Heat Stress? Overwatering? I'm lost!

This is my first grow so even though I've been reading the forums a lot I have to admit I'm still pretty much clueless. Any help will be very much appreciated...

These babies are Afghani #1, 8 days old. The leaves are getting dark green and look wrinkled and deformed. Also, I have the impression that they have not grown much in the last couple of days.

I'm not feeding them any nutes (just plain water for now) and they are under a 600w HPS lamp. The lamp is about 1.8ft away from them (as high as I could get it in order to avoid burning them)

I've been watering them once every 3 days or so (whenever I feel that the soil is dry).

The temperature inside the room is between 75 and 85F

I really don't know what's wrong with them, they look like some pictures I've seen from heat stress but my lamp is far enough I think and 85F should not be too much... It could also be overfeeding but I'm just watering them and not adding any nutes...

Any hints?

Thanks!

they look fine to me.

Yea they look fine to me also.

600 watts is alot of light for a seedling

that last pic looks like sure sign of over fert. sure there arent any nutes in the soil?

smokeybandit22 said:

that last pic looks like sure sign of over fert. sure there arent any nutes in the soil?

Click to expand...

I'm using the "All-Mix" by BioBizz. I bought it at my local grow shop and was told that it was perfect for growing. This is the composition:

- 20% sphagnum peat moss
- 35% garden peat
- 10% high quality organic Worm-Humus
- 30% perlite
- 5% Pre-mix

Reading the composition carefully it says "2.5 litres of added fertilizer for every 50 litres of soil (5%)"

Do you think this is too aggressive for seedlings? Should I be using some other mix until the plants are older and stronger?

Any suggestions regarding the best mix for seelings are greatly appreciated.

if you could get them out, I would. if not, make sure you dont overwater. they may grow out of it.

They dont look bad. I would use the back of my hand to feel if the light is too hot and then move the light where it feels comfy. I think 1.8' away is fine.

There is a bit of deformity with your leafs. That could be a slight PH problem. Have you checked the PH of your water? They dont look bad but just something to consider.



Hope this helps
~Boneman

Smokeybandit22, so you think this is not a good soil to use with seedlings?

Boneman, on the bag it says ph: 6.2-6.6 so it's within the range shown on your chart (by the way, thanks for posting it). However, maybe the water I'm using is changing the ph? (I'm using water straight from the tap) I'm definitely buying a ph tester first thing tomorrow.

its the first and last pic that is concerning-they look like they are getting dried out and turning cripsy. the cotyledones, the first leave set-are completely green-these leaves are the food reserves for the plants firsts weeks of life. usually when they start browning it is a good time to feed. I say overfert b/c they are still green and the pics look like the leaves are going downhill. overwatering could cause this along with high temps as well but my guess is the ferts in the soil are too strong and getting relased everytime you water. also how many plants you got in one pot?

Ph tester is a must. You can get something easy in the fish aisle but its a color matching thing and that really doesnt dial you in too well. A digital ph tester is easily found online and pretty cheap and will get you where you need to be.

My tap water is 8.+ and I dont use it because it contains chlorine and other shit. If you use tap water, let it sit open for at least 24 hours so the municipal chemicals dissipate. When you add nutes, it lowers PH quite a bit.

agreed about the ph tester. check ebay for Hanna-like $30 and invaluable.