Please help my sick seedling

Discussion in 'Sick Plants and Problems' started by clarebearr, Oct 25, 2014.

  1. So my seedling is a bag seed I germinated with paper towels and transferred to a Burpee self-watering seed starter (soil pellet that expands in water). My original lighting setup was not nearly enough light, so yesterday I set up a new system with 3 CFLs (20 true watts, 1190 lumens, 6500K), a blue LED (2 true watts, 200 lumens, 2600K) and another CFL (13 true watts, 2700K (?))

    Looks like this:

    ImageUploadedByGrasscity Forum1414260258.076564.jpg

    Then today after 4.5 hours under the same lighting I moved it to a new spot using the 3 CFLs at 20 true watts, 6500K, and 1190 lumens, and haven't moved over the other lights. Moved it into a closet so I added a fan, gave it a little water, and put it in a box lined with aluminum foil.

    Here's the new setup:

    ImageUploadedByGrasscity Forum1414260429.591048.jpg

    I suspended the lights with plastic hangers, hopefully that's fine. I've not had a lot of issues with heat from my setup. My one main issue is my poor seedling!

    Here she is now:

    ImageUploadedByGrasscity Forum1414260507.680887.jpg

    Can anyone diagnose this? She's about a week old now, give or take. I watered with seedling strength nutrients one time, thinking it would help her, not realizing it's too early for her to even absorb nutrients (I was told they do not absorb nutrients until the cotyledon leaves fall off). Other than that I've been watering with room temp tap water that I've kept in a container in my room to try and allow chlorine and other chemicals to evaporate.

    Anyone know what the issue could be?
    So scared for my little seedling, she's all I have!

    Thanks for reading, ALL feedback is super appreciated!!!
     
  2. I would guess youve burnt it by feeding too soon.
    Tin foil can cause hot spots and burn your plant,best to remove that and get some proper stuff off ebay.
    What medium are you using,what is your ph?
     
  3. Thanks for the advice! What do I do if I burnt it? Keep watering to flush out the nutrients? Noted on the aluminum foil, I'll find something else to use. The medium is a Burpee seed starter, it's a soil pellet. Ph I don't have a tester so I don't know :( But I would assume it's in acceptable range, I only mixed in nutes the one time and other than that it's been tap water on soil.
     
  4. yes rip that foil off asap its better have just that cardboard showing than foil creating hot spots. I use panda film and really like it plus its super easy to clean. just keep doing ur regular water schedual she will be fine.

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  5. I would recommend getting a ph meter,its no good guessing or hoping.
    A TDS meter for ppm`s (or nute strength) comes in handy too.
    I think i would try to wash those nutes outa there first,then go onto watering when dry/light pot.
    You maybe shouldnt have to feed for a couple of weeks.Your plant will let you know,i usually start
    to feed when i see the cotyledon leaves start going yellow,they are its last resources.
    1/4 strength nutes to start with.
    GL.
     
  6. By hot spots do you mean hot in temperature or something with concentration of light? I went in and checked my box, has been set up for 5.5 hours now and is completely cool, no warm spots. I think the ventilation is helping this. Should I still be concerned? And thank you for the recommendation, if foil is not the proper choice I'll look into panda film. Thanks again!
     
  7. hot spots as in the foil will never be completly straight you will have wrinkles in it and when the light hits those wrinkles where it is concaved it can focus the light onto one spot of the plant which can cause it to heat n burn althought i have ZERO experience with cfls id imagine thats what would happen seeing as how it happened to me using hps..... sorry for my spelling and grammer :unsure:

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  8. Okay, pH meter it is! I've been debating on getting a liquid test kit or a digital reader, I've heard pros and cons for both. I put a ton of water into the soil hoping it will flush the nutes out, I guess I'll just have to wait and see if it works. I'll wait until it's dry to water.
    Appreciate all the advice! :D
     
  9. Good to know, thank you! I'm sure it's the foil and not the bulbs, I imagine no matter what bulb you use it will happen, so thank you! I have shiny silver duct tape and I thought about just covering it in that but ended up using the foil instead. I'm also considering just spray painting it white or silver.
    Thanks for the advice! :D
     
  10. She is looking worse as the day goes on ....

    ImageUploadedByGrasscity Forum1414281629.738661.jpg
     
  11. did u flush the nutes out yet? and what the ph of the water ur are using?

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  12. I tried flushing them this morning, since she is looking worse I tried it again. I don't have a pH meter so I don't know. it's tap water that I've kept in a bottle to evaporate chlorine and avoid shocking the plant with the wrong temp water. I'm starting to think she won't bounce back :(
     
  13. if I were u id pop a couple more beans just in case

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  14. Germinate more seeds? My dad had a stash of bag seeds, I pulled out 12 of the best looking ones and tried paper towel germination, but it's been 3 days and nothing has happened. I'm thinking they're no good. Gotta wait on seeds from the Netherlands now. :(
     
  15. i use the paper towel method then put them in a open plastic bag and leave them on top of my fridge they usually pop in 3 days

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  16. Were you stoned when you put this contraption together? It looks like something NASA would use lol.....

    Too much light, I would take it out the soil and put in perlite or vermiculite and feed it rhizotonic, or just plain water with the ph at 6-6.2 It is suffering from nute burn, this could be what ever is in the soil that it's growing in or whatever your feeding it or both. If you are feeding it, don't. It's too young. Wait til those water leaves drop until you start feeding it. If you can get your hands on rhizotonic, then feed it that.
     
  17. yep i agree nute burn ,,if you get soil make sure it only as trace nutes in it,,,try not to get soill with slow release nute,,,,,ive said it before i never feed in veg (only very rarely ) see 'my grow' by mactheman,,,,i use just super market bought soil,,,,i just plant the seed in small pot and when i see roots going around the bottom of the pot i pot up in to a bigger pot,,,there should be enough nutes/fertiliser in the soil so that you should not have to feed the seedling/small plant,,,,then when it time for flower put it in to the pot its going to finish in then after it stretches it might need a feed with higher N at first because the stretch will have used up the N,,,,then after that about another week 10 days i give a feed of tomato feed,,,,,my buds turn out fine,,,i like to do things very cheap and it can be done.....best of luck ,,mac
     
  18. I've been using a heating pad that automatically shuts off every 2hrs, just trying to restart it as often as I can. Maybe the temp fluctuation every 2hrs or so is what made them unsuccessful? Or maybe I'll find them shooting out tap roots any day now! Doubtful at this point, but you never know.
     
  19. I hope NASA wouldn't build something out of cardboard, aluminum foil, and plastic clothing hangers. :D
    No, from everything I've been told here on GrassCity, I am using proper lighting with CFLs. If anything, it's not enough light. I do not have a pH meter until tomorrow. As soon as I get my pH meter I'll be watering with pH balanced water, around 5.8-6.3.
     
  20. Appreciate the advice, and good for you using the cheapest methods and being so successful! I wish I could say the same, I've spent $100s so far and all I have is this dying seedling :( The soil it's in is made for germinating seeds so I doubt it has any nutrients, but I'll check out the packaging for any slow-release nutrients I may not be aware of. Thanks again!
     

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