Someone just gave me an African violet, and I'm totally new to them! I've read about the basic case instructions, but I have some questions.

Apparently they like a humid environment. I live in a very, very dry place, so I thought maybe I'd set the pot in a larger tray of water beads (those clear rubbery things that look like marbles). Is that safe? There's not actually any standing water in the tray; just the beads.

I'm also wondering how long I need to put the pot in water when I water. 10 minutes? 2 hours? Until the top is wet?

Also, I've seen it said that African violets need 10,000–12,000 lux for most of the day. I have a light meter and have come to realize there is no such thing as 10,000 lux indoors. Bright shade/full clear sky outdoors is a measly 8,000 lux, and as soon as I step into the sun (a no-no), I get about 40,000–90,000 depending on the time of day. Here at my desk, 20 feet from a huge bright west-facing picture window, I get about 500 lux. So where are people putting these that they get enough light but also never any direct sun? Do they really need that much?

Thanks in advance for any help!