Forget the organic approach you are thinking. Organic has nutes loaded into the soil so you only have to add water and beneficial teas. Its alot more complicated than using synthetic nutes.
Ocean Forest by fox farm is a hot organic soil.
Happy Frog by Fox farm is a light organic soil.
Hot means there are lots of available nutrients in the soil and can burn a young plant which isn't ready for such a high feeding. Lots of folks will mix the two to make it more stable for your plant.
Black Gold, or Pro Mix are basic soils with barely any nutrients available and are meant to be used with synthetic nutes to supplement feeding.
IMO if you were planning on using nutrients to feed then I would use a cheaper soil like black gold or pro mix and save some cash.
As your perlite question. It helps add drainage so your soil can dry out faster. Peat moss retains alot of water. Some folks grow in nothing but perlite and it's called hemp buckets. I usually add in an extra 15-20% of perlite of the total soil volume.
Hope this helps a bit.
What is it currently growing in when you say "switch it out to soil?"
Black gold is good but I have no experience with it.
I’m wondering though..
How is just adding water more complicated then all these different nutes?
Never had a problem with Fox farms being too hot, I’ve read a ton and the only people have this issue is crap water they’re using.
Definitely agree on mixing the two, I’m trying that very soon.
I add about 40% perlite into my mix to increase drainage. Has worked wonders and like I said I barely have had to add nutrients.
Also organic teas are super simple, your soil, some amendments and water and you’re set..
if he’s new to growing then all these nutrients make it more confusing. Not saying he will but I killed my first plant because of this.
Outdoors I went from cutting to finish in just straight ffof with tap water. Smokes great.
I would wait to do more involved grows until after you have at least one under your belt so you know how the plant works.
I also used the miracle grow seed starter mix when starting my seeds. I did lose one but I think that seed was just a dud or old. Transplanted the good one into my ffof with no issues and it took off.