Seedling Problems

Hi,

I'm growing 2 Snow White plants. They are about 2 weeks old. Things have been going good so far until a few days ago. Both seedlings showed signs of over watering and I believe I was over watering them. So I cut back on watering them and both improved. Then the day after they improved, one took a weird turn. The leaves started curling up and changed in color from green to yellow to a brownish color. The larger leaves changed first and then the smaller leaves

Both plants have grown to their second node. I have them in small, plastic dixie cups with unfertilized seedling soil. I have not started nutrients. Just using tap water that has a pH level of about 7.5. Both plants are in a grow tent. The only light I have is a 600 Watt HPS/MH conversion bulb in a 6 inch cool tube. I have kept this light about 18 to 24 inches above the plants the entire time (I know this light is probably too much for seedlings but it is all that I have right now). Temperature has remained very steady at 75 degrees F. Humidity was very low (in the low 20% range) until I added a humidifier in the tent which raised the humidity to around 43% and has stayed there. I'm using a 6 inch 449 CFM Vortex fan for ventalation. I'm pulling air out of the tent, through the cool tube, and venting into the room.

Here are some pictures of the sick seedling:











Here is a picture of the other seedling that is doing well:



Any suggestions would be great. Thanks in advance.

I believe my sick seedling is dead. There has been no change in it's status. The other one is doing just fine.

Dude, what soil are you using???

You should get some starter soil for your seedlings.

It looks like they all have nutrient burn.

Nutrients should not be introduced to your plant this early.

And the one you say is "doing well" is not doing so well man.

BuddhaScientist said:

Dude, what soil are you using???

You should get some starter soil for your seedlings.

It looks like they all have nutrient burn.

Nutrients should not be introduced to your plant this early.

And the one you say is "doing well" is not doing so well man.

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If you read my original post I stated, "I have them in small, plastic dixie cups with unfertilized seedling soil. I have not started nutrients."

No nutrients have been used. Only tap water. That is why I'm so confused. One day the plant looked fine and the next it was brown and shriveled up.

On the one that is "doing well", I think what you are seeing are shadows. That picture makes it look like the edges are brown but they are not. That plant has actually grown quite a bit since I took that picture.

What's the temp? What brand of soil? How far away are your lights and what kind are they? What the pH of your soil?

Only thing i can even think of would be temps or ph.
Or it kinda looks like your light is to close, how close are your lights and what kind of lighting?

hey man, too bad about your seedlings.. they look like they are on their way out.. dont try to save them now just start a new crop.. I would say the only explanations for the seedlings taking such a sudden turn are the following possibilities -- a) soil ph is too high at 7.5 (drop to 6.5) - b)600W HID only 2 feet or lower from tops of seedlings is a recipe for burning death! too intense of rays.. seedlings are fragile and shouldnt get so much light in the first 2 weeks of life.. raise the light source another foot - c) water purity.. using tap water is risky (especially for seedlings).. need to used distilled water that has been air-aged for at least a day - d)impurities in the soil causing a def or a burn .. and/or soil too densly packed and seedlings root having a tough time rooting itself (pull the seedling and check the roots, if still only the small shoot remains after all this time, the soil became too densly packed because of the over watering early on for the root to take hold).. good luck on your next crop!

BuddhaScientist said:

What's the temp? What brand of soil? How far away are your lights and what kind are they? What the pH of your soil?

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The temps have stayed right in the around 75. They have fluctuated a few degrees but never into the 60s or the 80s. I am taking temperature measurements in 2 places. One reading at the top of my grow tent and one reading near the plants.

I don't remember the brand of soil off the top of my head. I'm not at home right now but I got it from a local grow shop.

I'm using a 600 Watt MH/HPS conversion bulb that I have kept 3 feet from the plants. I know that light is too much for young plants but I didn't have money left in my budget for any CFLs. I can place my hand directly above the plants and it is not hot at all.

As for the pH of my soil, I'm not sure. I have a pH meter and have been checking my water pH. Straight out of the tap it is about 7.7. After I let it sit and come up to room temp it is about 7.3. This last weekend I picked up some pH Down. The last time I watered them the pH was at 6.8.

That 7.7 may have killed it...How long were they like that?

barrgemike said:

Only thing i can even think of would be temps or ph.
Or it kinda looks like your light is to close, how close are your lights and what kind of lighting?

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Lights are exactly 3 feet from the top of the plants. I'm using a 600 Watt MH/HPS Conversion bulb in a Cool Tube. Temps have remained very steady in the tent. Right about 75.

Consciousness420 said:

hey man, too bad about your seedlings.. they look like they are on their way out.. dont try to save them now just start a new crop.. I would say the only explanations for the seedlings taking such a sudden turn are the following possibilities -- a) soil ph is too high at 7.5 (drop to 6.5) - b)600W HID only 2 feet or lower from tops of seedlings is a recipe for burning death! too intense of rays.. seedlings are fragile and shouldnt get so much light in the first 2 weeks of life.. raise the light source another foot - c) water purity.. using tap water is risky (especially for seedlings).. need to used distilled water that has been air-aged for at least a day - d)impurities in the soil causing a def or a burn .. and/or soil too densly packed and seedlings root having a tough time rooting itself (pull the seedling and check the roots, if still only the small shoot remains after all this time, the soil became too densly packed because of the over watering early on for the root to take hold).. good luck on your next crop!

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Thanks. It is only one of my seedlings that is doing bad. The other one is just fine. I haven't done anything different to either plant. One just shriveled up and died and the other kept on growing. I check it this morning and it has started growing it's 5th node. The plant looks great.

BuddhaScientist said:

That 7.7 may have killed it...How long were they like that?

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I never watered them with 7.7 pH water. I was just stating that is pH of my water directly out of the tap. I always let the water sit out and come to room temp before using it to water the plants. After sitting out it dropped to around 7.3 pH.

werdna27 said:

Thanks. It is only one of my seedlings that is doing bad. The other one is just fine. I haven't done anything different to either plant. One just shriveled up and died and the other kept on growing. I check it this morning and it has started growing it's 5th node. The plant looks great.

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oh good, cool.. well.. usually for me anyway, if I germ 15, 10 will be viable, 6 will sprout well into seedlings and 3 will out perform the others so at least 12 out of the 15 seeds will have been failures but hey, thats genetics.. u cant be successful with every single seed.. good luck on the one that looks good .. rock on!

Consciousness420 said:

oh good, cool.. well.. usually for me anyway, if I germ 15, 10 will be viable, 6 will sprout well into seedlings and 3 will out perform the others so at least 12 out of the 15 seeds will have been failures but hey, thats genetics.. u cant be successful with every single seed.. good luck on the one that looks good .. rock on!

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Thanks. This being my first grow I wanted to keep it small. I first started thinking about growing back in July. The next few months I spent reading grow journals and FAQs just trying to get myself more informed. After a few months of studying I figure I would give it a try.

I talked to the guy at my local grow shop about this seedling just up and dying on me. He also suggested that it could just be genetics.

Look at mine i started it about a week or so ago outside then grew it for like 4 days in the closet with a fan under a light! i think i neeed a better light!

PH will eventually give you problems but not this stage of life. I believe you are cooking them with too much light, 18-24 inches is twice what you need with a HPS light for seedlings, I'd go like 36-42 inches. Or more..

It's the light it's the wrong type of light no matter how far you put it away.
Use some flo's or cfl's~they don't cost that much but your much better offfor the first week at least~
Just for curiosity what brand of seedling soil is you using?