Seedling trouble

[Jimi O'Connor]

Hi guys im a new at this and im having a hard time with the seedlings stage. I've already had a few die on me.

I have them in a humidity dome, inside my ac infinity 3x3 grow tent. The lights about a foot over the seedlings and at 30% power (which is the recommended setting for seedlings, or to put the light at the top of the tent and run at full power) ive been giving them 18 on 6 off on the lighting schedule.

When the lights off i have a heat mat underneath the dome to keep it warm at night.

So the one seedling the edges are turning yellow and the other is starting to lean over like its top heavy, that's what happened to the 1st round of seedlings then they died a day or 2 later

I cant figure out what im doing wrong. The RH% is in the 70's and the temperature has been high 70's and or low 80's give or take.

Im posting pics if anyone has a minute to look at them and help point me in the right direction, I'd really appreciate it. Tks in advance to anybody that took the time

 

[Boatguy]

Lose the dome.
Get a cheap amazon ultramist humidifier in there to keep humidity where you want it.

 

[J. Rocket]

too wet...open your dome or remove it.
I dont like droplets condensing on the leafs.

 

[Phytoplankton]

Silly rabbit, Domes are for clones! A dome on a seedling is an open invitation to "damping off". Seedlings will do just fine in any R/H higher than about 35%.

Edit: What media are you growing in? Your media looks REALLY wet (unless you just watered) if soil, let the pots get "light" between waterings, otherwise you're gonna drown the roots. Big difference in the way you water and feed, soil vs coco.

 

[friedguy]

That leaning over is called damping off. It's caused from a fungal infection and too much moisture in the grow medium.

I struggled with this for a long time. I finally got a steam cleaner and sterilized everything, added filters to my intakes, and watered with Southern Ag Garden Friendly Biological Fungicide to put a stop to it. Water only as needed. Too much moisture encourages damping off.

 

[MickFoster]

Lose the dome and the heat mat.........a recipe for damping off.

 

[Bspectral]

Lighting needs to be much closer ,especially if they are already in your soil . 6400-6500K gives them useful veg photons...see what 38W LED does to roots of a couple bns in coco peat pucks with RO water...no dome.

 

[Herb & Suds]

I should have patented it
Domes are for clones

 

[Jimi O'Connor]

I was under the impression that the dome was supposed to be used for atleast the first week. Different people keep telling me Different things, its so confusing. Anyway i took them out of the dome, i hope they come around.



So anyone want to explain when to water and what not



Also i got them in happy frog/black gold seed starter mix

 

[TheMeth0dMan]

I use plastic sandwich bags/zip lock bags over the top with multiple holes poked mediumish size into it. Then i take a spray bottle and lightly spray(once or twice) the inside of the bag, From about 12" away. I put the bags over my pots/cups as soon as i see something sprout/emerge. Allowing fresh air to still come in from the bottom, and any heat to escape from the top. Good air circulation will also help with humidity, You can also lower humidity by raising the temps slightly. And lower temps by increasing humidity. As for fans I use clip fans like the one you have. I keep the humidity no more then about 65%. You may also want to purchase a humidifier if you live in a dry climate.

 

[Herb & Suds]

I was under the impression that the dome was supposed to be used for atleast the first week. Different people keep telling me Different things, its so confusing. Anyway i took them out of the dome, i hope they come around.



So anyone want to explain when to water and what not



Also i got them in happy frog/black gold seed starter mix

Ask yourself this
Does it look like the dome is working well?
if I gave you any other advice it would be dont use soil with feed in it on seedlings
But that is just me

 

[MickFoster]

I should have patented it
Domes are for clones

I thought you did.

 

[Jimi O'Connor]

I use plastic sandwich bags/zip lock bags over the top with multiple holes poked mediumish size into it. Then i take a spray bottle and lightly spray(once or twice) the inside of the bag, From about 12" away. I put the bags over my pots/cups as soon as i see something sprout. Allowing fresh air to still come in from the bottom, and any heat to escape from the top. Good air circulation will also help with humidity, You can also lower humidity by raising the temps slightly. And lower temps by increasing humidity. As for fans I use clip fans like the one you have. I keep the humidity no more then about 65%. You may also want to purchase a humidifier if you live in a dry climate.

I have an ac infinity humidifier coming should be here this weekend, but yes i have a humidifier. The tent is at 55% RH give or take.

So as soon as the seeds sprout i should remove the humidity dome?

 

[Phytoplankton]

So anyone want to explain when to water and what not

Let the pots get light between waterings (not bone dry), pick them up when they're wet, note the weight, then pick them up when they're dry, note the weight, some people even weigh them. DO NOT keep them wet all the time, the roots need oxygen, and if they're kept too wet you will have all kinds of problems, the roots won't develop, they'll stunt, and they won't be able to properly absorb nutrients, the yellowing leaves on seedlings is often the first sign of too much water. Too much water (killling them with kindness) is the biggest problem newer growers have. Maybe someone else can explain it better.

 

[Jimi O'Connor]

Ask yourself this
Does it look like the dome is working well?
if I gave you any other advice it would be dont use soil with feed in it on seedlings
But that is just me

Happy frog is really low on the "food" i was told to use just that, i seen the black gold seed starter mix when i was at the store. I figured if i mixed it with the happy frog that i wouldn't have to feed the plant till it got a little older and stronger, is this a bad idea?

 

[Phytoplankton]

I have an ac infinity humidifier coming should be here this weekend, but yes i have a humidifier. The tent is at 55% RH give or take.

So as soon as the seeds sprout i should remove the humidity dome?

I wouldn't even use a dome. You've got 55% rh, that will work just fine.

 

[Coldnasty]

I was under the impression that the dome was supposed to be used for atleast the first week. Different people keep telling me Different things, its so confusing. Anyway i took them out of the dome, i hope they come around.



So anyone want to explain when to water and what not



Also i got them in happy frog/black gold seed starter mix

Nope. As soon as that thing pops the soil dome off. These guys are spot on

 

[Phytoplankton]

Happy frog is really low on the "food" i was told to use just that, i seen the black gold seed starter mix when i was at the store. I figured if i mixed it with the happy frog that i wouldn't have to feed the plant till it got a little older and stronger, is this a bad idea?

That should work fine, I use Black Gold seedling starter straight out of the bag. Here's 4, 12 day old sprouts.

 

[TheMeth0dMan]

I have an ac infinity humidifier coming should be here this weekend, but yes i have a humidifier. The tent is at 55% RH give or take.

So as soon as the seeds sprout i should remove the humidity dome?

I dont use a dome, I use the method i stated above, While sprouting your shouldn't cover the top, You want the seed to come upwards in search of light. Once i see something emerge from the (in my case coco) I will use the method i said above.

Once the plant has developed its first set of true leaves and only then, Will i remove the "humidity bag" And the plant can then enter the "seedling stage"

 

[BucketGrower]

I tried the dome once. Soil couldn't evaporate and was staying wet all the time. Instantly had problems. Never tried that again! All these guys are spot on.