First Grow, Bushy Small Plants. Help!

[mike steward]

Ok so I have a 5x5 tent and four 600 wat led full spectrum led lights. I have only been using 2 of the lights cause when i have all four on the room tends to heat up too much. I have a intake and exhaust running 24/7. I am also running the lights 24 hours on. All the plants are in 3 gallon fabric pots with miracle grow organic soil (only thing i could get my hands on at the time). I am using advanced nutrients and may have over ferted a couple a weeks ago (im not really sure), I flushed them really good last week. They are all around 5 1/2 weeks old. My tallest is a sativa at around a foot, and the rest are indica. Im not exactly sure where to keep my lights. They seem to be really stunted in growth And some have some yellowing but are so bushy i cant even find the main stem. Does anyone have any idea what I should do to improve my set up and get them to grow a bit more before i switch to flower?

My lights are:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MarsHydro-6...-272-5-True-Watt-For-Hydroponic-/290950075690

Some pics

 

[akstoner]

WELCOME TO THE FARM!!!!!!!!! What do you have your LED lights distance? also pinch the top of the Indica you want it to get bigger and more bud......

also at the top of the page/site there is drop down bracket that say GROW FAQs read up....there is lots of great info........ and your question about your plants color......check out this guide also in the growFAQS!!!!!!

http://www.growweedeasy.com/cannabis-symptoms-pictures

 

[mike steward]

Alright, will do. Thanks!
I have had the lights mainly 8 to 12 inchs from the top of the plants but just recently raised them up to about 20 inches cause im hoping to get them taller. Would topping the indicas stop vertical growth? cause i have a ton of room to go up and out. Should i use all the lights or no? Im thinking my problem may also be due to ph cause my tap water is about 8.0 but the fert im using says ph perfect so i thought in wouldnt be a big deal being high. Should i still lower it down before watering?

 

[ArcticOrange]

I imagine, though no experience with PH perfect but looking at it logically, that ph perfect is designed for ro water because they cant design it for everyones tap water. Are you phing the final mix?

 

[mike steward]

No im not, and im using tap water i let it sit for a day or so with a fish pump in it before watering though. I dont have any ph up or down. Any suggestions on what type to get or can i use vinegar and baking soda?

 

[ArcticOrange]

I use lemon or lime for ph down but im in organics so rarely do i use it at all. I kind of doubt you will need the PH up, ive never had need for it even when using chemicals. But im in the same boat as you tap water ph 8.4 sometimes lol.

 

[akstoner]

Distilled water would actually be better than tap water....also LED Veg mode your light should be 24-30 inches above canopy......? and flower is 12-18 inches above canopy.......otherwise you can burn your plant.... and is your soil mix acidic?

Alright, will do. Thanks!
I have had the lights mainly 8 to 12 inchs from the top of the plants but just recently raised them up to about 20 inches cause im hoping to get them taller. Would topping the indicas stop vertical growth? cause i have a ton of room to go up and out. Should i use all the lights or no? Im thinking my problem may also be due to ph cause my tap water is about 8.0 but the fert im using says ph perfect so i thought in wouldnt be a big deal being high. Should i still lower it down before watering?

 

[ArcticOrange]

Distilled water would actually be better than tap water....also LED Veg mode your light should be 24-30 inches above canopy......? and flower is 12-18 inches above canopy.......otherwise you can burn your plant.... and is your soil mix acidic?

Agreed the aforementiomed 8.4ph tap water made the decision for me to swap to distilled. Never looked back though i need a bigger still. I end up buying a few gals a week.

 

[mike steward]

Thanks! im gonna try keeping lights up for a week or two and only using distilled water. I think it is due to both the lights being to low burning them and ph being too high.

One more thing should i even bother with the other two lights? I only have 5 plants i dont know if its overkill or not...

 

[stonestacker]

Welcome to the farm and the addiction of growing your own meds.
I'm not a soil grower but with that Miracle grow soil I don't think you should need much if any nutrients. get your ph between 5.9 - 6.5 let the pots dry out till they are light but not to the point of wilting leaves. I would try just water till you get some new growth and things start to green up. this will take some time so be patient.
For your temp try to get your exhaust to draw from the top of the tent to remove more heat. Hang the carbon filter on the ceiling if you can.
I think you are ok with just two lights until your plants get bigger and fill up more of the tent.
Search and read read read.
Good luck and enjoy

 

[ArcticOrange]

Welcome to the farm and the addiction of growing your own meds.
I'm not a soil grower but with that Miracle grow soil I don't think you should need much if any nutrients. get your ph between 5.9 - 6.5 let the pots dry out till they are light but not to the point of wilting leaves. I would try just water till you get some new growth and things start to green up. this will take some time so be patient.
For your temp try to get your exhaust to draw from the top of the tent to remove more heat. Hang the carbon filter on the ceiling if you can.
I think you are ok with just two lights until your plants get bigger and fill up more of the tent.
Search and read read read.
Good luck and enjoy

I missed that. And would also second the suggestion. In MG id be surprised if youd need anything except micros (Maybe) at least for a month or so in veg. Get PH in check and slow down on the nutes they will be happoer for it