Got ya, yes I meant remove top feed, water pump, and manifold after my roots hit the water and are strong and I move them to their individual 10 gallon reservoirs. No need for all that taken up space after it's no longer of use. Sorry for the unclear question on water level. How far beneath the bottom of your net cup is water level? 1 inch between water and bottom of net pot? Basicaly how much air space between water level and bottom of net pot. Lol