Help diagnose problem

First time grow. Can anyone say what the problem with my plants are? Pictured are the ones that have curled under leaves. Also the leaves feel dry and crispy compared to my other few plants which seem to be doing fine. Thanks in advance

At first guess I'd say maybe too much nitrogen.
But you need to give way more details, or that's a wild stab in the dark.
Lighting, temps, soil, have you tried using liquid ferts already,
Unload the details

Lighting is 8×24w cfls in 2×2 space (space will grow with plants) distance is around 4 to 5 inches from top of plants. Temp is min 20 max 30. Soil is general purpose potting mix. Ive tried using liquide ferts already mixed the fert to water ratio as per bottle instructions into a spray bottle and gave the plants a good spritz enough to moisten top layer of soil. There is no colour change to the plants that i can tell. Thanks!!!

how about watering? ventilation? They look a little smothery and or over watered.

Well my first thought was underwatering as the top of the soil was drying out within a couple hours. So i gave them more water. The extra water showed no signs of improving the plants after 24 hours so now im thinking over watering or something else entirely

As for ventilation, there is a 4x4 inch hole on either side of the grow tent with a small usb desk fan running in front of one of the holes.

yeah that's probably your problem then, seedlings shouldn't be constantly wet, they can't use much water and the medium loses oxygen displaced by the water. I've had good results just watering the cup once, then leave it alone til its almost dry, the seedling will slightly droop, then i water again. I killed more than i care to admit using the dry top layer watering rule of thumb. That's probably plenty of air at this stage

Lighting and ventilation sound fine for seedlings.
Temps sound okay, although maybe your highs at 30 have bothered them. Probably not.
It could be the overwatering, but I think it's the liquid ferts.
They are too young for that, the soil should be plenty food for a while.

Seeing the color of the topsoil change to not looking damp is a good general indicator.
But best is to lift it and get to know the weight of it when it's fully watered, and thirsty.
The weight will change a lot between watered and thirsty, unless you have like.... a heavy ceramic pot.

Ok thanks heaps guys. I will let the soil dry out a bit and lessen the watering and hold off on the ferts.

Thanks a bunch!!!

When you check the top of the soil moisture levels, you have to dig your finger in at least to the first knuckle, the top of the soil feeling dry is not what to go by. But for a seedling you should not go digging around anyway, but that's just the way to do it for future, up to the first knuckle, you feel moist condition down there you dont water. Best way when growing in pots is to lift the pot and feel their weight. Watering marijuana too frequently is #1 plant issue people have all over the world when getting into this hobby/business without any previous plant growing experience. To the untrained the plants could look like they have all kinds of deficiencies and/or excess, but it's actually the rootzone is too constantly wet and soggy and then more water and nutrients are added trying to remedy the situation which just compounds the problem. Air to the roots is key. The plants in soil pots need a healthy wet dry cycle. Too wet no good, Too dry no good. Without air to the roots the plants cannot process light, nutrients, Co2, photosythesis comes to a halt, and disease and root rot will set in if always kept wet. I always like to say, "Be afraid.. Be very afraid.. to overwater!"

p.s. If you use a soil that stays way too wet too long, or is too compacted not having much air space, this is another issue in itself. Soil should be fluffy and airy and soft, and when some is wet, and you squeeze it tightly in your fist, poking a finger in the clump it should break apart easy.

While we are all educating each other, you should also know what happens if you let soil get TOO dry.
It can go 'hydrophobic', and water will run quickly through it in channels without soaking in.
Water can come out the bottom fast, while the pot is still light, and this can be an indicator this is happening.
Or water pooling on the top before soaking in slowly, another indicator.
Some potting soils have additives to make it harder for this to happen.
If it happens, you water really slowly to fix it.
Like, a sprinkle a minute, waiting for it to soak in.
(Alternatively some people sit their pot in a tub of water for a bit)

So its been a few days now of letting the soil dry out abit. They are in see through cups so I can see that the soil is still moist after about the first inch. The plants still seem to be looking curly and shriveled. Im stumped. Ive left the tent wide open today to see if it may be a lack of ventilation. I will see if this has helped when I get home from work. Heres some pics from this morning. Thanks for the help!

RredKkross said:

View attachment 3965501 View attachment 3965502 View attachment 3965501 View attachment 3965502 View attachment 3965501 So its been a few days now of letting the soil dry out abit. They are in see through cups so I can see that the soil is still moist after about the first inch. The plants still seem to be looking curly and shriveled. Im stumped. Ive left the tent wide open today to see if it may be a lack of ventilation. I will see if this has helped when I get home from work. Heres some pics from this morning. Thanks for the help!

Click to expand...

Overwatering and poor soil for growing MJ are 2 of your problems. Clear plastic cups making the roots visible is not a good idea either. I don't think your going to see any improvement if you leave them in those cups with that soil.
You need to pot up to 1 gallon pots that are black plastic and use soil that is good for MJ like fox farm ocean forest soil if you can find it. Give them nothing but water for a month if you get that soil. Weigh a pot of dry soil before you use it to find the dry weight. Get a cheap moisture meter too.

I've also seen stunting from using clear cups, that was fixed by transplanting to black. That's a good suggestion.
I like your thermometer, it's pretty. But, it takes up a lot of floor space. Eventually you might want a remote one with a probe on a cord. (~$3)
What about too much light, anyone? Anyone? Could be. Now seeing them.
I'd use only two of those cfls while those things are sprouts, and further away - but I have pretty good reflectors for mine.

Too much light, those plant in those pics... naaah.. I don't think so but who knows... From what I see I think it's shitty medium + overwatering, and underwatering ping ponging from one bad thing to other.. something along those lines in my opinion.

Hey, look at temperature on that thermostat, 70.... thats way to cold, this could be causing domino effect of issues actually. just thinkin about growing with lights on at like 69'F.. I dunnooooooooooo. i know it's a bit higher.. just sayin... it's not so great the way the pots, and moisture etc.. too cool in there

20 degrees Celsius is the Min though and it only gets that low when the tent is open. Usually its closer to 30 than 20. Also its only 200w of cfls all up. Surely that wouldny be too much light? Ive transfered to pots now with 50%peatmoss 25%perlite and 25%sand. Might be a little to late but we will see. Ive also sprouted 5 new seeds in this same medium.

Look, this is what I believe is going on and nothing else it can be looking at this pic...
I know you transplanted them, but what's to stop you from doing the same thing again in the new pot, luck?

If the leaves are limp and weak and feel floppy when you try to lift them, wilting and feel thin and will flop around like tissue paper in the wind, then they need water, you are underwatering them. The plants cannot maintain Turgor pressure in their veins holding any juices in there to keep it pumped up. The water hose is dry and sucked in on itself, shrunk capilaries dry and thin veins, need water to pump them up again. Pressurize and pump up the main water hose vein of the plant so it stands strong with leaves pumped up. They need water to function or they will halt all growth and die.

If the leaves are still stiff when you lift them and thick, not floppy like tissue paper, but still hard leaves, just curved down, and you try to uncurve that curved leaf and it's tip, and you feel resistance when you try to lift the leaves up with your hand, and they dont feel weak and thin and floppy, but still pumped up with water in the leaves, thick leathery leaves, then you are overwatering them, they have to dry properly in between waterings. The process of a plant's life needs oxygen at the roots or they will drown in water and the roots will slowly die as the leaves will be overloaded with water while the plant comes to a stand still and wont grow. The plant wont be able to process photosynthesis anymore absorbing light energy and co2 combining to make sugars to fuel any growth. The plant won't grow, and eventually will die if the roots do not have oxygen available to them very long.

Besides the either overwatering, or underwatering, or both, problem, my worry for you is that you are using a very dense soil mix that does not have enoough micro air gaps and spaces in it to hold oxygen for the roots in the first place, that it's a bad soil, and you just transplanted them into that soil once again. If the soil is too dense then anything you put in that soll will always exhibit overwatering symptoms, the roots will never be able to breath properly to fuel any growth. The plant will slowly drown and die.

Certain plants are adapted to live in swamps and directly in water, but those plants have special structures that stick up out of the water for roots to get oxygen. All roots of all plants need oxygen or the roots will die, and then the plant.

Roots breathe oxygen like we do. Plant roots not only absorb water and nutrients for plant growth, but also respire. It is important that the growing medium has enough oxygen for plant roots to function properly.

Oxygen is an essential plant nutrient. Plant root systems require oxygen for aerobic respiration, an essential plant process that releases energy for root growth and nutrient uptake.

Not enough oxygen at the roots lowers the permeability of roots to water and there'll be a buldup of toxins. Water and nutrients won't be uptaked enough for plant growth.

A lot of times fungi can take hold on plants that are stressed by oxygen starvation in the root zone.
Roots dieing will attract disease that will hasten the demise of the plant.


The title of your thread is, "Help diagnose problem".
I hope I have done an adequate job of explaning to you the importance of a good fluffy breathable soil, and why roots need oxygen for all plant functions or the plant will slowly die. There is nothing more important.

By overwatering the plants you are slowly killing them.

This is my diagnoses, grow bro.

Can you try another soil simultaneously, like Canna Terra Professional, or Yates Premium Potting Mix?
Them's the best off-the-shelf I've found here in Aus.