Hydroponic stores isn't a "cannabis store". Thousands, maybe even millions of people do indoor hydroponic gardening for numerous legitimate reasons. (growing during winter, starting plants inside months before planting season starts, growing fruits and veggies in grow tents.) When you go to a hydroponic store in a non-legal state people will just assume you're going to be growing other things. Indoor gardening isn't reserved just for cannabis.

Ordering online and having things shipped also is not a problem. Millions of people have growing equipment shipped to their homes and no one would know what you're going to be growing. Prepaid credit cards are a decent idea but not needed.

There's really only a couple of ways ordering grow equipment could be a security risk.

a) A small town bank and you use a debit card and they have some type of deal with local cops. They call the cops and tell them. I have never heard of this happening.

b) You use a credit card and they do the same thing as listed above, I have never heard of this happening either.

c) you order from an online shop and they decide to call the local cops, never heard of this happening either.

However I have heard of stories of local police hanging around hydro stores. and making note of it's customers. When ordering online the delivery person doesn't know what's ii those oxes, unless of course it says "X Hydroponic supply", your neighbors don't know what's in the boxes either.

If you look at all the stories of people getting busted you'll see a few things in common. 1) They were being dumb shits. 2) They had massive operations of 25+ plants or 3) Fires or bad smell.

I have yet to be able to find any record of anyone being busted solely because they ordered some equipment. Nor should that be grounds for a search warrant even if they do have proof of indoor gardening purchases.