Crap is something wrong?!

Seedlings are about 10 days old. Seems like they just stopped growing and now leaves are wilting. One has root through bottom of cup the other does not.

Here is the first plant that is wilting:



Her root structure at bottom:


Water level is about 1/2" up from bottom of cup, I have tested the ph to approx. 6ph (cheapo liquid tester). I did add about about tablespoon of Big Grow to liquid of 6 gallons, very low ratio per usage. It also seems that testing ph is weird sometimes, I add one drop and it changes sometimes I can add a whole dropper full and it doesn't change the value. I think I might need digital ph meter, might get one today and TDS meter (even tho I have no clue how to read or use TDS).

Here is other plant that is wilting too:



Seems from other grows i should be seeing bigger plants at this stage or signifigant growth, leaves etc.. Seems that I am off on something anyone tell what it might be.

Grow closet is like 25" deep by 46" wide with hieght of 49". Two full spectrum CFLs above each plant now, 100watt. No eventilation in box yet just a fan, was going to get some intake and exhaust in this weekend. I dont drip water at top should I? I do spray once in awhile with bottle corrected ph water only seems like root plug and hdryoton are dry up top.

how close is your light,looks kinda far away. P.H is very important with your style of growing. as well as ec, invest in a good meter.

Well it was like 2" or so away. I raised them thinking it was too close this morning to maybe see if a change happens.

Ok ran out and bought a TDS meter and PH meter. The ppm on the TDS from my tap water is 780ppm so what I read is that is pretty horrible. I ran out and got some RO water it tested at .01ppm in 5 gal bucket added some light Grow Big from FF and took it up to 450ppm (light dosage for seedlings) and brought ph to 5.8.

Now the babies are sitting in that maybe it bring them back from the dead!

How long till I notice if they are going to "perk" up does anyone know, I don't wanna freak out if I get up tomorrow and they are the same way if it will take a few days!

I think your good, the little girl looks fine, are you giving it 24 hrs of light or do you let it rest some?

right now its 18/6

Wise decisions R1Tony !
Give it up to a few days to fully respond and bounce back.
It won't look like the same plant a week from now !
Were they in that 780 ppm tap before the transfer ?
If so, keep your ppm's where they are or lower until it ask for more food.

Flo Grow said:

Wise decisions R1Tony !
Give it up to a few days to fully respond and bounce back.
It won't look like the same plant a week from now !
Were they in that 780 ppm tap before the transfer ?
If so, keep your ppm's where they are or lower until it ask for more food.

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Yes they were in the 780ppm tap water, we have a well and I thought I read somewhere that you could use that. I didn't have the TDS meter, so I was unaware. They been in the RO water with light nutes for about 8 hours now. They were in the other water 10days looking like that, I thougth I would see more grow so it got me worried, then teh leaves curl lol wtf!!

I read you state get a good TDS and Ph meter you wouldnt regret it.. but I am cheap haha. I learned my lesson.

Hey I am currently growing in DWC and I too have been using tap water and then adding nutes.
I thought tap water was ok? Is distilled water or bottled spring water better to use???? I'm glad I found this thread, my plants are all pale , with brown spots all over and drying curling upward

1stimegrower said:

Hey I am currently growing in DWC and I too have been using tap water and then adding nutes.
I thought tap water was ok? Is distilled water or bottled spring water better to use???? I'm glad I found this thread, my plants are all pale , with brown spots all over and drying curling upward

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It's hard to know unless you have a TDS meter and Ph meter. Mine were curling down, from what I read curling up most time has to do with heat stress. What is your temps in your room?

Mine on the other hand look a tad bigger but leaves are still curling down, maybe they are coming back hate to lose em so young and early.

water quality is everything,ESPECIALLY in hydro. I r/o my water, then aerate it, then p.h it before I give it to my girls.

Well after changing the water after about 24hours they have grown more in the past 24hours then the last 5 days.. had to be the water. Then leaves are still curled down but they are larger and new leaves are growing on top which never did before.

Ph is at 5.8 but floats to 6 and I bring it back down, ppm is holding at 440s (light nutes).



Again not sure of strain, bag seeds for my first grow. I am thinking they are AK-47ish strain.

not trying to be an ass, but did you calibrate your TDS meter and PH pen ? I have a six pot DWC system under vegging under a T5 HO light until I flower under my two 400w HPS cool tubes, I have been battling root rot from some funky Hydroton I apparently didnt kill when I boiled it from last go round. I use tap water and R/O water (depends on how busy I am, now you of course cant use tap if your ppm value is truly 700+ but mine is under 200 and works fine, ive read the chlorine helps sterilize everything, ( of course when I use tap I bubble it for 24 hours to evap off the chlorine)

Yes I calibrated both 3 point with Ph at 4.01 7.01 and 10.1 and TDS in 1000 ppm solution.. my water was damn near 800ppm outta tap!! We don't drink it, but we defiantely not now or cooking with it.

After I changed it to RO and mild nutes they have tripled in size in 3 days, where they were stuck as runts for 10 with the crap water.

Look at these lil (girls?) go..



Leaves that were curled have relaxed some but still curled not worried they will work it out, as more leaves are growning daily.

I'm just about done with my first DWC grow and my plants started off like this too, except i've gone the whole grow without a TDS or EC meter. Only cheap PH liquid from general hydro. I've learned that hydro isn't as difficult as people make it seem. The first week or so you really don't need to give the plants any kind of nutes. Just make sure you have water around 6.0 PH. I use tap water that comes out at around 8 and my plants grew just fine. So I would recommend a res change with some new water and no nutes for now. Make sure you have good air getting to the roots and everything should grow fine. The plant will tell you when it needs to be fed and you'll notice.

Anyways, how much and where did you get your TDS/Ph meter? I've finally decided to pick one up and do things by the meter instead of by the eye for my next grow.

Cheers and good luck

r1tony said:

Yes I calibrated both 3 point with Ph at 4.01 7.01 and 10.1 and TDS in 1000 ppm solution.. my water was damn near 800ppm outta tap!! We don't drink it, but we defiantely not now or cooking with it.

After I changed it to RO and mild nutes they have tripled in size in 3 days, where they were stuck as runts for 10 with the crap water.

Look at these lil (girls?) go..

View attachment 1184812View attachment 1184811

Leaves that were curled have relaxed some but still curled not worried they will work it out, as more leaves are growning daily.

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alkaline water is actually good for you, just not a plant

PocketsOnSwole said:

I'm just about done with my first DWC grow and my plants started off like this too, except i've gone the whole grow without a TDS or EC meter. Only cheap PH liquid from general hydro. I've learned that hydro isn't as difficult as people make it seem. The first week or so you really don't need to give the plants any kind of nutes. Just make sure you have water around 6.0 PH. I use tap water that comes out at around 8 and my plants grew just fine. So I would recommend a res change with some new water and no nutes for now. Make sure you have good air getting to the roots and everything should grow fine. The plant will tell you when it needs to be fed and you'll notice.

Anyways, how much and where did you get your TDS/Ph meter? I've finally decided to pick one up and do things by the meter instead of by the eye for my next grow.

Cheers and good luck

Click to expand...

Ya I changed that water the day I got my Ph and TDS meter. I paid 130 for both, about 90 for ph and 35 for TDS. They are not top of the line and would have liked a meter that did it all, but they were like low 200s. The ones I got seem to work good.

VICTORYGARDENSHYDRO said:

alkaline water is actually good for you, just not a plant

Click to expand...

Good to know, thanks!

Changed the nutes today from Fox Farms Big Grow only to the General Hydroponics line.

Going with Flora Micro, Flora Bloom, and Kool-Bloom little later.

Changed resivor today with them looking like this since getting my water in order.




I really was lost with the Fox Farms except for bottle, so I switched to a recipe with these nutes from fellow forum poster and we will see how they go!

Whoa.. guess they didn't like the change of nutes, they started to drop last night like they were gonna puke. This morning though they perked back up, little shocker to them I guess now we have to wait for how they grow with this new formula.

Well they are getting bushy but not any taller. Not sure what they are since they were bag seed, should I be worried they are not getting taller? I think they are about 20 something days old. I did have to cut off bottom node leaves since they weren't looking good from when I had the nutes messed up.

What do you guys think? Am I paranoid and give them time? I have (2) 100watt CFL 6500k per plant at the moment 18/6.