Newbie grower with LED (= disaster) needs help!

hi all!

I always wanted to do my own grow and 2 months ago and 2 months ago I started the attempt but up until now it is really disappointing...

I think it is best to give an as accurate as possible description of the situation:

The grow is setup in my basement in a room next to my central heating unit (gas powered). In the basement there is a constant temperature of 15°C (59°F).

My set up:
· a secret jardin grow tent h1,8m (6ft), w0,9m (3ft), d0,9m (3ft);
· 90W LED grow light:SUNMEG:
Name: New 90W UFO LED Grow Light
Model: LZ-008
Specification: LEDs:45pcs 3W Epistar&Bridgelux, Lumens:3650Lm, Color:Red and Blue, Power:90W, Input voltage:AC86-264V, Lighting Area:30Square meter, Height above the plant:2.5/3.0/3.5m, Wavelength:R:630nm;B:460nm, LEDs Ratio: 8(Red 630nm)/1(Blue 460nm), Lifespan:50000H;
· oscillating tower fan (the lowest fan speed seems to high for me);
· I added 1 100W light bulb to function as a heater. This way I can raise the temperature up to 25°C (77°F).
I started 2 months ago with 3 seeds (feminized CRITICAL, Royal queen). Germinated on peat pucks (Jiffy) and then put in a small plastic grow box with a small halogen light and blue 1W LEDs.
This all went well. They grew nicely and I transplanted them in 30liter (8 gallon?) as soon the roots would grow outside the peat pucks.
I use as a soil Biogreen grow mix (with perlite). This is already high dosed on nutrients. They claim up to 6 weeks.

I put them in my grow tent under my LED. The light was in the highest position appr. 1,4m (4,5ft) above the seedlings.
Then my girlfriend found the grow tent and she plucked the seedlings out of their pots because she was angry I was growing (she is afraid of the legal consequences). After a talk with her I took the seedlings and repotted them in small 0,3liter (0,8gallon) containers in my plastic growbox with the halogen and blue LEDs and they rerooted, what I did not expect. The rerooting took up a week.

Now I repotted them again in the big containers with the Biogreen soil.
I watered them regularly but probably too much because with the lower LED temperatures they don’t evaporate as much as with HID lights.
I lowered the LED light as close as 30cm (1ft) above the seedlings and then some yellow discoloration happened. 1 Seedling even showed a yellow stripe.
I figured that this would be a result of the LED light which was too close to the plants so I moved it up to 0,8m (2,6ft).
The temperature during this all was during the day around 22°C (71,6°F) and at night 17°C (62,6°F).
I sprayed some water in the tent and so the RH fluctuated between 50 and 80%.
There was also an oscillating tower fan moving the air around.

Growth was very slow since I transplanted them in the bigger containers. They never reached their 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] nodes.
The new leafs started also with yellow veins and the whole leaf turned yellow and crispy. I was wondering if I was over – or underwatering. I made myself believe that it was overwatering because that is what occurs the most often, according to the forums and because I use LED the chances are even bigger.
So slowly the seedlings were dying. 2 of them are still alive but they are so small and only have a couple of leafs left.
I decided to give it another chance and bought new seeds: northern light. The guy from the store told me that these are great for newbies so I started full of hope.

This time I would do it a little bit different:
I added a 100w light bulb tot the tent for heat and I decided to do a 24/24 light cycle to keep the warmth in.
I gave them less water. Once in 3 days or untill the soil was totally dry.
I germinated in the same conditions as previously described and potted them in the small containers. Then they were placed in the tent. All seemed well but after 2 weeks they still are very small and they have yellow veins and the leafs are curling up. i expect the to get crispy as their predecessors..

I check temperatures and humidity but I do not understand why they won’t grow.
Could it be:
1. Overwatering? Yes because I don’t know when they need water;
2. PH of the water? No because the soil acts like a buffer according to the growshop guy. I tested my water but with an inaccurate strip. It showed around 7. I have PH meter but I need to calibrate this;
3. Temperature in tent? I believe not because 25°C (77°F) should be good;
4. Air circulation? No because I have the fan and I leave open the in and outlets of the tent;
5. To high air speed? Can this stunt growth?
6. LED light? No because it should at least be good enough for vegetative stage;
7. Height of the LED light? Possibly because I don’t know how high it should be. It has to do with lens angle and wattage of the LEDs;
8. Deficiency of any kind? I don’t know.
9. Overfeeding? Can it be that the soil is too rich for seedlings?


I hope you guys can help me start up because I can not find someone that is able to help me on this because they don’t have experience with LED grows.

Thanks for the effort!
Rich

I'm guessing the nutes in the soil are too much too soon.
That would let it grow until the roots hit the soil then burn up.
I never did well in soil so don't go on my advice,I'm trying to learn about soil.
GL

too much ferts, IMO.

also, the led panel could be MUCH closer to the seedling.

#9 I would use non-fert soil for seedlings/sprouts.

Try Using http://www.biobizz.com/ Buy The Premade Soil With Feeds And Use The Schedule (On The Website)

Shouldnt have any problems unless you have other issues

#KeepItSimple

I am having some similar issues. Look up my recent threads.

Sounds like one prob is going into too big a pot too soon. Too much water in there when they are using little water and LED imho causes less evaporation no matter what the temp in the tent.

LED was def too high but that should have caused stretch if anything.