first timer leaves folding up,stunted growth

[Rusty Trichome]

You can't get an accurate runoff ph using aquarium or pool kits, nor the strips. They have a color-coded result based on a clear-water test. The runoff tints skew results. Ok for ingoing water ph, but not for runoff. Soooooo...Doubtful your runoff is really that low. (hopefully, lol)
Most potting soils are pre-buffered, and the buffering seems to last 3-5 months depending on brands.

Some compost mixes have stuff ranging from tree and leaf litter to chopped-up roadkill, so can have vastly different results.

You shouldn't feed them till they've got 4-5 nodes. Then start with 1/2 strength nutes and watch their reaction. Go from there....

[jmurk5mm]

i was think that yesterday when i tested the runoff again because the water was really brown, but the color it turned before was bright red. its a little easier with the strips because it also shows alkalinity and the color of water doesnt affect it as much as the pool test tubes. saturday it was back to normal though around 6.8. i need to post some pics but my camera is broke, but they seem to be doing much better since i repotted them on saturday into bigger pots. i also soaked the roots in a vitamin b complex, even though i read an article from a botanist that says there no scientific evidence of the b vitmins helping roots. two days later theyve shown good growth from where they were so either the bigger pots or the vitamins helped them out, or both. i wish i had some pictures of how they looked before saturday then after, but theres a big difference.

[jmurk5mm]

these are some new pics. the quality isnt that great cus ihad to use my ps3 to take it. ucan still see the difference though, not a perfect picture of health but definitely better

[jmurk5mm]

i was wondering if 24/0 light cycle switched to 16/8 would induce flowering. i wanted to allow the lights to cool of and also possibly keep a mother indefinitely without having the lights on forever

[jmurk5mm]

well i know there small but considering ill be using the same space to flower im thinking of putting them in to flower on saturday(theyll be almost 3 weeks). what do you guys think?
im hoping for atleast two females, any other fems will go outside to finish (it doesnt get cold here till october). also whats the best way to have a controlled pollination for some seeds, i don want the whole plant to have seeds.

[Rusty Trichome]

18/6 won't induce flowering, unless it'as an autoflower strain.

Too small for switch to flower. Yield would suffer tremendously.

Get 'em to flower before you worry about pollinating.

You can keep a mom under 18/6. I start thinking about switching to 12/12 at between 12" and 18" tall, depending on growth habits and development.

[jmurk5mm]

thanks again for the help i think im going to put them on 18/6 schedule because of electricity and heat. the reason i wanted to flower early is because i dont think ill have enough room to finish if it gets any bigger. from what i understand they more than double in size, and also to get any other female outdoors before its too late. i think im gonna wait it out though untill 4 weeks since theyve just now started to take off. if anything i might do some minor lst training to keep them down. i guess im just over anxious (newbie syndrome) i check them like every 10 mins lol jk more like every 5.

[Rusty Trichome]

Plants doubling in size in flower is a guideline. Some tripple their size or more. You might want to put on the thinking cap, and see if you can come up with a 'taller' arrangement. (a taller growroom) If not, a serious LST might be necessary, but you could still need more headroom regardless.

If spending that much time in the growroom, perhaps some suntan oil and a beach chair...? I'm the same way, though. If not doing anything, I'll go check the ladies. Was worse when I was farming corals. I'd sit in front of the tanks for hours with a magnifying glass looking at all the saltwater critters. :jointsmile:

Watching the ladies and wishing they would grow faster is different than sitting there trying to force 'em to grow faster. Don't over-love them, it tends to piss 'em off.

[jmurk5mm]

thats a good i idea i never thought of just making it taller that i could do i just cant make it any wider though. i just came back from outa town for 3 days and theyre doin really good i could already smell them without opening the grow room. ill put up more pics when the lights cut back on cus i put them on 18/6. that seemed to help with the heat stress since the lights arent on 24/7. i think i should just make a grow log ill probly do it today later tonight when i get new pics.

[jmurk5mm]

i got a grow log now anybody welcome