First AutoFlower Failure (Pics Posted and Help Needed)

[GreenTomatoes]

Wife and I finally decided to try our hand at an AutoFlower grow. Tons of info online, between forums and YouTube. Here was the plan of attack
Setup:
2x2x4 Tent
Viparspectra XS1500 LED
Honeywell Fan
5 gallon Mesh Pots
Northen Lights Auto Flower (Growers Choice Seeds)

Step 1: Germinated in a wet paper towel and after 4 days had a 3/4" taproot
Step 2: Bought 2 bags of this: https://zamzows.com/products/black-gold-natural-and-organic-8-qt?_pos=12&_sid=7cf2afeea&_ss=r (Potting Soil)
Mixed Gai Green 4-4-4 and Gai Green 2-8-4 (Did 4 TBS per 1gal or the 4-4-4 and 2 per 1 gal of the 2-8-4)
Mixed it well and gave it a light watering.
Step 3: 1" inch hole and dropped seeling in, taproot down. Light watering. Used bottled water (PH was 6.0) and continued to water with bottled water, I do have a RO/DI system (not setup yet)
Step 4: Lights were about 24-30" above seedling and 75% power and temps were 72-88 with humidity around 50-75% during the time shifts.
Step 5: Doing a 20/4 light cycle. (When lights go off for 4 hours, temps always go to about 68 and then back to around 75 when lights are on)
Step 6: Seedling broke surface and looked good for day days.
Step 7: First time growing, just tried to keep the plant not to dry or to wet
Step 8: about 8 days in and was happy, then noticed 2 leaves kinda looking yellow and the no growth on the leaves.
Step 9: Read like crazy and confuses, maybe I overwatered and stunted the seedling, lights to intense not sure.
Step 10: Use my Bluelab Soil Pen and check my soild PH is 7.5 to 7.6 WTF?

I have a bluelab Soil Pen and PH Pen - I am thinking the Potting Soil we bought had to much fertilizer in it with me adding the Gai Green? First ever grow so tried to cover everything, but missed something.

Any ideas where I went wrong and what I should adjust? I think I need to get a more relaxed potting soil and add like 10% cocoa

Mostly watched MR. Canucks Grows and got most the stuff he uses. I just want to make some mix and add water and top off with nutrients when needed. Thought I had this covered.

This is 14 days from breaking surface. There are No ROOTS, basically broke surface, grew 2 new leaves, got me pyshced, then didn't grow at all in size, started to go yellow and now that. I tried to dry out the pot and obviously that turned it into this crusty thing. I think this is a loser, going to germinate a new one in a paper towel and try to drop a seed into a smaller cup and start that way and transplant after about 15 days if that goes well?

That's the tent setup - leaving lights at 75% to much this early?

 

[CannadaJ]

Hey don't give up you've only lost a few weeks so it's easy to try again. We've all had some setbacks.

Just to confirm you had total 6 TBS/gal of Gaia Green in the soil? I use GG and if I remember it recommends 3TBS per gallon. 6 would be a lot of nutrients for seedlings. Did you let it sit (cook) for a while?

Seedlings love very light airy soil for root development. When I mix a super soil I usually dig out the middle and place some light seedling mix to give the roots a week or so before reaching the nutrient heavy soil.

Also the first days/week there is no root system so they need to absorb water through the small leaves (cotyledons). You'll often see a small humidity dome above the seedling for a few days. What was your humidity? In many areas winter is very low.

Not sure how a higher pH impacts seedlings in soil. PH often becomes an issue as it locks out nutrient uptake. Soil has a tendance to adjust itself within reason.

At the seedling stage they are feeding off their own cotilydons not the nutrients in soil. But with such a high dose it can cause issues.

J

 

[GreenTomatoes]

Hey don't give up you've only lost a few weeks so it's easy to try again. We've all had some setbacks.

Just to confirm you had total 6 TBS/gal of Gaia Green in the soil? I use GG and if I remember it recommends 3TBS per gallon. 6 would be a lot of nutrients for seedlings. Did you let it sit (cook) for a while?

Seedlings love very light airy soil for root development. When I mix a super soil I usually dig out the middle and place some light seedling mix to give the roots a week or so before reaching the nutrient heavy soil.

Also the first days/week there is no root system so they need to absorb water through the small leaves (cotyledons). You'll often see a small humidity dome above the seedling for a few days. What was your humidity? In many areas winter is very low.

Not sure how a higher pH impacts seedlings in soil. PH often becomes an issue as it locks out nutrient uptake. Soil has a tendance to adjust itself within reason.

At the seedling stage they are feeding off their own cotilydons not the nutrients in soil. But with such a high dose it can cause issues.

J

1. If I recall I added 4TBS per 1 Gallon of medium(Directions say 3TBS/Gallon) the 4 scoops per gallon was from a Mr. Canucks Grow video - I also added 2TBS per gallon of the 2-8-4 per gallon so in total for 5 gallons of Medium I did 20 scoops of 4-4-4 and 10 scoops of 8-2-4 lots of YouTube growers are dropping seeds direct into the 5 gallon setups with a medium like this. I germinated in a towel then transfered. The factory directions state 3TBS/per gallon so even at 6TBS how is that ALOT for a 5 gallos? Not being a dick, genuinely don't know?

Definitely have the soil light. I would add some coco again knowing what I know now.

I have the tent in a temp controlled 2 car garage with thermostat set to 65 in garage. Humidity avererages around 50-70% in the tent and I try to keep temps is the mid 70's

hope that helps.

 

[Shugrows]

What percent is your light at? I had a 2x2x4 with the xs1500. Slammed it to the ceiling as much as I could and put it about 50percent and I never had a problem. Soil could be to hot as well. Autos dont need as much as photos. Is the instructions for dressing for autos or photos. for Autos I cut in half had good luck with that.

 

[Shugrows]

Also you can 24 hours during veg to keep your temps up. I do gettng kinda low. They like it upper 70s low 80s

 

[GreenTomatoes]

What percent is your light at? I had a 2x2x4 with the xs1500. Slammed it to the ceiling as much as I could and put it about 50percent and I never had a problem. Soil could be to hot as well. Autos dont need as much as photos. Is the instructions for dressing for autos or photos. for Autos I cut in half had good luck with that.

Currently at 75% - I think I had waaaay to much light for seedling stage.

Dropped a new seed in the 5 Gallon and turned lights down to 20% and they are about 24" above the pot

Will try to leave the lights much lower until we get further down the line. Might switch to the 24/7 during veg stage - not concerned about power or electricty. Just want best yield and health as I learn this process.

 

[Shugrows]

Currently at 75% - I think I had waaaay to much light for seedling stage.

Dropped a new seed in the 5 Gallon and turned lights down to 20% and they are about 24" above the pot

Will try to leave the lights much lower until we get further down the line. Might switch to the 24/7 during veg stage - not concerned about power or electricty. Just want best yield and health as I learn this process.

Thats definitely way to high. Thats a good start lower the precent and leave the lights on. I dont change the light schedule till they show sex or even alittle after. Then it 18/6 they can take more temp swings when they are older.

 

[GreenTomatoes]

Thats definitely way to high. Thats a good start lower the precent and leave the lights on. I dont change the light schedule till they show sex or even alittle after. Then it 18/6 they can take more temp swings when they are older.

Thank you for the input. Hard when you are a noob and not sure what you are looking at. I at least researched a ton before starting

 

[CannadaJ]

Ok

1. If I recall I added 4TBS per 1 Gallon of medium(Directions say 3TBS/Gallon) the 4 scoops per gallon was from a Mr. Canucks Grow video - I also added 2TBS per gallon of the 2-8-4 per gallon so in total for 5 gallons of Medium I did 20 scoops of 4-4-4 and 10 scoops of 8-2-4 lots of YouTube growers are dropping seeds direct into the 5 gallon setups with a medium like this. I germinated in a towel then transfered. The factory directions state 3TBS/per gallon so even at 6TBS how is that ALOT for a 5 gallos? Not being a dick, genuinely don't know?

Definitely have the soil light. I would add some coco again knowing what I know now.

I have the tent in a temp controlled 2 car garage with thermostat set to 65 in garage. Humidity avererages around 50-70% in the tent and I try to keep temps is the mid 70's

hope that helps.

I typically do a 75/25% mix of 444 and 284 for a total of 3 TBS/gallon which means 15TBS for 5 gallon pots. Keep in mind that these two fertilizers are essentially the same in terms of adding NPK in different ratios (and a few varying ingredients).

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but 6TBS/gallon is a high amount of nutes? I've had tip burn with 4 and I've yet to see any real deficiencies at this level so I stay within that range.

Every soil is different of course.

Like I said seedlings do not like a lot of nutrients their roots are extremely delicate.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

looks like soil is too hot... next time put a cup or two of seedling mix in the center of the pot and plant seeds into that..
gl