New here - New CFL Grower - Already having issues with seedlings. Please help!

Hello! I am a new grower from Colorado and I am definitely trying the cheapest route possible when it comes to materials, etc. I'm not wealthy and I'm not looking for a huge yield. I am going to go the CFL route as I've heard and seen people do it before with great results. I am mostly interested in the journey and I want to log my experiences to hopefully help others out in the future. I have tarped off a corner of my room that I will soon line the inside with white reflective panda liner and take down the foil lining as some have told me not to use that as it causes hot spots. I have provided pictures below. I currently have a cheap humidifier going and it keeps the tent at a nice temperature between 76-80 degrees Fahrenheit with 60-70% humidity. I come here for advice because I think I am having issues. The two leaves on each of the sprouts are starting to turn yellow and/or brown on the tips like they were burned or are dying or something. I have no idea what this means. More info below:

What is your experience level? (first timer, novice, experienced...) I am brand spankin' new.

Your Equipment:
.1) Type and wattage of lights. (MH, HPS, CFL's, tube fluorescents, LED's) I currently have four CFL 26w 1700 Lumens 4100k "Cool White" lights.
.2) Distance from tops? About 5-6 inches away.
.3) Reflector type? (cool tube set-up, bat wing, enclosed reflector, bare bulb...) Two are bare bulb and the two on the sides are closed reflectors.
.4) Is there a consistent fresh air supply? Yes.
.5) Do you have an exhaust fan and a circulation fan? No.
.6) What are the bulb wattages, kelvin ratings, and schedule? Bulb wattage is 26w, kelvin is 4100k, and schedule is 24/7.

Your medium:
.7) Specific brand and type of soil, (coco, peat based soilless...) and anything you've added to it. (vermiculite, perlite, worm castings...) I am using Miracle Gro Organic Choice Potting Mix with 20-30% perlite. Amazon.com: Miracle-Gro 72986510 Organic Choice Potting Mix Bag, 16-Quart: Patio, Lawn & Garden
.8) Size of container. Red Solo Cups.
.9) Did you use peat pucks (or similar) to root clones or germinate seedlings? No additives or nutes yet.

Your nutrients and water:
10) Source of water? (tap, bottled or filtered) What's it's ph before adjusting? Tap water and pH is reading 5.5-6.0
11) Method of checking water ph. (ph pen, test strips, aquarium test kit...) pH Analog Mini tester http://cdn.territorialseed.com/image...4238_large.jpg
12) Method of adjusting water ph. (phosphoric acid, white vinegar, hydrated lime, PH Up...) Have not done anything to water yet.
13) Specific brand and N-P-K ratio for each bottle. List dosages (quantity per gallon) and current feeding schedule. I have Big Bloom, Grow Big and Tiger Bloom ready, but not using yet.
14) How often are you watering between feedings, and how much per watering? Watered once before dropping seeds.
15) Any additives or tea's? (Superthrive, CalMag, molasses, Mother's Earth...) None.
16) Are your ph levels stable, or do they fluctuate? Stable as far as I know.
17) What is your ingoing water's ph? ...your runoff ph? 5.5-6.0
18) Do you foliar feed? If so, with what, how often, and at what time do you spray? N/A

Your growroom:
19) Indoors or outdoors? Indoors.
20) What size of closet, room or hut? 4x4x8 grow tent.
21) What are the temps and humidity levels while lights are on? ...With lights off? Lights on is 75-80 Fahrenheit. Not sure with lights off.
22) Have you seen signs of insects in the growroom? No.

Your strain:
23) What strain are you growing? (Indica dominate or Sativa dom?) White Widow Indica Dominant.
24) From seeds or clones? Bagseed.
25) Is this an autoflower strain? Not sure exactly.

There ya go! Please don't be harsh!

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is this miracle grow coming with any feed in it? im working in a shop where i deal with them in daily bases and few of my mates who are growing cannabis told me before that most of theyr stuff is lethal for small cannabis plants cos of all the feed they have it in and id check your soil PH as well cos i know one of my mates left few bags back last year cos ph level was ova de chart.
iv pretty much no knoweledge about growing miself and all i said above is what i heard people talking etc..lol
umm i dont think that this post is now useless at all.xD

ph seems a little low. soil is better between 6.2 and 7

Check out some of the diagnosis threads in here they are usually quite helpful.. I don't see that being a Ph issue but I've been wrong, my guess would if you soil has a stronger nutrient system yellowing and brown spots are usually an indication of too much nutrients or nutrient burn, 76-80 is a little on the warm side at that stage you should try to stay more around 72-76 for maximum photo... but the biggest thing is letting us know exactly what soil your using! If its NOT a seedling or light mix soil ur loading ur baby up on nutes and u need to get it out of that soil!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Indimaniac

Check out some of the diagnosis threads in here they are usually quite helpful.. I don't see that being a Ph issue but I've been wrong, my guess would if you soil has a stronger nutrient system yellowing and brown spots are usually an indication of too much nutrients or nutrient burn, 76-80 is a little on the warm side at that stage you should try to stay more around 72-76 for maximum photo... but the biggest thing is letting us know exactly what soil your using! If its NOT a seedling or light mix soil ur loading ur baby up on nutes and u need to get it out of that soil!

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I am using Miracle Gro Organic Choice Potting Mix. There's a link to it on my first post above.

Ya bro ok see how it says feeds up to two months... that means NO SEEDLINGS OR ANYTHING YOUNGER THAN SAY 3 FULL SETS PF LEAVES!!(not yelling) u need to get them into some type of LIGHT or SEEDLING even jiffy pellets but no normal potting soils unless the say "need to start feeding immediately" on the bag soil mixes your burning ur seedlings with nutes they'll die at this age... this would be perfect to transplant into after u have 3 sets of leaves or 3 nodes but not before that point!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Indimaniac

Ya bro ok see how it says feeds up to two months... that means NO SEEDLINGS OR ANYTHING YOUNGER THAN SAY 3 FULL SETS PF LEAVES!!(not yelling) u need to get them into some type of LIGHT or SEEDLING even jiffy pellets but no normal potting soils unless the say "need to start feeding immediately" on the bag soil mixes your burning ur seedlings with nutes they'll die at this age... this would be perfect to transplant into after u have 3 sets of leaves or 3 nodes but not before that point!!

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So do I have to start over with new seeds and better soil or can I transfer them somehow?

Ok... "if I were you" "I" would roll the cups in my hand a little as to pull the dirt loose from the sides, so that the whole chunk of dirt can come out as one clump... set them aside get a bowl atleast a couple times the size of ur potted dirt a bowl pot or pale, what ever u have access to. Now fill it up a few inches deeper than ur dirt, with the ph'ed water you've been watering with, now get new pots ready fill them with light or seedling soil and get nice and moist and ready for ur plantsto move inbefore u move on... now I've personally done this a few time and I get real attached to my plants lol so its scary for me!! But take ur cups DO NOT pick it up by the stem place ur Two or three fingers around the plant, flip it upside down and tap tap tap it until it comes out whole, now slowly submerge the whole dirt ball into the water and gently swoosh and work it around until all the dirt comes loose damaging some roots is inevitable but ur trying to keep as much intact as possible, now once you've rinsed the roots good and freed from the old dirt lift from water bowl, and place in pots you prepared before beware the plans WILL BE droopy and a lil limp(scared me the first time I thought I killed them for sure!) This is normal! Pack ur new dirt firmly around the stem you can plant it deeper than before almost up to the leaves to prop it up nicely this will also give you a higher root system, once you have it packed in nicely and the transport is done give it a good water but don't over do it and growth will resume as normal within two or three days if it stunts it at all(never has for me)

OK and what soil do you prefer or what kinds are the best? I've heard of Fox Farm Ocean Forest. What are some others?

Oh and good luck! I really hope what I said was helpful!! If you do this as I told you how before the end of tomorrow, you should be ok, I've seen plants alot worse of pull through with this method... nothing can be guaranteed but usually this will revive your plants with no problems now within a few days if the plants don't live the transplant was too late and the nutes damage was too much to handle... live n learn bit keep ur fingers crossed!!