Another newbie in need of veteran help

I just started growing Kens Granddaddy im using the fox farm line of nutes a 600 watt bulb in a tent. my humidity stays around 36 -40%.and my temp is 76-83deg. im using 5 gal. buckets but thier only filled half way.aside from the ff nutes im also using diamond nectar and florolicious plus.im five days into flowering and after days of reading im certain ive over fed them i gave each plant 64 oz cups and went heavy on the nutes i fed them every other day. i stopped feeding them 4 days ago and have been waiting for them to dry out my questions are these 1) i have no drain system is that necessary? 2)what should my ph level be3)next time i feedem what should i givem plain tap water any advice is welcomed i feel as if the person i have helpin me is only given me half the info i need

Oh god yes they need drainage, slide them out of the buckets drill a bunch of holes in the bottom of it fill it half way with new dirt put the plant with old dirt ontop of the new dirt so the buckets are now full...flush with 2-3x the amount of water you would normaly use. Only water, you want to wash out any of the xtra nutes. Remove any dead leaves snip dead tips... might want to do this outside or in a bath. Good luck

I am assuming you are growing soil, if not you can disregard portions of this.

What makes you think they were overfed? The plants usually let you know when you have done something wrong.(applies to soil and hydro)

Second, why are the buckets only half full? More roots=more plant, I would have gone with a full bucket of soil for them. Plus with a 600W your plants will get big and they could become rootbound in the smaller volume of soil.(obviously a soil only problem)

If you did in fact overfeed them then you will need to flush your soil. 1gallon of pH'd water per gallon of soil is a good approximation of the amount to flush.(flushing hydro is a bit different but the principle is the same).

When you ask about drainage are you talking about the growroom or the container. Growroom drainage isn't a big deal so long as there isn't standing water(creates extra humidity and breeding ground for mold and pests). Container drainage is essential. Proper drainage prevents salt buildup and allows the soil to not sit saturated which promotes root rot.

If you could give a bit more info on the problems you are having I can try to be of more help.

1)For drainage you need at least a couple small holes on the bottom of the buckets for the excess water to drain from. Especially with 64oz of water be flushed through every other day. I use 5 gal buckets for my outdoor plants and I usually give it 30oz max every 2-3 days. It really comes down to when the top 1-2 inches of soil dries out, then give half of that 64oz cup.
My guess is that the water has been filling the bottom of the bucket and not being used nearly fast enough before you water it again.

2)Your pH should be between 6.3-6.8. Sometimes different strains may be a little higher range or lower range but 6.5 is the general average.

3)Next watering use tap water or filtered water(if you have hard water) and let it sit out for a day so any chlorine can evaporate. I would follow the directions for the nutes at 1/4-1/2 strength. From my experience at least 1 of 4 waterings should be regular water without nutes.

Good luck from here and I hope your plants don't have any root rot.

thanx everyone for youre immediate attention and support. to answer youre questions yes i am using soil and my reason for thinking they were overfed is due to the reddish brown spots (most commonly seen in the nute burn pics i have seen on this site)popping up on my plants.and the buckets are only half full because i was told that would be sufficient.lastly yes i was talking about drainage from my buckets i was also told it wouldnt be neccessary to polk holes in the buckets that they didnt need to drain. my so called helper is as good as FIRED !!!! you guys have been of great help once again thank you.

I thought Ph was 5-6

A drain system is necessary. If it were me, especially if the plants got overdosed with nutes, I would have to look at my options. First, I would flush them out with distilled water. Next, I would triple check the Ph of the water I have been giving them. Then, I would decide if it were capable of surviving a transplant. Sometimes, transplanting is the best solution. You could always go back to vegetive growth after transplanting then grow your plants bigger. If necessary, transplant into a 7 - 10 gallon grow bag or trash can. This is just one option that you may want to consider. Ph could easily be your problem. Keep in mind when you add nutes to your water this will lower the Ph. In my opinion, 2.5 gallons is too difficult for beginners in flower growth. You should go with at least 4 gallons. I would also go lighter on the nutes rather than heavy, 1/2 doses at the most. Also, when you are using strong lights like a 600 Watt, it causes the plants to consume nutrients much faster due to the rapid growth. Go with a larger grow medium to accommodate the need for water and nutrients. I only feed once every two weeks or even once a month depending on the soil mix I am using and the strain. I usually have to water my plants every one to three days, but, I go to the extreme with my lights. I preferr to only water with rain water or distilled water.

I hope this information is helpful for you.