I check for bubbles constantly too. My very first beer I put in the basement to ferment. Nice and cool and dark. After three days and no bubbles I put a thermometer next to the fermenting bucket. 52 degrees.
I now ferment upstairs at 67 on the kitchen table under a box for darkness.
Whirlfloc is awesome. Combined with a 10 day cold crash and I get super clear results. I saw a marked improvement over moss. And yes, a post boil strainer is an absolute necessity for a clear IPA, at least for me. I'm too lazy for gelatin. Cold crash works tremendously for avoiding dry hop additions.