I can't see too much from the pics but some junk on the bottom is normal. Especially once the ferment starts. I can tell from the rest of the jar that you're already fermenting some.
White “dust” is normal in my experience.
I'm not sure if that's what is going on here (can't see well enough) but that would be kahm yeast. Just a mix of opportunistic yeasts that cover the surface sometimes. That can fall to the bottom as well. Regardless, it's not a big problem. OP can avoid it by pulling a few different levers. Keep anything edible below the surface of the water, keep out oxygen, keep temps low, and keep your brine solution at a high enough percent of salt. All of those steps are good practice. Kahm yeast won't hurt anything but it
will take over if you let it. Then your hot sauce will taste...bready
Small amounts can be avoided but are fine.
Yes that's normal. You will find as the ferment progresses the brine will cloud up some. Also check to make sure none of the peppers are allowed to float on the surface as this can lead to mold problems.
Definitely this last part. It looks like you're full to the brim and some peppers are poking above the surface. They'll get yeasty on a good day and moldy on a bad one. Swirling helps but getting them below the surface is best. If you have some sort of weight, or if something came with the kit, then use that. Otherwise, an easy solution is to fill a ziploc part way with water or brine, tuck it into the top of the jar, and fold it over the lip. It helps push things down and keep out oxygen. The Shockeys are a big fan of that if I remember correctly. Chances are if you've been reading about lacto fermentations on the Internet then you've read some stuff by them (or paraphrased from them). Here is a link with a pic of the technique. She gives Kirsten Shockey credit as well!
http://www.tracyhuang.me/blog/fermenting-vegetables-properly
It looks like you're probably a day or two into fermentation at most. The veggies get softer as they ferment. You can probably force them down more now, or in a day, than you could at the start. Also, it looks like you're running them somewhere in the low to mid 70s. In my experience lacto ferments perform best down into the mid to low 60s. You avoid competition from the yeasts and also favor some of the most desirable bacteria. It also allows for a slightly slower and healthier fermentation. There are multiple bacteria that are most active at different stages of the life cycle. As the ferment gets more acidic some bacteria slow down and others take over. That variation gives the ferment more flavor and also leads to a more complete fermentation that results in a more stable end product. The bacteria need a slower ferment for this progression to take place, though. Fermenting hotter leads to a faster ferment, less complexity, less stability, and a higher chance for yeast to colonize. You can still make a tasty hot sauce at that temp but just be aware. And if you like the process then work to get it a colder environment in the future.
For a first batch it looks really great! My first one turned into a yeasty mess
Good luck and have fun!
