What is your favorite seed germination method for DWC?

I have tried a lot of different seed germination methods to get plants started in DWC, and the one that was the most reliable and successful was starting the seed in the net pot that it is going to grow in instead of using paper towels, root plugs, rockwool, etc. I put down a two-inch layer of clay hydroton pebbles and bring the water in the bucket up to the top of the pebbles. I place a seed right in the middle of the pebbles so that it is seated securely between a few of them. Then I add another inch of pebbles into the clay pot.

Since the air is bubbling up through the water in the DWC bucket with this method, the seed gets the perfect mix of water and oxygen to eliminate the three main causes of seedling failure:

1. Too little water.
2. Too little oxygen.
3. Too much heat.

You are basically forcing the seed to grow (if it has the potential to) by eliminating the reasons why it wouldn't.

I did this with eight bag seeds to test it. The seeds were about four years old and all eight of them sprouted within days. This method will give you 6-foot plants from seed in 60 days consistently in DWC with CMH lighting based on my experience.

Before I discovered this method of seed germination, I lost quite a few seeds to other methods such as paper towels, heating pads, humidity domes, root plugs, etc. None of these things are needed if you simply put the seed in water with air bubbling in it at 75F+/- degrees. What else is needed?

Do you have a prefered way of germinating seeds that works consistently for you?

I wouldn't ever attempt to germinate a seed in direct light or in an extremely moist environment. My preferred method is:
1) Fill a container, between 3 and 4 inches tall, nearly to the top with vermiculite.
2) Saturate the vermiculite with distilled water that has been PH'd to 5.9.
3) Drain the water off until the flow changes to a TRICKLE (Not a drip).
4) Insert the seeds just flush with the surface (Don't bury with wet vermiculite. That will be handled soon enough).
5) Sprinkle just enough vermiculite over the seeds to hide the seeds completely. This serves to block out almost all light but allows light soon after germination.
6) Celebrate because you know your germination rate has been improved (unless you're already accustomed to 100%).

The only seed that a recent variant of this method didn't get FULLY germinated is a 3-year-old Barney's Farm LSD freebie. Chances are that, had I re-moistened the vermiculite after the fresh seeds broke the surface, it would have finished opening up and I'd have a new cross in a couple months. As you can see in the attached pics, the depth of the container isn't a requirement. It does cut down on labor needed to maintain moisture. I've tried a variety of methods with varying degrees of success but this is my favorite for two reasons. I can develop a good amount of root before moving them to net pots and vermiculite rinses off easily.

I soak my seeds for 12 hrs and pop right into a rapid rooter. (Rooter should be only slightly damp) Put the rapid rooter in a plastic bag until it has a nice sprout and a root out the bottom then into the dwc bucket net pot. I make sure the water level an inch or so below the pellets so they get bubble spatter and the pellets will stay damp. If the water is too high the rooter gets way too soaked. After I have roots dropping out of the bottom of the net I drop the water. Depending on seasonal temp I might use a heat mat during the plastic bag phase. Super easy.