Plants keep dieing in rockwool cubes

[Surfnbird]

ok so all my plants keep dieing when i put them in rockwool cubes. i start the seeds in a wet paper towel then put them in cube. the start off good then about a week after i put them in the cubes the stems turn purple and the plants die whats happing and how can i fix it. also i have them on a heating pad and in the moister dome.

Surfnbird Reviewed by Surfnbird on 01-11-2010. Plants keep dieing in rockwool cubes ok so all my plants keep dieing when i put them in rockwool cubes. i start the seeds in a wet paper towel then put them in cube. the start off good then about a week after i put them in the cubes the stems turn purple and the plants die whats happing and how can i fix it. also i have them on a heating pad and in the moister dome. Rating: 5

[Faddenator]

fill out this troubleshooting form, it helps a lot.

http://boards.cannabis.com/plant-pro...ing-forms.html

[Surfnbird]

What is your experience level? second grow first time using rockwool. my first grow i posted on herehttp://boards.cannabis.com/outdoor-g...rst-groiw.html
Your Equipment:
.1) Type and wattage of lights. CFL grow bulbs
.2) Distance from tops? 1ft
.3) Reflector type? idk i just have the cfl grow lights u can buy at the hydro store.
.4) Is there a consistent fresh air supply? have a fan in the closet but have to leave door shut
.5) Do you have an exhaust fan and a circulation fan? yes in the closet
.6) What are the bulb wattages, kelvin ratings, and schedule? t5 grow bulbs 18 hours on 6 hours off
Your medium:
.7) Specific brand and type of soil, (coco, peat based soilless...) and anything you've added to it. rockwool cubes
.8) Size of container. the cubes are sitting in a 50 gal contanier that i am gonna use later to make my hydro resivoir.9) Did you use peat pucks (or similar) to root clones or germinate seedlings? no i germinated the seeds in a moist paper towel

Your nutrients and water:
10) Source of water? (tap) What's it's ph before adjusting? no ph tester but but a couple drops of lemon juic in the water to balance PH
11) Method of checking water ph. none
12) Method of adjusting water ph. none havent tried
13) Specific brand and N-P-K ratio for each bottle. List dosages (quantity per gallon) and current feeding schedule. have none
14) How often are you watering between feedings, and how much per watering?
15) Any additives or tea's? (Superthrive, CalMag, molasses, Mother's Earth...)none
16) Are your ph levels stable, or do they fluctuate?wouldnt know
17) What is your ingoing water's ph? ...your runoff ph? idk
18) Do you foliar feed? If so, with what, how often, and at what time do you spray?no

Your growroom:
19) Indoors or outdoors?indoors
20) What size of closet, room or hut?2 1/2 x 6
21) What are the temps and humidity levels while lights are on? 75-80F With lights off?65-75F
.22) Have you seen signs of insects in the growroom? no

Your strain:
23) What strain are you growing? (Indica dominate or Sativa dom?)not sure its bag seed
24) From seeds or clones?seeds
25) Is this an autoflower strain?bag seed

[jamessr]

Stop using rock wool then...ya are getting lockout for some reason here from sounds of it. The rock wool is zero nute based....so wtf? are ya feeding them, soaking the wool in ?

Generally when the main stem goes purple that young, it's either lockout or not enough nutes.....

[jakester]

I can't imagine any good reason to start them in paper towels when you have perfectly good rockwool right there. Who knows, you bump the tiny root too much, it gets bleach on it from the paper towel, it could be too cold or a temp change from the paper to the rockwool.

Just try this. Start them in rockwool starters and see how you do.

[WashougalWonder]

Not to be ornery, but there is a reason not to germinate in rockwool. The root sometimes will push the seed out of the rockwool

I never germinate seeds in rockwool. I do use the towel method and then transfer them to soil. By the way I use tap water to germinate as I want the excess chlorine to be there to prevent molds and fungi. It has no effect on the beginning of the germination.

[jakester]

Not to be ornery, but there is a reason not to germinate in rockwool. The root sometimes will push the seed out of the rockwool

I never germinate seeds in rockwool. I do use the towel method and then transfer them to soil. By the way I use tap water to germinate as I want the excess chlorine to be there to prevent molds and fungi. It has no effect on the beginning of the germination.

That's weird, I have never had a problem. I just crush the soaked mini-cube a little and place the seed sideways. Sometimes I tamp a few fibers over the opening...

They all go.

[MACHINE]

I am in the same as you and lost 20 NL x5 Haze feminized costing me 380 Euros from sensiseeds.. and here is the problem i discovered.. The heat pad and the light is too much for the seedlings.. i did a germination of the seeds directly in the rockwool and they got fried (this is my third set of plants but first with rockwool).. I bought 20 more seeds, same strand and have been successful with 16 out of 20 of them coming through just fine now.. ready for transplant to the larger cubes here shortly.. the four that i lost was because of this.. The rockwool is more difficult for the young seedlings to settle thier roots than in soil.. so the seeds basically grew out of the rockwool rather ten into it.. you need to put the seeds about 3-5mm (1/8th of an inch at the most) the very moment they break the seeds.. also, be sure that you soak the rockwool prior to transplanting them. Additionaly, using about 1/4 of the amount recomended of a rooting/vegetative fertilizer and drop it at the roots with the eyedropper measurng thing everyone gets when you buy the liquid fertilizer.. also, something that i have done in the past and has been recomended to me is to put a cup of water in the bottom of the tray just to keep the rockwool moist..

[MACHINE]

forgot to say i removed the heat pad the second time around and that i am using a hundred what bulb in a desk lamp for the seedlings sitting about 8 inches above the clear plastic top of the incubator..

[jakester]

forgot to say i removed the heat pad the second time around and that i am using a hundred what bulb in a desk lamp for the seedlings sitting about 8 inches above the clear plastic top of the incubator..

An incandescent? I bet you cooked them. Do you have a thermometer in there?