1st Hydro attempt. Frazzled seedling!! HELP.

[stifnek]

Hi
I've just checked my new hydro setup, and the poor little bugger has been burnt to a crisp! The clay pebbles used to fill the tray, the tops have turned white! I'm so confused. I'm using the drip ring method, with the water just trickling out of the underside holes on the ring. Should it be coming out at a faster rate? Is that why my plant is dead? No water? My lamp is a HPS 250 job. PLEASE ADVISE. Can't even get past the first hurdle!

stifnek Reviewed by stifnek on 07-23-2006. 1st Hydro attempt. Frazzled seedling!! HELP. Hi I've just checked my new hydro setup, and the poor little bugger has been burnt to a crisp! The clay pebbles used to fill the tray, the tops have turned white! I'm so confused. I'm using the drip ring method, with the water just trickling out of the underside holes on the ring. Should it be coming out at a faster rate? Is that why my plant is dead? No water? My lamp is a HPS 250 job. PLEASE ADVISE. Can't even get past the first hurdle! Rating: 5

[GunBarrel]

It sounds to me like you had your light way too close??
How far from the seedling was the light placed?
Did you have any ventilation/fans?
If its got hot enough to turn the pebbles white, it must have gotten very hot indeed, did the water flow stop at all?

[Jdzzl03]

Yeah the hps might have been too much at such an early age. Try using some cfls until they are at 2-3 nodes, then switch over to something more powerful, but even then make sure to keep it a good distance away until the you plant can handle the heat. Good luck bro -Diz:rasta:

[stifnek]

Thanks everso much you lot! The light (250 HPS) was only 18" from the top of the seedling (about 10cm high). I think I got my wiresa crossed on something I read previous. I have no fan in there at present. The only ventilation is 2 vents top and bottom of the cupboard. My space is around 3ft by 3ft. The water flow has been ok though, I did wonder if I had to have the micro pump vent fully open with full jets coming out of the drip ring...but I rang the company i bought it from and they said it only has to drip. It must be the light, and ventilation. Do I have to prepare my hydroton pebbles first? I was told to clean them first to get rid of any sediment, then to soak them in nutrient solution before starting. Is this correct? Also, is it good practise to hand feed the seeedling sometimes during the first couple of weeks to get it started, and to get a root system on the go?
MASSIVE thanks to those who replied. beleive me I NEED the guidance.

[stinkyattic]

If your grow rocks are already turning white and you're only at the seedling stage I'll bet you have hard water. Check your ppm.

Newbs+hydro=trouble.
Newbs+dirt=buds.
No offense I hope, but really dirt is such an easy way to get to know growing.

[stifnek]

thanks for that. yes i am in a hard water area, but i have checked ph and is at around 6. so i think the light too close option sounds like the prob, aswell asnot preparing the pebbles.

[Jdzzl03]

The ph at 6 is a little high but the ppm reading of your water is whats important. An easy remedy for this is to go to walmart and buy some distilled water. The ph of that stuff is around 5 so you will need to bump it up to 5.5-5.8 and the ppm reading is around 1-3. It was probably a combo of the heat and the water. Good luck bro -Diz:rasta:

[smokesalot209]

How do u check ph in soil grow

[smokesalot209]

is it the water u put or the soil?

[stifnek]

im growing with water.