some questions, that i would appreciate any help with tha answer.!

i am about to start growing my weed again for the winter, and i did a light last year... and this year im doing light, and hydroponic.
im not very clear about how you clone a plant. i have read some of the forums on it here, there, everywere, and i just dont understand it... but, here are more specific questions
-when(after how long) is the plant able to produce a clone.
-once its ready to be cloned... do you cut the plant about 1/3 of the way up and put the clones in some special nutrients water mix. then what? do they become plants? .....
-are these little small like foam pieces that are in a tray, what you are supposed to put clones in? if not, were do you put the clone after you cut it off the original.
questions not pertaining to cloning:
-i start the plant outside in soil, and when it sprouts and gets about 2 or 3 inchs i bring em in. but when they sprout im going to need to put them in the hydroponic tank... i have these round rocks things and little bucket sort of pots... can anyone explain how i can do that? i feel like" take it out of the soil and put it in there ... "just isn't how simple it really isand id rather safe than sorry.
-about how long should i expect it to take for my germinated seed, to sprout after being planted. it is outside... and i try to keep it in the light

and could anyone show me exactly what kind of fluros that i could use for growing indoors... i would use HPS... but i already am at my other place. but aren't fluros quiet? thats what i need. stealth.
thanks

 

thanks for the word of the wise ^^