Argg... WHAT could possibly be causing this, i need a defecency detective!

Ok theres only SO many things that can be groing wrong with seedlings at this age... and ive done everything how i should have but i cant quite figar this out... its my first grow.

I think i have narrowed it down, and would like some info, sorry pics cant be present.

I have 7 seedlings that are approximatly 14 days old, however they are nowhere the size of most 14 day old plants i see on here, and the ones on this site that are that size either have a defecency, or crappy growlights/setup.

I am running a 400W MH Grow light (added orange spectrum) Jiffy seedling starting soil half perlite, Watering is all fine, 73-85F, normal humidity, EVERYTHING i can think of is standard or above average, besides a few things ill get too later. I spent $300 on stuff for my first grow and i see people with some MG potting soil and a CFL kicking my plants ass.

Now onto the plant problems.

Ok the main problems i am noticing are
1. Yellowing older leafes that too me greatly resemble MG def.
2. Stunting (i think) They are def smaller than most, and i know some plants are just slow growers, but trust me i think they arnt where they should be at this age.

Everything i did right and the onlything i can think of are
1. I didnt flush the seedling soil this MAY be the problem but if it is i think it woulda been flushed outa there by now. Unlikely
2.Superthrive during first 3 days of growth... Yes i may have burned them in the begging but not much, and if i did they were over that and im not 2 sure this is the caus but we should keep our options open.

3.I think this is it guys... I cant really cheak my soil PH, but the Jiffy soil (peat bassed) Did have dolomite lime from the factory to adjust PH, however i added a little lime just incase they didnt get enogh. The closest i can come too testing PH is the water is about 7.5 and the runoff is somwhere far below 6.8 my testers at the time wouldent test below 6.8 so i am not sure how far below.

To try and fix this problem today i added 1/2 tsp of epsomsalt to some water and foiler sprayed the leaves 1-2 times a day, and also added 1 tsp of dolomite lime to 1 quart water and waterd them with that...Thinking that CA diffecency might show itsself as MG def. and at this age i dont think they should have MG def.

Anyways its 2 early 2 tell, but should this clear it up? I cant think of any other problem it may be besides this. I really want to speed up the plants and they are just growing super slow...

ALSO might i add the what i think is MG def. Looks like yellowing of the leaves from tip stretching back, with brown spots appearing that turn into black blotches and get crispy.

Lower leaves first, then it moves higher.

How long will it take 2 see improvment, i gave them MG yesterday and Lime today...

Are you foliar feeding ? this can cause the yellowing , the brown & the black and crispy.

Sorry just re-read your post , it sounds like your problem is scorhing from foliar feeding , foliar feeding should be only done on 'lights out'.

I have only foiler fed when the lights out.... and the problem started before then... sorry not the problem.

I think you can make yourself nuts trying to figure this out without checking ph.....or you can figure out a way to check your ph and solve the problem.....cause I don't think you will solve it until you can moniter and control your ph.

So would cheaking runoff be the most acurate way of doing that?

Can you reccomend a good PH tester for under $35 from an online store? THERES no PH stores where i live or near me.

I am not sure of a good Ph tester because i baught a few already that were junk and they are the only ones i can fine so i must go online.

also, once the problem is fixed should they start growing? or may they be stunted for life?

Yes, checking your soil runoff is the best way. Do you have a pet store around? They sell several types of ph testers, both liquid and paper (you dip paper in and check color) that are very inexpensive and can tide you through. They are accurate and cheap and should work for you.

I am thinking ph because you are putting all sorts of things in your soil and they are getting worse and worse right? With several different defs appearing on the same plants it makes one wonder STRONGLY about ph lockout which would make more sense than you not providng several different nutrients to your plants. You can actually add enough things that they start canceling each other out as well.....which will not help your plants either and I think you are getting to a point that you have put just about everything but the kitchen sink in there. :eek:

ph testers from your pet store will work fine....BUT NO ph ADJUSTERS from your pet store....way too many salts in them for plants. In a pinch you can use distillled white vinegar to lower your ph and baking soda to raise it (SMALL amounts) :wtf:

If ph is your issue (and I think it is) they should pick up and start growing once you get the problem straightened out. They have lost the time you have spent trying to figure things out but that is not a big deal.....once they start growing again you will be on your way. :)

You may have to flush your soil once you have checked ph......you've been putting alot of things in it but DEFINITELY check ph first.

good luck. ;)

Couple add ons....pet stores sell ph stuff for aquariums.....just in case you walk in there and they ask you something about your fish.....don't tell them you want to check ph for your ganja plants.....:D

Another factor in ph lockout can be poor soil drainage....how is yours? If it IS slow and poorly draining that is an issue you will need to fix before your plants can get back to healthy as well. ;)

Thanks for the help... Actaully i havent put anything in there besides superthive becasue i really didnt even know there was a problem. and superthrive was at the very begging.


I was just told the growth was normal and some plants are just slow, however they are growing just too slow, and now there has been this MG def. issue that just started a couple days ago.

so really the onlything i put in there was this lime and epsomsalt solution... and i must say the damage looks to have stoped and i am seeing SOME new growth however it is still slow... before it was at a compleate stall.

So i belive its the PH too, however ur right, i still need a PH tester or solve the problem caus i dont really know where my plants are at besides its too low.

Drainage is OK... but ti should be better, LOts of perlite in my soil tho, the plasic cups i am using kinda narrow at the bottom and i belive the water all flows down, so i will be transplanting today also.

The last ph tester i had were strips, for a pool that didnt go below 6.8, However it was hard to read even at the 7.4 range, for me.

Yes...you need to check it for sure....too much superthrive (not saying you gave too much...just that it can happen) can actually burn your plants....making ph too high. There's just no way to know for sure without testing. I grow hydro but have heard from some very FINE minds that a good transplant can do wonders for your grow. :thumbsup:

Hope that works for you.

good luck. :)

Superthrive contains too much nitrogen for seedlings, causing them to scorch. What you are describing doesn't sound like Mg def at all, simply fert burn.

I thinks its a PH problem, but im not sure its becasue its too high... I was runing 7.4PH water through there and it was coming out way acidic, so i think its too low, but ur right i cant really tell till i cheak it.

I am getting milwakuee 600 PH tester (cheap i know) but it should atleast do the trick.

Hmm... i looked at alot of MG def pics and it looked pretty similar.

Does anyone have any pics of nute burn in seedlings...

Sorry didnt see ur last reply... If its Superthrive burn will they ever recover? or ever start groing fast again... its day 15 and i stopped superthrive first 3 days... do u think theres still some in the bottom that the roots hit?

How should i deal with this? Could that caus slow growth aswell... Thanks for the help sofar.

lol i just wanna see some growth... is that 2 much 2 ask for?