we losing by ourself.

man we need a doctor!

basically. i started with two 2' tubes 24/7. for about 2 weeks @ 80 deg./ 80% hum. and it varied inbetween 70-85 deg./ 20%-80% hum. at times fed just tap water in soil solo cups every few days
then for about a week they were under 300 watt hps 24/7 @ 70-80 deg/ 30%-50% hum. fed tap water in soil solo cups every few days. believe i even overwatered.
now they are under 600 watt hps 24/7 35-50% hum. and 72-79 deg. makeshift co2 sugar/yeast/water. it dripped on plants some so just goes to the fans. and i have all the hardware to switch to dwc expect ec meter and nutes but i'm really hesitant to switch struggling this much already.

please help gurus. i finally got internet back because i really need some help.

The first thing you need to do is transplant them into bigger pots as they are seriously rootbound.

How did they progress into this? (Doesn't seem like something that would present itself over night).

Also, why the solo-cups (for so long), what about potting up with fresh soil?

BTW: When you change light intensity, you also change the plants need for food and water. How fast do they drink?

Sorry, someone else probably have answers instead of questions

What's up Dog, so it looks to me like you have burn issues going on. I read your just using tap water so what kinda soil is that? I doubt they would be root bound that small but maybe after they dry out before next water you can pull it out and check.. Also normally tap water is just fine, but I have seen some high ph from tap that is no bueno even in soil..

deff transplant them but dont switch to dwc just yet. make it through this grow then switch on the next one if you feel confident enough.
imo you shouldnt keep your lights on 24/7 switch to 18/6 for veg. the plants need a night cycle and its cheaper on your electric bill.

Lol so I read back and you said "at times" you use tap water.. Well maybe that's your problem right there, you should only be using water (no nutes). There too small for all that still and your soil Should have all they need during early veg.. Some even bloom..

Also everyone keeps saying transplant but I have done whole successful grows in party cups all the way to chop with no issues. Totally check tho if in doubt I just think there too small for that to be an issue.

No nutes!!!

I think you should dump those, do LOTS more reading, and start again. Otherwise it will be an uphill battle all grow from there. And why the duct tape over the cups lol, they do need to breath like you and I.

well i appreciate the help guys. i'm not a quiter. and money has been tight. but i bought what i bought when i had the funds. i water about 2 or 3 days til it comes out the bottom. which isnt much. maybe a solo cups worth of water. and i dont have an adequate heat source. i did this once before just had no issues... lol musta been beginner luck. i was treating for known mites from where i got them. and i just looked again. and i believe i see lil eggs on top of new growth. could mites cause all this? i havent treated for them in about a week. using and underleaf spray and spray heavy followed by sucking on them with my duct work. (have an inline fan taking heat away). i think that i have read too much...been doing it for weeks. really didnt even wanna get online with it except i didn't know where else to look.. i am going to switch to 18/6 and do a transplant in a day or two i need soil first. i just dont know what to think. i'm over analyzing and doing too much i think. thanks again. ill post ever couple days until death do we(ed) part

if you have mites deal with them for sure.
I wont ramble on the subject other than to say you have a to break the breeding cycle by repeated application on a schedule.

Do you have drainage in those cups?

I also suspect the soil is too hot.

It is also possible to damage the plant
with bug spray.

The cups are fine for that size plant
but they will need to be watched closely
healthy plants will drink water fast.
like maybe 2 times a day fast depending
on conditions.

what brand of soil is that?


Your temps arent horrible but 20 humidity
for prolonged periods is probably not helping

I HAVE heard that my soil is a "hot" one. There are slits in the cups like 4 or 5 in each.. Should I make more? I believed that spray I was using to treat was almost harmless. However, tomorrow I am going to implement a night period and go 18/6. I am going to retreat for mites 2-3 days for 2 weeks or more during the night cycle. I am going to buy another bag of soil. just some regular stuff instead of name brand. as i'm on a super tight budget. I'm hoping my worst will be clone off these and try again dwc with the clones in a few weeks if we cant recover. Thanx again. I will be back and check back often. Would a lil video of my area help with a good diagnosis.? I cant get a pic of the little white balls on top of new growth but there is a bunch and i see lil black dots under leaves. but it could be soil because i flip cups over to spray for mites. and i put the tape on to prevent soil from dumping out when i spray. nodes are super tight and it impossible for me to get it done without doing so. (that i can think of)...ps is it too early to cut off dying growth or heavy damaged leaves?????

oh my ph is like 7.9-8.2 from using pool ph strips. and i have alot of purple in my stalk and stems in one plant...that one that is growing more. and the other one there is some but not near as much... i have neglected putting in a night cycle because of maintaining the heat and humidity issue without the light on.....need that heat still. but i'ma gamble tomorrow. thanks again!

by hot we mean containing nutrients that
are WAY more than the roots can handle.

I see the purple but if you get fresh soil suitable for very young plants and repot
I think most of these problems will correct themselves.

stay on the mites.
maybe post how and what you are using to eliminate them.

Miracle grow is a bad bad soil for younglings. It is however not a bad one for established plants. Maybe just get some coco peat and do like a 50/50 mix until they root out better and can hold there own.
Also for the mite treatment try every 3-4 days instead. That's on there time and it will be less of a shock to the plants... Too much and you can clog the stomata.

ph of what? the water? 7.+ anything is too high...this is why the leaves are folding down hard core!!.. try to get it down to 6.5 for soil. I would t-plant into fresh soil into a 2-liter size pot, is there any perlite in the soil? and let them dry up!!!!! and dont give them so much water at once..... I start clones in lg dunkin donut cups and give them like 1/4 a cup at one time.....2-3 days later...another 1/4 cup of 6.5 water.

mites you will see crawling around..... look very close and blow on the bottom of the leaf....if it runs...its a mite!!

ph yes the water. i don't know how to test soil. i use pool strips. there is perlite in the soil. and they are in some brown sponge medium and i'm not sure what the other guy had them in looked like dark bark and twigs lol but i put that soil on top of that and had mixed some perlite in it first.

gota get that ph way down my friend..... 6.5 6.6 is the best for any type of soil..... not sure if spongy stuff is soil?? but if its soiless medium.... 5.6-6.0 is where you should be... even lower!!

if you have been...."flushing" with super high water..( water running out the bottom is like flushing/ over watering hence the term over watering...meaning water running out the bottom) this will crank up the ph.... then you get what you see in your plants. do you have anything to lower your ph??? lime/lemon juice, ph down? maybe even vinegar in small amounts.

i was wondering about lemons or limes today and i have vinegar but not white. i will try that next watering. and i believe it may have been a soiless medium. i'll make some changes tomorrow and post. maybe i'll start a journal. this isn't my first time. but it is my first time ever having a problem. and its major....new place, new taste i suppose. thank you for all the help you guys!

as an update to our situation....duct tape gone!

im getting ph adjuster tonight or tomorrow.....but this is what the roots look like. Looks to me that pic1 is not "eatting" well since the medium is alot more moist than pics2. and im thinking pic2 appears to be full of roots like a rootbound thing. pic3 is what i'm using. pic4 is the medium no branding tho. not sure what they are called. and lastly pic4 is the nutes i have. although more than half is gone. i will list all what i have left shortly. i am now emplimenting a night cycle 6hrs. but it seems to be running cool like 67 deg 45 hum. and i sprayed my mite spray. drenched em best i could. before lights turn back on i will rinse plant with luke warm water and dry off in time for light. tonight or tomorrow i will transplant into bigger pots with non specialty soil mixed with perlite. (ihave perlite and vermiculite) i dont know what my mix will be tho i am still looking for good advice there.

nice use of duct tape.