I don't know about the hydro questions but here is a great thread on plucking leaves.
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=174163
One of the first posts I read on IC...the masses are still divided though...
I mean I pluck daily in veg...indica, sativa..IME neither give a fuck....but I was going to stop at the start of flowering n' wait until stretch is over to remove anything... but as you can see...its getting green in there. I don't wanna shade budsites, and I don't wanna strip the plant if it needs all the leaves...lol...fukn' catch 22.