidifier, a dehumidifier on the plants. I got an exhaust that hardly ever kicks on because climate is temperate, an ambient fan, 72-78 degrees, 60-65%H. I put some candles in water on a metal perch, they burn, no big whoop, no soot. I don't know man. Different strokes. I'm starting to thing maybe I was just raised around more candles than other people? Honestly. I don't get it, lit candles all my life, bought a half dozen fountains, they break but still cool. Maybe they are some old tyme relic. I'm a fan of Smokey the Bear too, but I honestly never knew candles needed such a defense. I post the pictures cuz seriously, what are we talking about? It seems the backlash could be summed:"we can think of only ways it will not work. We can not imagine a way it could work. Thinking it could work is stupid, I hope you burn your house down" I mean, that's an easy game. Put the candles under the plants. lean a candle against the wall of a grow tent. Water with kerosene...