Seedling problems

Planted a new batch of seedlings and shortly after work called and sent me out of state for an extended period of time. Brother has been caring for them while I am away.

Here are some details.

Plants sprouted on jan 20th give or take a day.

Planted in a black gold seedling mix 1.5 cubic yards mixed with a bag of earthworm castings and perlite.

Rough mixture would be
60% black gold
20% castings
20% extra perlite black gold had a fair amount to begin with.
Under t5 bulbs

First watering was too much water took about 14 days before they seemed ready for next watering. I watered and a week later were ready for another watering.

This is when I went out of state to work.

Told brother to wait a week to water which he did. Then for some reason unknown to me he watered 3 days later.

Here are some pics when I told him he over watered.

Told him to hold off on next watering. Has been 6 days since then.

Now present day here are some photos.


So for a 6 day period in between pictures very little growth and yellowing/ dying leaves. Any input is appreciated. I'm guessing over watering.

Thanks RIU crew

What's the runoff ph?

They look hungry honestly.

Don't feed and forget about runoff. Talk about pH. Comparing pictures it does look like over-watering could be a factor & in that case just corrected watering going forward is about all you can do and keep an eye on ph adjustment too, steady 6.5 for best results, good luck

Havent measured PH. I water with good tap water sits at 7 even. Have used tap water threw many cycles but never from seed. Have had stunted clones before but they usually adjust and snap out of it.

This grow is just a early start for outdoors about a month and a half earlier than normal. But before would grow from clone not seeds. And that's why started so early.

Also have never used a seedling mix with established clones I usually go right to ocean forest for the indoor veg and when put outdoors they go right into a super soil and they thrive.

So alot is new to me with the seedling stage.

I was leaning towards them being slightly over watered and hungry for some N. But like I said I'm new to seedling growth.

I fed these soon as they popped with some mega crop.. one out the 3 didn’t like the feed I might just toss that one if she don’t catch up..

Citylimits said:

Havent measured PH. I water with good tap water sits at 7 even. Have used tap water threw many cycles but never from seed. Have had stunted clones before but they usually adjust and snap out of it.

This grow is just a early start for outdoors about a month and a half earlier than normal. But before would grow from clone not seeds. And that's why started so early.

Also have never used a seedling mix with established clones I usually go right to ocean forest for the indoor veg and when put outdoors they go right into a super soil and they thrive.

So alot is new to me with the seedling stage.

I was leaning towards them being slightly over watered and hungry for some N. But like I said I'm new to seedling growth.

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How do you know you're ph is 7 even (which is too high and will only go higher with the swing), if you don't check ph?

Also, city tap or well tap?

Beachwalker said:

Eh.. if you going to put them out they'll probably live, looks mostly like over-watering and I wouldn't bother with ph if I'm going to put them out in a month either, well I would but you probably don't have to

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Wont go out until may 15th. So they have some time. I honestly hate these t5s and just ordered some cobs expensive for just vegging but I see my buddys grows who are doing same as me and putting out bigger and healthier plants come mid may. However mine blow theirs out of the water come flower because of all organic compost top dressings. A mix of compost and chicken shit. Then come flower they get a nice top dressing of fish shit from the fish pond. 99 percent of nutes are from my gardens compost, chicken compost, and fish shit. But while indoors I use organic top dressings store baught to better measure there intensitys.

3rd Monkey said:

How do you know you're ph is 7 even (which is too high and will only go higher with the swing), if you don't check ph?

Also, city tap or well tap?

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It is "city" tap but comes from a resovior in the sticks and have tested before with strips on a few diffrent occasions.

Citylimits said:

Wont go out until may 15th. So they have some time. I honestly hate these t5s and just ordered some cobs expensive for just vegging but I see my buddys grows who are doing same as me and putting out bigger and healthier plants come mid may. However mine blow theirs out of the water come flower because of all organic compost top dressings. A mix of compost and chicken shit. Then come flower they get a nice top dressing of fish shit from the fish pond. 99 percent of nutes are from my gardens compost, chicken compost, and fish shit. But while indoors I use organic top dressings store baught to better measure there intensitys.

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There is nothing wrong with T5s. I use them and so does everybody and their brother.

I also have a relativly cheap supply of poland springs bottled water which is a constant ph of 6.3. I have never in my life measured run off numbers and never had that problem with in ground outdoors city water. But also alot more soil to filter the ph better.

Citylimits said:

It is "city" tap but comes from a resovior in the sticks and have tested before with strips on a few diffrent occasions.

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7 is still to high, which means you are locking out micronutrients.

Citylimits said:

I also have a relativly cheap supply of poland springs bottled water which is a constant ph of 6.3. I have never in my life measured run off numbers and never had that problem with in ground outdoors city water. But also alot more soil to filter the ph better.

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Well that would be better to water with. Soil doesn't filter ph, but buffers it. You're indoors right now and that's what matters or you won't make it to outdoors.

3rd Monkey said:

There is nothing wrong with T5s. I use them and so does everybody and their brother.

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I agree I have been useing them since they first came out with out any issues but I have seen grows with other lighting options with much better results. Same water same nutes same veg time. Ect....

Citylimits said:

I agree I have been useing them since they first came out with out any issues but I have seen grows with other lighting options with much better results. Same water same nutes same veg time. Ect....

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Those bulbs are only good for about a year. Have you replaced them?

3rd Monkey said:

Well that would be better to water with. Soil doesn't filter ph, but buffers it. You're indoors right now and that's what matters or you won't make it to outdoors.

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I agree and that is why I'm here. Way they are going clearly something is wrong. So here is what I was going with before I came here for a second opinion and before seeing the plants.next watering will be Sunday they will be watered with Poland springs which is RO at 6.4 ph with the most mild nutes added as I can.

3rd Monkey said:

Those bulbs are only good for about a year. Have you replaced them?

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They are at about 7 months of 18/6. Dont think it's an issue

Citylimits said:

I agree and that is why I'm here. Way they are going clearly something is wrong. So here is what I was going with before I came here for a second opinion and before seeing the plants.next watering will be Sunday they will be watered with Poland springs which is RO at 6.4 ph with the most mild nutes added as I can.

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How do you know it's 6.4? Not trying to be a dick, but that varies bottle to bottle. Your runoff is what I'm more interested in.

Citylimits said:

They are at about 7 months of 18/6. Dont think it's an issue

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That's not the issue here, I was just letting you know about the bulbs.

3rd Monkey said:

How do you know it's 6.4? Not trying to be a dick, but that varies bottle to bottle. Your runoff is what I'm more interested in.

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Going off of Google and 1 prior test agian with the test strips. Wont be able to get a test in until next weekend still not home. And really not watering untill run off occurs but I will on one of the runts to check. But agian will only be a test strip. Maybe I will do a side by side with two runts.

But they will also need a watering before I see them agian.. which is my problem