Humidity dome for seedling versus no dome due to danger of soil fungus--what's best?

I keep reading "yes, use a humidity dome when you are waiting for your seedling to break soil and wait until she has her first true leaves to remove the dome." and then I've also read "do not ever use a humidity dome as it will lead to fungus growing in the soil"

I've got 2 seedlings (for 2 days now) (1 Royale Haze & 1 Jamaican Dream) in dixie cups w/humidity domes over the top of each cup and a 23w 6500K cfl about 1 " above each humidity dome (also have good airflow, temps are 71 lights off, 82 lights at 18/6). They haven't sprouted yet and I don't expect them to for maybe up to a week. At what point do I need to get concerned a/b fungus growth?

When the soils green, even then its probably only alge which isnt harmful and as soon as you let the soil dry it will dissapear. I think seedlings grow faster with a dome on upto a certain point and to avoid mould issues just avoid overwatering seedlings seem to love humidity and a dome will deinatily provide it. Also because I was using a powerful 600w hps I think the domes provided some protection from the harsh heat. Found it hard getting info on using domes and ended up experimenting and would definatly vouch for.using domes for at least a couple of weeks of seedling unless you have heating light and humidity dialled. Hope this helps a bitJust realized I wrote dome about 10 times in a row....doh!

humidity domes suck, as you grow over a few years you will realize someones always trying to sell you something you don't need

Well..nobody sold me anything...I just used a clear dixie cup that fit over the top of the dixie cup containing my soil/seedling.

peilo said:

humidity domes suck, as you grow over a few years you will realize someones always trying to sell you something you don't need

Click to expand...

put seeds in a paper towel. if they are good they will sprout in 3 days, 4 max with a tail. Take a plastic cup, make sure you have drainage holes and fill with soil, preferably neutral with no nutes and soak soil till cups drain...then use a screw driver and make a hole in soil, stick the tail in and leave the pod at the top, sprinkle loose soil or push existing soil around tail and pod. The next day it should be standing up atleast 1/2 inch to an inch above the soil. 5 days max. Use 24 hours on veg. Also first week, just water, light feeding in week 2 and make sure the lights are not to close until they get atleast 4-6 inches. The pic is 19 days from papertowels

zat said:

I keep reading "yes, use a humidity dome when you are waiting for your seedling to break soil and wait until she has her first true leaves to remove the dome." and then I've also read "do not ever use a humidity dome as it will lead to fungus growing in the soil"

I've got 2 seedlings (for 2 days now) (1 Royale Haze & 1 Jamaican Dream) in dixie cups w/humidity domes over the top of each cup and a 23w 6500K cfl about 1 " above each humidity dome (also have good airflow, temps are 71 lights off, 82 lights at 18/6). They haven't sprouted yet and I don't expect them to for maybe up to a week. At what point do I need to get concerned a/b fungus growth?

Click to expand...

Thanks for your input.

spambunny said:

When the soils green, even then its probably only alge which isnt harmful and as soon as you let the soil dry it will dissapear. I think seedlings grow faster with a dome on upto a certain point and to avoid mould issues just avoid overwatering seedlings seem to love humidity and a dome will deinatily provide it. Also because I was using a powerful 600w hps I think the domes provided some protection from the harsh heat. Found it hard getting info on using domes and ended up experimenting and would definatly vouch for.using domes for at least a couple of weeks of seedling unless you have heating light and humidity dialled. Hope this helps a bitJust realized I wrote dome about 10 times in a row....doh!

Click to expand...

What I find useful about humidity domes is if your using a starting soil mix it's going to be very 'light' and drys out quickly, for someone like me who is gone 10hrs of the day it's impossible for me to be able to keep up with the watering without letting them dry out, whenever I use a humidity dome it keeps all the soil moist but don't over due it! I have a dome that has 3 flaps, 1 on each side and one on the top so I can open it up at certain points for airflow, Once my seedlings are an inch or two above the soil I let free... Saturation of the seeds may occur which will cause no germination I always like to 'air out' the trays for a few minutes a day.

Yea as someone mentioned it's just algae, from what I notice it mainly happens on perlite, which whenever perlite is exposed to light and is wet it grows algae.

I use a dome to sprout my seeds and once I see the first true leaves I remove them. I use rockwool cubes and have never had any fungus problems, bare in mind your sprouts have just a tap root and can't take up water efificientely. they feed off moisture on the leaves. At least that's my experience.

Domes are only really needed for cuttings. Because cutting do not have any roots to start they need the water. Seeds do not.

'Damping off' is the most common disease under a dome. They have the advantage of less watering (as said above) and keeping the humidity high to help the cotlydons shed the seed cases more easily. They are also useful for controlling the envronment (i.e., using a heated propogator in winter).
Disadvantages are disease and having to 'harden off' the seedlings gradually.
It's a personal choice depending on your circumstances.

I'm glad someone brought up the algae that grows on perlite I just didn't wanna start a whole thread about it, so it won't bother plants huh. I was just doin some cloning and just used some 16oz water bottles cut in half that I fill with my perlite/vermiculite mixture until I put tape around the bottles to block the light well from the sides at least. It didn't bother my clones so that's y I didn't bother making a thread. Good to hear that it won't harm plants, I assume its the same for clones. Oh and regarding domes I use a ziplock gallon size bag and I put my clone in there and seal it up, then I cut off one corner to give ventilation.

zat said:

I keep reading "yes, use a humidity dome when you are waiting for your seedling to break soil and wait until she has her first true leaves to remove the dome." and then I've also read "do not ever use a humidity dome as it will lead to fungus growing in the soil"

I've got 2 seedlings (for 2 days now) (1 Royale Haze & 1 Jamaican Dream) in dixie cups w/humidity domes over the top of each cup and a 23w 6500K cfl about 1 " above each humidity dome (also have good airflow, temps are 71 lights off, 82 lights at 18/6). They haven't sprouted yet and I don't expect them to for maybe up to a week. At what point do I need to get concerned a/b fungus growth?

Click to expand...

You really don't need one for seedlings. Clones need a humidity dome because they do not have any roots to supply the existing leaves with water and the dome allows the leaves to absorb the moisture in the air until the roots are established. Seedlings start out with roots before they have any leaves and so the plant is able to get everything it needs from the roots.

I never use them for seedlings, it sets up problems right out of the gate. They don't need it for any reason, and become dependant on the humidity, and are a bitch to ween off from....I use no top, and feed my rapid rooter plugs with a 20oz bottle that I drill a very small hole in the top of the cap, then squirt a direct easily measured watering with, using clonex and well water, ph balanced.

dvs1038 said:

I'm glad someone brought up the algae that grows on perlite I just didn't wanna start a whole thread about it, so it won't bother plants huh. I was just doin some cloning and just used some 16oz water bottles cut in half that I fill with my perlite/vermiculite mixture until I put tape around the bottles to block the light well from the sides at least. It didn't bother my clones so that's y I didn't bother making a thread. Good to hear that it won't harm plants, I assume its the same for clones. Oh and regarding domes I use a ziplock gallon size bag and I put my clone in there and seal it up, then I cut off one corner to give ventilation.

Click to expand...

I first learned this when I ventured into shrooms and the perlite in my fruiting chamber became green from staying soaked and the light on it but it never caused any problems, You can wash perlite to clean it and re-use but I don't know the exact steps for that... I know just use lava rocks and a tropic air humidifier, which doubles as my cloning chamber.

There's good points from both sides on using and not using a humidity dome but one common thing will happen regardless... your plant will grow. lol

SirLancelot said:

There's good points from both sides on using and not using a humidity dome but one common thing will happen regardless... your plant will grow. lol

Click to expand...

Too right. This isn't a case of one is better than the other. It all depends on personal choice and the circumstances. I use a dome in winter with a heated prop (heck, costs me nothing and I have it anyway for cloning). In summer I don't bother. Neither way is 'best'. It all depends upon circumstances.

I use perlite on the bottom of the tray in my humidity dome with water. You guys think I'll run into algae?