Are my plants ready for Hydro? HID? Nutes? +PICTURES+

[line1260skr]

Right now I am watering my plants filling that baster (pic) like 2-3 times, a couple times day with about 5.5-6pH water... I am just using the 3 (42watt) cfls now.. I feel like I am loosing two of those plants.. One of them (the really small one) lost the seed shell when I was putting it in the rockwool I think that is limiting its nutrients because it just has plain water..
Anyway, I cant really find much when these seedlings go into the next steps? Should I put it in the hydro soon with a half nutrient solution? And also when is it considered "Veg" so putting it under the MH?

PS. the lights are about 3 inches away.. the thermometer reads 79 where it sits. stretching? (i guess i dont know what it looks like)

[justanotherbozo]

if they are then you don't need that much light yet, they definately don't need the HID yet
also, they're not ready to be moved into a hydro setup yet, wait til you see roots comeing through the rockwool, while you wait for the roots, start reading the FAQs, most of the answers you need will be there, it'll take a little digging, and you'll read a bunch that won't apply (yet) but you will learn a whole lot more than if you just ask questions.
anyway, keep it up, and look for what they call 'stickys', those are threads filled with so much useful shit that everyone should read them.

bozo,
peace, love, dope

[Weedhound]

Stop watering so much. They're already drooping....either from too much water or the ph of the rockwool or both.

[line1260skr]

Can anyone tell me why two have the leaves pointing up? ... I usually just water them when the rockwool is dry.. but its hard to tell what the inside is like.. I guess i don't really know how often to water them but i will cut back

[Weedhound]

Rockwool is known for two things...retaining water and needing to be pretreated to the correct ph before use. It really should NOT dry out two to three times a day. Do you have them sitting on something warm maybe ?

Did you pretreat the rockwool by soaking it overnight? That will really help prevent ph issues with it. Otherwise you can get the irregular and uneven growth you're getting here......I can't really tell which problem it is......

[line1260skr]

I did set them in pH adjusted water for 24 hours.. I just submerged them in it.. was I supoose to stir them around or anything?... I checked the pH of the water that I was giving the rockwool cubes and it was right under 6.0 (i use the color drops).. I came home just now and the plants have some pretty prominent yellow spots and the cubes to the touch feel really dry. The last time I watered them was this morning. When I water them I dont really get them that wet either just moist I guess. I am getting calmag+ in the mail this week i really dont know what that does but stinkyattic seems to find it pretty useful..

These yellow spots are really scaring me I feel like they are getting burnt but I dont even know? is there any suggestions on why my plants look kinda pathetic?

[line1260skr]

Oh and no it is just sitting on 2 bowls to prop it up and a tupperware cover so water can drain if it needs to. I dont have alot of air circulation in the top part of this Box but the temp does stay around 79-80?

Thanks again for help

[Weedhound]

Hmmm....shouldn't be drying out that fast........the little munchkins just LOOK overwatered....or like the ph is off or both....

I'd make sure your rockwool is pretty darn dry before watering again (like...damp.....) and you might want to ph your water to 6.2-6.8 if you didn't pretreat the rockwool.

Good luck.

[line1260skr]

Ahhh omg! i just went to look at my plants and they are all tipped over!!!! Im pretty sure they are too dry like i was thinking or something is going on! What should I do this all happened since i didnt water them mid afternoon.. the last time was 12 hours ago about

everytime i look at them i see more yellow spots on them.. and on the bottom too

I sprayed them with water and tried to prop them up to the light is this a good idea please help!

[line1260skr]

Well based on everyones response to that.. a lil stumpped.. me too but i watered them and a couple of them are sticking up pretty straight.. Ill check the rest tomorrow but my cubes are definitely getting underwatered some reason really fast.. I wish i knew why.. has anyone heard of this happening having to water it 2-3 times a day

[Weedhound]

Quite honestly I've never heard of anyone having to water two or three times a day so I'm stumped too.....maybe someone else will have a better answer for you.

Good luck.

[line1260skr]

Haha thanks anyway Weedhound hopefully it all works out!

[Weedhound]

Best of luck....hope they grow big, tall and sticky for you. ;)

[line1260skr]

Haha well I threw them out today... Since all we could figure out was it must have dried out.. or the pH?... Is there an alternative to rockwool that anyone would suggest? I was adjusting the pH (and soaked) but if it could have been the pH what should i use? Oasis cubes?

[line1260skr]

also now that i think about it the rockwool might have been getting dried out by sitting on the tupperware container like weedhouse said.. because i put them in the hydroton to seee what happened for last final try and the cubes stayed wet proabably 5 times longer... does anyone have any suggestions on what to set the cubes on or whatever i use next time?

[stinkyattic]

What temperature are you running in that grow chamber?
There's no reason that pH corrected RW cubes should not work to raise seedlings to about a week beyond sprouting, when you will be ready to put them into the next container or medium. I don't like them, but that doesn't mean they don't work.

[Weedhound]

Stinkster have you heard of RW drying out so fast like that? Weird......:wtf:

[stinkyattic]

Yeah, when you're running way too hot.

[moneyshotpb]

He says 79/80*f
I was thinking RH with a fan to make it worse??
Like mabee the desert?

[PlantHeadJ]

Just out of curiosity when you say they dried out how heavy were the rockwool plugs? Unless like Stinky said and it's too hot they shouldn't dry that fast. I also have to ask if a fan is blowing directly on them, that may cause them to dry. Rockwool is known for holding too MUCH water usually so it's gotta be heat or wind. just me 2 cents.

[line1260skr]

Well when they actually fell over i had put a small fan on it to get some circulation

[line1260skr]

Well when they actually fell over (dried out) i had put a small fan on it to get some circulation and after about 3 hours thats when it actually dried out.. Im thinking that it was from sitting on the tupperware cover that was getting warm because when i put it in the hydroton it retained a TON of water compared to just sitting out... I mean what do most people put them on when they are that small? I want to try again but i dont want the smae thing to happen again.

[PlantHeadJ]

I would look for a product called Rapid Rooter. Great plugs made of composted tree bark, and don't hold as much water as rockwool. If you are going to try rockwool again do NOT water them from the top. Set them on a tray and flood the tray ONLY 1/4 inch from the bottom of the rockwool. The stuff wicks water like mad so sitting in a 1/4 inch of water they will stay wet but hopefully not too wet. It will take some trial and error but give it hell you'll get it.

[line1260skr]

Thanks man for the help i might give one of those a shot