Problem with Me

Well My sprouts grow slow have spindly stems and then they go from green to the pic above, is it too much light the light box is what I hang above the plants

shouldn't be the lights...that looks like it was in a puddle...

how many sprouts? might not need all those bulbs at 1st...

lol wat do u water them with and how ofen?
how far is the light from the plants?
tell us more info bout ur setup dude

Well that was plucked from the soil cause it was falling over and shriveling up. Now no sprouts. Waiting for germ seeds to poke surface.

OK those lights in a 2' x 1' area.
Grow space is in the corner of a 6 x 4 x 8 closet
(don't know if you noticed that each bulb has a fan on the opposite side of the box from it blowing through the hole in the tin can reflector)
Currently lights are 18" above soil level NO breakthrough sprouts yet
Soil is Gardeners potting soil (only things added are Pearlite no Nutes)
2 8" Plastic pots with drainage (sold for planting)
3 Papertowel germinated seeds planted 1"-2" below soil level per 8" pot
Tap water allowed to sit out for 24 hours
Water PH 6.5
Water Temp 75 Deg F
Room Temp 75 Deg F
Soil Temp 72-78 deg F
Heating pad below pots when lights are off to maintain soil temp
Fan on closet floor blowing UP
Closet has 12" X 6" vent cut in back through wall into laundry room which is not an enclosed area (air flow)
2" space below door to floor (air flow)

First picture is of previous atempt to show that the first 5 previous attempts ended in the exact same results) so it is something I am doing

OK...one mistake you made...no biggee but you should plant sprouts only 1/4-1/2" deep and lightly cover over.

OK but that does not explain why the ones that have sprouted through do this (SEE PIC)

well I don't know what to tell you about pik...perhaps it damaged itself digging out of that deep planting. Sorry Saboutage?

OK but that does not explain why the ones that have sprouted through do this (SEE PIC) also there is debate as to planting them a bit deeper so the roots get stronger. so I went 1" well up to the first knuckle on my finger MAX

That one was a soil germination

inovative use of soda cans there, lol

the roots will grow down by themselves, planting too deep will just encorage the grow top to rot.
once ive got fermination, i barely even plant them, i put them right on top just deep enough for the tap root to dig in....ive never had a faliure yet.
see pic.

dunno what to suggest about that leaf, try ditching the heat pad, you dont realy need it indoors, and it may be contributing to the rotting problem that looks like that leaf?

latewood was it you who mentioned something about soil temps being important in growing on another thread? i thought it was but my brain is rather cheesy right now. It does make me wonder about the heating pad inside.....I've only heard of using one when germinating in RR's etc....not a pot of soil.

That little sprout does look overwatered....like...drowned. I tried growing some seeds outdoors and ended up planting my seeds way too deep....about 1 to 1/2 inches and the few that did finally come up were so exhausted from the trip they just died off....I eventually gave up on soil because I just don't understand it.

seedling are a bastard to start, it the worst for me, anything and every can happen to seedlings and by the time you notice something is wrong it may be too late.

this is what i do

plant the seeds 1" into the dirt no more no less, water them with about 3-4 oz of water and leave them be a few day, when the dirt is dry water again the same.

when she comes up this is the time to mist, once a day, not real heavy either just enough to cover her leaves.

only water them when they are dry as seedling hate to much water, whren they are 2-3 weeks old then you can use more water as they get stronger and need it.

keep those light a few inches above them until they get bigger then you can drop the lights 1-2" from the very top of the plant.