No expert by any means, but going strictly by your photo, it seems like your soil mix needs more earth. Earth is what holds your nutrients and soil bio mass. I would start with the potting soil of your choice and add only 25% perlite.
Don't like solo cups, too small. My seeds go into a 3" pot with holes, with a layer of rinsed 1/4 gravel on the bottom and then filled with my 75/25 mix. Seed is planted point down, 1/3 to 1/2" deep. I put the pot in a bowl and slowly water until water flows out the bottom into the bowl. Maintain the water level in the bowl to 1 inch while under 18/6 lighting, or your choice. All watering is added to the catch bowl, never to the top of the pot. A few days before transplant, I'll let the bowl run dry.
My seeds always pop within two days and by the end of two weeks I'll have my first full set of leaves and that's when I will start feeding nutrients. Around week 4 or so, I'll transplant the plant into its final pot, or out into the garden. I am using bought feminized seeds, but I've had the same luck with the random stray seeds that I've gotten.
One of the reasons that I've been doing it this way is the plant develops a very nice root system reaching down for the water, and when transplanted, I've noticed a much quicker recover of the plant. I believe that this is from having a very stable root system from the get-go and not disturbing it when transplanting.
YMMV. Good luck.
Have a good day.
