Food for thought....
...I'll tell you what, I use to be a guy who advocated the use of smaller pots, like 2-3 gallon, but not anymore. Just because I grew some decent plants in them, I thought the pots were plenty big enough. Well, since I've started going bigger, the difference is amazing, plus, they're much easier to maintain. I'm using 5 gallon pots, which aren't actually 5 gallons, they're quite a bit smaller, even though they're sold as 5 gallon pots. I'm guessing they're somewhere around 3 1/2. Next, I plan to go with 5 gallon buckets, and will stop there. IMO, that size is about perfect for indoor growing, and perfect for anything but the smallest of strains/methods. Go with around 25% perlite, and you won't regret going with the 5. Skimp on the perlite, and you might run into watering issues. IMO, it very wise to add the perlite, and minimize the risk. Bigger is certainly better, I'll guarantee you that.