Seedlings stopped growing... HELP

This is my first post so please forgive any mistakes.

So this is my first time growing from seed, (always from cuttings before) i popped 12 seeds between moist paper towels (5 x strawberry cheesecake, 5 x big buddha cheese, 2 x cheese candy).
I then put the popped seeds in root riot cubes and put in a heated propagator with a humidity dome on the floor of grow tent under a gls 150 watt bulb about 12" from the plants. I then bought a 100 watt equivalent CFL as i discovered these are much better at cultivating seedlings. I lowered the CFL to about 2" from the top of the plants.

Within 2 days 8 of the 12 had broken the surface and were starting to form their cotyledon leaves and a couple were starting to form their true leaves.
I proceeded to keep the root riot cubes moist by spraying evenly with a spray bottle a couple times per day trying to keep them moist but not soaked.
After a couple more days growth had slowed, possibly even stopped, and 5 days later there has been little to no growth at all, but they're still alive. i have a 2nd CFL being delivered as i read i haven't got enough light down there. I also have a fan blowing on them slightly to try and strengthen the stalks as a couple collapsed last night, as soon as i gave them water this morning though, one of them has stood straight back up lol. I also took the humidity dome off of the top of the propagator. My first thought though was that i had under/over watered them..

I plan to move them under a 600watt MH but i don't think they are ready...

So here are my questions...

how important is air flow for seedlings? (I only turned exhaust fan couple of days ago, wonder if this has anything to do with it)

Does the water im feeding them need to be aerated?

What is the most efficient method for keeping root riot cubes moist? I.e spray bottle, dip in water, etc etc.

When should i move them into bigger pots? And under the 600 watt MH? (Roots have only come through the sides of the cubes on a couple of them and progress has come to a halt last few days)

Should i just ditch these and start again?

As you can tell im very inexperienced but very keen to learn. Thankyou for taking the time to read my post. Any help much appreciated.

As you can see they dont look great but they're alive. I plan to get a 2nd CFL over them as soon as its delivered.

Can someone please give me some advice? It's somewhat of an emergency. Seems like my post is the only one in the forum not getting replied to! I've gone into as much detail as possible... Like i say its my first post... Im a noob.

They're falling over because you need more light or get the light closer without burning them.

What are you going to grow them in? If you're using coco or soil bury the stems to about a half inch or so below the first leaves.

Transplant asap

You need to get them in some quality medium in a pot asap. Bury the leggy stems half way up in the new well medium so they stop collapsing and water in. Get them under the 600 but have it at least 4 feet away until you see they are growing and healthy.

okay first of all how long do you leave them in the towel for? as soon as they pop do you put them in cubes? I suggest letttting them staty in paper tower until they have a nice longer root. if you put in cubes as soon as they pop this makes them grow yes but they stretch. that stretchy stem is supposed to be root underground, if you wait longer in the paper tower letting a nice root grow in it and then transfer , you will have a good root that will grow down instead of stretching up. and you still have them in cubes at that size? plants grow to the size of their roots. put them in pots now and you will see them grow bigger. when putting in pots bury them stem a bit.

after all that if you still have problem with stretching then the solution is as soon as they start to stretch "lst" them right away will make them stem strong. I hook down my seedlings as soon as i can and never have this problem.

and i also find using cubes or pods isnt as good as everyone thinks. even using solo cups isnt good. Its best to plant directly into the pot it is going to finish in so the roots never stop growing and the plant never gets stunned. and this way you have room to lst them asap. otherwise you cant lst them when they in cubes lol

KryptoBud said:

They're falling over because you need more light or get the light closer without burning them.

What are you going to grow them in? If you're using coco or soil bury the stems to about a half inch or so below the first leaves.

Transplant asap

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Thanks Krypto. Il be growing them in coco coir 1ltr pots and then into 11ltr pots later on. What would would you recommend as a watering schedule once they are in pots? I've never grown in coco before

Dibbsey said:

okay first of all how long do you leave them in the towel for? as soon as they pop do you put them in cubes? I suggest letttting them staty in paper tower until they have a nice longer root. if you put in cubes as soon as they pop this makes them grow yes but they stretch. that stretchy stem is supposed to be root underground, if you wait longer in the paper tower letting a nice root grow in it and then transfer , you will have a good root that will grow down instead of stretching up. and you still have them in cubes at that size? plants grow to the size of their roots. put them in pots now and you will see them grow bigger. when putting in pots bury them stem a bit.

after all that if you still have problem with stretching then the solution is as soon as they start to stretch "lst" them right away will make them stem strong. I hook down my seedlings as soon as i can and never have this problem.

Click to expand...

I left them in the paper towel for 2 days until the root hair was about an inch long. I actually had trouble getting them into the root cube holes because the root didn't grow straight on some of the seeds and was bent so it was difficult not to snap the root when poking the seed in.

By the way what is 'lst'? Thanks for your input.

calzone said:

I left them in the paper towel for 2 days until the root hair was about an inch long. I actually had trouble getting them into the root cube holes because the root didn't grow straight on some of the seeds and was bent so it was difficult not to snap the root when poking the seed in.

By the way what is 'lst'? Thanks for your input.

Click to expand...

do not use cubes for this reason its hard to get the roots in without breaking them lol put them directly into soil solo cups or pots.

and lst means low stress training i believe. This is tieing or hooking plants down and this causes the stem to grow and become stronger and thicker. also helps when you have height problems. and also helps spread the plant out to get light on the plant evenly. heres is a link to the lst guide found here on RIU https://www.rollitup.org/t/low-stress-training-lst-guide.369528/

calzone said:

Thanks Krypto. Il be growing them in coco coir 1ltr pots and then into 11ltr pots later on. What would would you recommend as a watering schedule once they are in pots? I've never grown in coco before

Click to expand...

I've never grown in coco. In soil i go by the weight of the pot. When you put them in pots pick up the pot before adding water /then after. I wait until its almost completely dry before watering again. This is in soil though. I don't know if coco would be any different best to make sure with someone whose used it.

Dibbsey said:

do not use cubes for this reason its hard to get the roots in without breaking them lol put them directly into soil solo cups or pots.

and lst means low stress training i believe. This is tieing or hooking plants down and this causes the stem to grow and become stronger and thicker. also helps when you have height problems. and also helps spread the plant out to get light on the plant evenly. heres is a link to the lst guide found here on RIU https://www.rollitup.org/t/low-stress-training-lst-guide.369528/

Click to expand...

Awesome stuff much appreciated Dibbsey, il be sure to look into lst

Dibbsey said:

and i also find using cubes or pods isnt as good as everyone thinks. even using solo cups isnt good. Its best to plant directly into the pot it is going to finish in so the roots never stop growing and the plant never gets stunned.

Click to expand...

anyone else agree with this theory?

calzone said:

anyone else agree with this theory?

Click to expand...

No, the only time i would put a seed into the pot its going to finish in would be if it was an auto flower.

KryptoBud said:

No, the only time i would put a seed into the pot its going to finish in would be if it was an auto flower.

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Cool. Heres an update on the babies, in 1 ltr pots now, should i fill the pots up slightly more with coco or does this look okay to you guys?

calzone said:

Cool. Heres an update on the babies, in 1 ltr pots now, should i fill the pots up slightly more with coco or does this look okay to you guys?

Click to expand...

Thats good hight so you can water without the coco fall of the pot..

You have waited way tooo long to transplant those seedlings.

I do exactly like you but I just transolant the first they brake the surface by a day or two !

Next transolant dig the stem more down in the coco.

Good luck and happy growing..

Bubble.