droopy at night, too much molasses

Hi guys and gals. I either have a problem or a over active imagination.
Plant history and info:
Plants are about 4 weeks old and growing in 6 in pots. They have been on a 18/6 light cycle since germination and overall health is great. I need to transplant soon, but I am waiting for more preflowers. I have alternated watering with pure water and ferts untill last watering. This last watering I put molasses in with my RO water to feed all the micro orginizams that are living in the soil. I thought the dose was mild but now I fear that 1tablespoon per gallon is too much. Plants droop at night and it takes about 3 to 4 hours to perk up and then they look good. This is only my third grow, but I don't remember this happening. What is happening with the plants and What should I do?

It's not the mollasses, maybe strain related?

I've never used molasses but do not think 1 tblspoon could do that.

Dude relax...this is normal. My plants do this, but they perk up faster when the lights come on, they just droop at night when they are dormant.

You notice it more with larger plants under larger HID lights.

They should perk up faster actually. That is a very slight indication there is something they don't like. Many plants will perk up in expectation of the morning light even before it's on. It's kind of freaky actually.

Anyway why are you using molasses this early? All the sudden all sorts of folks are using molasses all the time and it's completely wrong to do that. You made your pots into bug feeders. The only time you use molasses is in the last two weeks of flowering before a flush. It may have a neutral ph and be pretty inert but it throws a lot of things off after a while. I think it goes from inert to completely screwing with ph and nutrient uptake.

STOP WITH THE MOLASSES PEOPLE

Where are you all getting the idea to use that all the time?

More is better...right.

How often are you watering????

I use molasses from seedling on and have no problems, but I use 1/4 or 1/12 tbl per gallon. As soon as I switch to 12/12 they get 1tbl per gallon every watering even when I flush. I've had great results with it. It is true that molasses will fuck with the ph. Try this mix your water and molasses together and let it sit for a day or two covered or uncovered. Check your ph before you let it sit then after a day or two check it. You'll find that the ph will be extremly acidict. This same thing can happen in you're soil and really mess you soil ph up. If you want to use molasses through out the grow you can just be careful and check you soil ph at least once a week. The key is to only use as much molasses as the plant to intake. I believe it makes a difference...

Thank for all the responses. The droopiness was definitely more than normal, but now everything is fine. I watered with a compost tea yesterday made with mostly worm castings. The plants are super happy now, and I noticed this morning that they were wilted way less. I was told that molasses is a good food to feed the billions of micro organisms living in the soil. This is my reason for giving them molasses so early. It is also an ingredient in most of my teas, but I was also told that the organisms will eat that while the tea is brewing. If any body has anyting to add please do so.
Thanks agin for the responses.

Hey Microracer. It is interesting what you said about the ph. How do you check the ph of your soil and how do you change it? This past feeding was the first time I put molasses in right before I watered. The other times it has just been an ingredient of my various teas. Thanks in advance.

oh yea.....and just to respond to autotek. I water about every third day, but now that they need to be bumped up I am watering more. Definitely not overwatering, although the symptoms would look very similar.

Wow! I just checked the ph of the run off after watering. Water was 6.1 going in, 5.6 going out. I am growing in Sunshine #4, worm castiings, more perlite, and some small amounts of other things like dolomite lime, Blood and bone meal, kelp meal, Mgso4 exec. Plants still look great although I do see minor purple strips on a few stems. Should I raise the ph next watering to get the soil closer to 6.0.

Thanks Agin

Yes, I would water with the difference in PH of the soil runoff... so the runoff is 5.5 lets say and u want it to be 6... water with ph of 6.5 and it should bring it up, in some cases like mine, i had a 5.2 runoff, so i flushed with 7.5 or so and it got her back up to her correct level. good luck

I agree just adjust your water to bring up the runoff ph to desired levels........you can also add a little h2o2 to your water to bump up your oxygen levels......this will help the drooping.......

Thanks, Will do. I think i will water tomorrow with pure water. I am going to check a couple more and get an average difference and go from there. Thanks again for your help.