diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a68384611..70cbedd8b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+*.log
 requirements.txt
 **/*.ipynb
 debug_rewards.jsonl
diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 7852ed5cc..08c1e7862 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -20,4 +20,22 @@ repos:
   hooks:
     - id: ruff
       args: [--fix]
+      stages: [pre-commit]
     - id: ruff-format
+      stages: [pre-commit]
+
+- repo: local
+  hooks:
+    - id: mypy
+      name: mypy
+      entry: mypy .
+      language: system
+      pass_filenames: false
+      stages: [pre-commit]
+
+    - id: pytest
+      name: pytest
+      entry: pytest tests/ --verbose --failed-first --exitfirst --disable-warnings
+      language: system
+      pass_filenames: false
+      stages: [pre-commit]
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0192cf38d..64ad1e079 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ Subnet 1 is the most intelligent inference model on Bittensor. As the first agen
 
 3. **Install the project and its development dependencies:**
    ```bash
-   uv venv && uv python install 3.11 && uv python pin 3.11 && uv venv --python=3.11 && uv pip install -e '.[dev]'
+   uv venv --python=3.11 && uv pip install '.[dev]'
    ```
 
 4. **Activate python environment:**
diff --git a/apex/__init__.py b/apex/__init__.py
index 93de2e624..367567422 100644
--- a/apex/__init__.py
+++ b/apex/__init__.py
@@ -7,6 +7,17 @@
 __version__ = version("apex")
 
 
+def _version_to_int(version_str: str) -> int:
+    version_split = version_str.split(".") + ["0", "0"]  # in case a version doesn't have third element, e.g. 3.0
+    major = int(version_split[0])
+    minor = int(version_split[1])
+    patch = int(version_split[2])
+    return (10000 * major) + (100 * minor) + patch
+
+
+__spec_version__ = _version_to_int(__version__)
+
+
 def setup_logger(log_file_path: str | Path | None = None, level: str = "INFO") -> Any:
     """Set up the loguru logger with optional file logging and specified log level.
 
@@ -28,9 +39,9 @@ def setup_logger(log_file_path: str | Path | None = None, level: str = "INFO") -
     # Add file handler if a path is provided.
     if log_file_path:
         file_log_format = "{time:YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss} [{file}:{line}] {message}"
-        logger.add(str(log_file_path), level=level, format=file_log_format, rotation="10 MB", retention="7 days")
+        logger.add(str(log_file_path), level=level, format=file_log_format, rotation="5 MB", retention="3 days")
 
     return logger
 
 
-setup_logger(level="DEBUG")
+setup_logger(log_file_path="logs.log", level="DEBUG")
diff --git a/apex/common/async_chain.py b/apex/common/async_chain.py
index 28453f86a..a87d96a88 100644
--- a/apex/common/async_chain.py
+++ b/apex/common/async_chain.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 from bittensor.core.metagraph import AsyncMetagraph
 from loguru import logger
 
+from apex import __spec_version__
 from apex.common.utils import async_cache
 
 _METAGRAPH_TTL: int = 10 * 60
@@ -111,36 +112,35 @@ def network(self) -> list[str]:
         return self._network
 
     async def set_weights(self, rewards: dict[str, float]) -> bool:
-        metagraph = await self.metagraph()
-        subtensor = await self.subtensor()
-        weights: dict[int, float] = {}
+        try:
+            metagraph = await self.metagraph()
+            subtensor = await self.subtensor()
+            weights: dict[int, float] = {}
 
-        for hotkey, reward in rewards.items():
-            try:
-                idx = metagraph.hotkeys.index(hotkey)
-            except ValueError:
-                # Hotkey not found in the metagraph (e.g., deregistered). Skip it.
-                continue
+            for hotkey, reward in rewards.items():
+                try:
+                    idx = metagraph.hotkeys.index(hotkey)
+                except ValueError:
+                    # Hotkey not found in the metagraph (e.g., deregistered). Skip it.
+                    continue
 
-            uid = metagraph.uids[idx]
-            weights[uid] = reward
+                uid = metagraph.uids[idx]
+                weights[uid] = reward
 
-        # Set the weights.
-        try:
-            result = await subtensor.set_weights(
+            success, err = await subtensor.set_weights(
                 wallet=self._wallet,
                 netuid=self._netuid,
                 uids=list(weights.keys()),
                 weights=list(weights.values()),
+                version_key=__spec_version__,
                 wait_for_inclusion=True,
                 wait_for_finalization=True,
             )
-            if not result:
-                logger.error(f"Error setting weights: {result}")
-                return False
-            return True
+            if not success:
+                logger.error(f"Error during weight set: {err}")
+            return bool(success)
         except BaseException as exc:
-            logger.exception(f"Error setting weights: {exc}")
+            logger.exception(f"Error during weight set: {exc}")
             return False
 
     async def mask_network(self) -> list[str]:
diff --git a/apex/validator/miner_sampler.py b/apex/validator/miner_sampler.py
index d8c71d16a..f4948efe2 100644
--- a/apex/validator/miner_sampler.py
+++ b/apex/validator/miner_sampler.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import json
 import random
 import time
+from collections import deque
 from collections.abc import Coroutine, Sequence
 from typing import Any, Literal
 
@@ -69,7 +70,8 @@ def __init__(
         if self._available_uids and self._available_addresses:
             equal_length = len(self._available_uids) == len(self._available_addresses)
             assert equal_length, "Test UIDs and addresses must be the same length."
-        self._remaining_epoch_miners: set[MinerInfo] = set()
+        self._epoch_deque: deque[MinerInfo] = deque()
+        self._sample_lock = asyncio.Lock()
 
     @async_cache(_TTL_UIDS_RESYNC)
     async def _get_all_miners(self) -> list[MinerInfo]:
@@ -110,20 +112,24 @@ async def _get_all_miners(self) -> list[MinerInfo]:
     async def _sample_miners(self) -> list[MinerInfo]:
         miners = await self._get_all_miners()
 
+        miners_sample: list[MinerInfo] = []
         if self._sample_mode == "random":
             miners_sample = random.sample(miners, self._sample_size)
 
         elif self._sample_mode == "sequential":
-            if len(self._remaining_epoch_miners) < self._sample_size:
-                self._remaining_epoch_miners = set(miners)
-                logger.debug(f"Starting new miner sampling epoch, miners amount: {len(self._remaining_epoch_miners)}")
-            indices_sample = sorted(random.sample(range(len(self._remaining_epoch_miners)), self._sample_size))
-            miners_sample = [miners[i] for i in indices_sample]
-            self._remaining_epoch_miners -= set(miners_sample)
+            async with self._sample_lock:
+                while len(miners_sample) < self._sample_size:
+                    if not self._epoch_deque:
+                        # Get shuffled deque of miners.
+                        self._epoch_deque = deque(random.sample(miners, len(miners)))
+                    miners_sample.append(self._epoch_deque.popleft())
 
         else:
             raise ValueError(f"Unknown sampling mode: {self._sample_mode}")
 
+        logger.debug(
+            f"Sampled uids (sample size = {self._sample_size}): {sorted([miner.uid for miner in miners_sample])}"
+        )
         return miners_sample
 
     async def query_miners(self, body: dict[str, Any], endpoint: str, hotkey: str | None = None) -> str:
@@ -134,7 +140,7 @@ async def query_miners(self, body: dict[str, Any], endpoint: str, hotkey: str |
                     self._chain.wallet.hotkey, body=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"), signed_for=hotkey
                 )
                 async with session.post(
-                    endpoint + "/v1/chat/completions",
+                    f"{endpoint}/v1/chat/completions",
                     headers=headers,
                     json=body,
                 ) as resp:
@@ -151,9 +157,10 @@ async def query_generators(self, query: str) -> MinerGeneratorResults:
 
         hotkeys: list[str] = []
         tasks: list[Coroutine[str, str, Any]] = []
+
+        logger.debug(f"Querying {len(miner_information)} miner generators")
         for miner_info in miner_information:
             hotkeys.append(miner_info.hotkey)
-            logger.debug(f"Querying miner generator at {miner_info.address} with uid: {miner_info.uid}")
             tasks.append(self.query_miners(body=body, endpoint=miner_info.address, hotkey=miner_info.hotkey))
         generator_results = await asyncio.gather(*tasks)
         return MinerGeneratorResults(query=query, generator_hotkeys=hotkeys, generator_results=generator_results)
@@ -217,7 +224,7 @@ async def query_discriminators(
                 choice_content = "None"
             parsed_discriminator_results.append(choice_content)
 
-            # Apply scoring logic based on selected generator type
+            # Apply scoring logic based on selected generator type.
             if choice_content == str(ground_truth):
                 discriminator_score = score_per_miner
             else:
@@ -225,7 +232,7 @@ async def query_discriminators(
 
             discriminator_results_float.append(discriminator_score)
 
-        # Generator result is 1 minus sum of discriminator results
+        # Generator result is 1 minus sum of discriminator results.
         generator_result_float = 1.0 - sum(discriminator_results_float)
         miner_discriminator_results = MinerDiscriminatorResults(
             query=query,
diff --git a/apex/validator/miner_scorer.py b/apex/validator/miner_scorer.py
index 5ee18c646..6539e6689 100644
--- a/apex/validator/miner_scorer.py
+++ b/apex/validator/miner_scorer.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import aiosqlite
+import numpy as np
 from loguru import logger
 
 from apex.common.async_chain import AsyncChain
@@ -29,8 +30,11 @@ async def start_loop(self) -> None:
         self._running = True
         while self._running:
             await asyncio.sleep(self.interval)
+            logger.debug("Attempting to set weights")
             success = await self.set_scores()
-            if not success:
+            if success:
+                logger.info("Successfully set weights")
+            else:
                 logger.error("Failed to set weights")
 
     async def shutdown(self) -> None:
@@ -50,6 +54,7 @@ async def set_scores(self) -> bool:
         expose each one as plain python objects so that downstream code can work with them,
         and remove rows that are older than the time window.
         """
+        logger.debug("Retrieving miner's performance history")
         async with self._db() as conn:  # type: aiosqlite.Connection
             # Calculate the cutoff timestamp (current time - window hours).
             cutoff_timestamp = int(time.time() - SCORE_MA_WINDOW_HOURS * 3600)
@@ -70,6 +75,7 @@ async def set_scores(self) -> bool:
                 return False
 
             # 2. Iterate over the in-memory list so that the caller can process freely.
+            logger.debug("Pre-processing miner's rewards")
             hkey_agg_rewards: dict[str, float] = {}
             for generator_hotkey, generator_score, disc_hotkeys_json, disc_scores_json in rows:
                 # Deserialize JSON columns.
@@ -88,6 +94,7 @@ async def set_scores(self) -> bool:
                     hkey_agg_rewards[hotkey] = float(hkey_agg_rewards.get(hotkey, 0.0)) + float(reward)
 
             # 3. Delete rows that are older than the time window.
+            logger.debug("Cleaning up miner's outdated history")
             await conn.execute(
                 "DELETE FROM discriminator_results WHERE timestamp < ?",
                 (cutoff_timestamp,),
@@ -102,8 +109,14 @@ async def set_scores(self) -> bool:
                     record_str: str = json.dumps(record)
                     fh.write(f"{record_str}\n")
             # TODO: Flush the db only on set_weights_result is True.
+            if hkey_agg_rewards:
+                rewards_array = np.array(list(hkey_agg_rewards.values()))
+                logger.debug(f"Setting weights, reward mean={rewards_array.mean():.4f} min={rewards_array.min():.4f}")
+            else:
+                logger.warning(f"Setting empty rewards: {hkey_agg_rewards}")
             set_weights_result = await self.chain.set_weights(hkey_agg_rewards)
 
             # 4. Flush all deletions in a single commit.
+            logger.debug("Updating rewards DB")
             await conn.commit()
             return set_weights_result
diff --git a/apex/validator/pipeline.py b/apex/validator/pipeline.py
index ea8dfaf9a..26b55ca1c 100644
--- a/apex/validator/pipeline.py
+++ b/apex/validator/pipeline.py
@@ -25,11 +25,11 @@ def __init__(
         llm: LLMBase,
         deep_research: DeepResearchBase,
         logger_apex: LoggerApex | None = None,
-        num_consumers: int = 10,
-        timeout_consumer: float = 60,
-        timeout_producer: float = 6,
+        num_consumers: int = 5,
+        timeout_consumer: float = 180,
+        timeout_producer: float = 36,
         queue_size: int = 10_000,
-        redundancy_rate: float = 0.1,  # The rate that references are generated in addition to generator steps
+        redundancy_rate: float = 0.05,  # The rate that references are generated in addition to generator steps
         reference_rate: float = 0.5,  # The rate that references are generated as opposed to generator steps
     ):
         self.config = config
@@ -81,21 +81,27 @@ async def run_single(self, task: QueryTask) -> str:
             logger.debug("Generating task query")
             query = await generate_query(llm=self.llm, websearch=self.websearch)
 
+        reference = None
+        tool_history: list[dict[str, str]] = []
         if random.random() < self.reference_rate:
+            try:
+                generator_results = None
+                ground_truth = 0
+                logger.debug(f"Generating task reference for query: {query[:20]}..")
+                reference, tool_history = await generate_reference(llm=self.deep_research, query=query)
+            except BaseException as exc:
+                logger.exception(f"Failed to generate reference: {exc}")
+
+        if reference is None:
             ground_truth = 1
             logger.debug(f"Querying generators with query: {query[:20]}..")
             generator_results = await self.miner_registry.query_generators(query=query)
             if random.random() < self.redundancy_rate:
-                logger.debug(f"Generating redundant task reference for query: {query[:20]}..")
-                reference, tool_history = await generate_reference(llm=self.deep_research, query=query)
-            else:
-                reference = None
-                tool_history = []
-        else:
-            generator_results = None
-            ground_truth = 0
-            logger.debug(f"Generating task reference for query: {query[:20]}..")
-            reference, tool_history = await generate_reference(llm=self.deep_research, query=query)
+                try:
+                    logger.debug(f"Generating redundant task reference for query: {query[:20]}..")
+                    reference, tool_history = await generate_reference(llm=self.deep_research, query=query)
+                except BaseException as exc:
+                    logger.warning(f"Failed to generate redundant reference: {exc}")
 
         discriminator_results = await self.miner_registry.query_discriminators(
             query=query, generator_results=generator_results, reference=reference, ground_truth=ground_truth
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index ec1d2dc28..31ed9eca4 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "apex"
-version = "3.0.0"
+version = "3.0.1"
 description = "Bittensor Subnet 1: Apex"
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = "~=3.11"
diff --git a/tests/common/mock_async_chain.py b/tests/common/mock_async_chain.py
index 2161c344b..1c0312fdd 100644
--- a/tests/common/mock_async_chain.py
+++ b/tests/common/mock_async_chain.py
@@ -54,18 +54,20 @@ async def set_weights(
         netuid: int,
         uids: Iterable[int],
         weights: Iterable[float],
+        version_key: int,
         wait_for_inclusion: bool,
         wait_for_finalization: bool,
-    ) -> bool:
+    ) -> tuple[bool, str | None]:
         self.last_set_weights = {
             "wallet": wallet,
             "netuid": netuid,
             "uids": list(uids),
             "weights": list(weights),
+            "version_key": version_key,
             "wait_for_inclusion": wait_for_inclusion,
             "wait_for_finalization": wait_for_finalization,
         }
-        return self.weights_result
+        return self.weights_result, ""
 
 
 def patch_wallet(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
diff --git a/tests/common/test_async_chain.py b/tests/common/test_async_chain.py
index 6d83fa262..85092880c 100644
--- a/tests/common/test_async_chain.py
+++ b/tests/common/test_async_chain.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import pytest
 
+from apex import __spec_version__
 from apex.common.async_chain import AsyncChain  # noqa: E402
 from tests.common.mock_async_chain import DummyMetagraph, DummySubtensor, patch_subtensor, patch_wallet
 
@@ -121,6 +122,7 @@ async def test_set_weights_happy_path(monkeypatch):
     assert stub.last_set_weights is not None
     assert stub.last_set_weights["uids"] == [2]
     assert stub.last_set_weights["weights"] == [0.7]
+    assert stub.last_set_weights["version_key"] == __spec_version__
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
diff --git a/tests/validator/test_miner_sampler.py b/tests/validator/test_miner_sampler.py
index d2b8c04ba..d184ed41f 100644
--- a/tests/validator/test_miner_sampler.py
+++ b/tests/validator/test_miner_sampler.py
@@ -166,20 +166,24 @@ async def test_sample_miners_sequential(monkeypatch: MagicMock, miner_sampler: M
     monkeypatch.setattr(miner_sampler, "_get_all_miners", AsyncMock(return_value=all_miners))
 
     # 1st call in epoch.
-    with patch("random.sample", return_value=[0, 2]):
+    with patch(
+        "random.sample",
+        return_value=[MinerInfo(uid=1, address="", hotkey="1"), MinerInfo(uid=5, address="", hotkey="5")],
+    ):
         miners1 = await miner_sampler._sample_miners()
 
     assert len(miners1) == 2
     assert {m.uid for m in miners1} == {all_miners[0].uid, all_miners[2].uid}
-    assert len(miner_sampler._remaining_epoch_miners) == 1
 
     # 2nd call, new epoch starts as remaining (1) < sample_size (2).
-    with patch("random.sample", return_value=[1, 2]):
+    with patch(
+        "random.sample",
+        return_value=[MinerInfo(uid=3, address="", hotkey="3"), MinerInfo(uid=5, address="", hotkey="5")],
+    ):
         miners2 = await miner_sampler._sample_miners()
 
     assert len(miners2) == 2
     assert {m.uid for m in miners2} == {all_miners[1].uid, all_miners[2].uid}
-    assert len(miner_sampler._remaining_epoch_miners) == 1
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
diff --git a/validator.py b/validator.py
index 754afa9a0..b0ae22229 100644
--- a/validator.py
+++ b/validator.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 from loguru import logger
 
+from apex import __version__
 from apex.common.async_chain import AsyncChain
 from apex.common.config import Config
 from apex.services.deep_research.deep_research_langchain import DeepResearchLangchain
@@ -32,25 +33,36 @@ async def read_args() -> argparse.Namespace:
 async def main() -> None:
     args = await read_args()
     config = Config.from_file(path=args.config)
+    logger.debug(f"Starting validator v{__version__} with config: {args.config}")
 
     chain = AsyncChain(**config.chain.kwargs)
     await chain.start()
+    logger.debug(
+        f"Connected to the chain netuid={chain.netuid} with coldkey '{chain.coldkey[:2]}***', "
+        f"hotkey '{chain.hotkey[:2]}***'"
+    )
 
     logger_db = LoggerDB(**config.logger_db.kwargs)
     asyncio.create_task(logger_db.start_loop())
+    logger.debug(f"Started DB at: '{logger_db.db_path}'")
 
     # logger_apex = LoggerApex(async_chain=chain)
 
     websearch = WebSearchTavily(**config.websearch.kwargs)
+    logger.debug("Started web search tool")
 
     miner_sampler = MinerSampler(chain=chain, logger_db=logger_db, **config.miner_sampler.kwargs)
+    logger.debug("Started miner sampler")
 
     miner_scorer = MinerScorer(chain=chain, **config.miner_scorer.kwargs)
     asyncio.create_task(miner_scorer.start_loop())
+    logger.debug(f"Started miner scorer with interval={miner_scorer.interval}")
 
     llm = LLM(**config.llm.kwargs)
+    logger.debug("Started LLM provider")
 
     deep_research = DeepResearchLangchain(websearch=websearch, **config.deep_research.kwargs)
+    logger.debug("Started Deep Researcher")
 
     pipeline = Pipeline(
         config=config,
@@ -62,6 +74,7 @@ async def main() -> None:
         **config.pipeline.kwargs,
     )
     try:
+        logger.debug("Starting pipeline loop...")
         await pipeline.start_loop()
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         logger.warning("Keyboard interrupt caught, exiting validator")