Not going to plan!

[tnuk1]

THIS IS MY SET UP...

2x2 grow tent ( temp normally above 20 degrees but it's in my shed so it's hard to regulate)

600 watt light 18/6 (about one and a half foot from plants)

extration fan

ebb & flow system

solution is at half strength heated to 24 degrees, PH 6.

plants in rock wool cubes sitting in the tray

 

This is my first attempt at growing indoors and I would greatly accept any advise. My plants are 1 month old and are only 8cm tall and on their 5th soots. Their leaves get to a certain size (small) and don't seem to get any bigger, their not yellow or anything just small! I've been hand watering for the first 3 weeks, and have just started to flood the tray. If anyone could tell me where I'm going wrong that would be great! Things are moving very slowly! Also...how long for, and how often should I feed them?

[JoeThePlanter]

Pictures would help everyone diagnose the problem I'm sure. What kind of light? The temp seems a little low but not too significant. When did you start nutes? Really 3 inches or taller is not too bad at a month.

[Wrangler556]

Sounds like it might be too cold for them.

 

When you say its normally above 20, how much? and how cold does it actually get at night or when the lights are off?

 

Plants absorb light/energy depending on temps, the colder it is, the less light they can use, thus growing slower.

 

Also temps below 15°C will slow or stop growth, specially at a young age.

 

Flood and Drain with a res temp of 24°C is on the right track for colder weather, keeps the roots/plants warmer when the water is actually flowing, but when its not, they might be getting a bit chilled.

 

Heat mat might help, or try better insulating the shed a bit until the weather heats up?

 

Wrangler.

[tnuk1]

Thanks for replying boys. HPS 600 watts ( cost me $90 from the hydro shop) I started nutes from the first feed. I have the lights off from midday till 6, sits at 24 degrees. It does get cold here early in the morning but the lights are on, I'll go get a heat mat. You said temps below 15 slows and can stop their growth, will that kill them? I,m getting all my Info from the net, maybe i'm expecting to much to soon! Got any advice on how often and how long to flood the tray? I was told once an hour for 15 minutes, but it just seems to much for the size of the plants. I'm not 100% sure if the cubes have to be dripping wet all the time.

[Wrangler556]

Nah, temps below 15° wont kill them, will just slow em right down.

 

Rockwool holds a fair amount of water, you could probably do better watering every 3-4 hours for 5-10mins while the lights are on. Also, have you got anything else in the tray other than the cubes? Most people sit the cubes in a bed of clay balls/hydroton, or even perlite, helps keep a nice little enviroment for the roots.

 

Another thing, young plants don't like to be soaking wet all the time. Its ok to flood them regularly, but they need periods of time to absorb oxygen/dry out a little, if you keep flooding them once an hour in rockwool, you might find they dont get enough oxygen to the roots.... so that could be more of a problem than cold mornings.

 

To add more oxygen to the situation, add a air stone to your res to airate the nute solution. And generally dont flood them during the lights off period.

Edited October 8, 2008 by Wrangler556

[tnuk1]

thanks wrangler, really appreciate it. Iv'e got an air stone in the tank, I'm going to change my timer now, I will have clay balls in my tray soon, Iv'e just gotta wait. In two weeks time I have to pull it all down, got relo's coming over, after that the clay will be in there. See how I go...