Needing some help with my plants

[Ruefuu]

Really needing some help. It started about a week ago when i may have over watered the girls a bit much and ended up under watering them on accident for a few days after the overwatering. Since then I've been watering regularly and haven't seen too much rebound. I'm curious if this has turned into a different issue. A few leaves are very papery and brittle at the lower leaves but the leaves at the top seem to be fine. I filter my tap water and it comes out of the faucet at a ph of 6.5 but ive recently gone down to 6.2 just in case this was the issue. My smallest plant seems to be doing fine but i havent done anything different to it. Im using a soil mix of about 70% fox farms ocean mix 20% local organic seedling starting soil and 10% perlite. I have not begun to feed the plants yet as they are in fox farms soil and are only 3 weeks from seedling. Im using a 1500w philzon burpee at about 32" high, and recently raised it a few inches. Any help is greatly appreciated, i fear they wont bounce back.

 

[Madbud]

Cold?

 

[Ruefuu]

Cold?

If anything it stays a little on the warmer side, thats why i leaned towards under watering.

 

[MIMedGrower]

I agree they look like they were overwatered and now are too dry. I would water to runoff and then wait for it to get light again. It could take a week but as they dry they should straighten out.

Next time add 25% perlite. Looks like it will have poor drainage.

 

[TheHulkThumb]

Also put holes or a nice size hole in the bottom of the cup to help you from over watering

 

[Beachwalker]

I would recalibrate whatever you're using to set pH because I don't think your tap water comes out of the tap at 6.5 like you say? I may be wrong but as far as I know there's a reason tap water is alkaline, that means above 7.0

+1 on 25% perlite

Noobs have trouble watering small pots if those were my plants I might up-pot them to bigger pots where it's easier to keep them properly watered?

 

[Aphex.dave]

Yeah I'd say up to 30% perlite helps with watering and allowing oxygen into root area aiding drying of soil, try sticking your finger into soil as far as possible without causing damage. If dry deep in soil you may even want to consider adding dome extra holes round sides of pot to get it under control (the moisture level).

When using pots always get least half inch of gravel (washed) into bottom of pots before adding your medium/soil to help future drainage and prevent water pooling in lower pot soaking soil.

 

[Aphex.dave]

Over watering = problem
Too dry is symptom

 

[SkunkyDunk]

First they are dry now, too dry.
2nd, OF is too hot for seedlings generally. When you overwatered you also OD'd them with nutes from the hot soil. They'll need to recover from that also.
And last, they aren't dead yet so ya have a good chance.
Just don't love em too much.

 

[Edinburgh]

Looks like your lights could be to close, i use ocean forest on autoflowers and never had a problem it could be you mixed something else in the mix.

 

[visajoe1]

I start in solo cups all the time. At that size in this medium mix he should be watering every 2 days or so under proper light/ventilation/drainage

 

[Ruefuu]

Looks like your lights could be to close, i use ocean forest on autoflowers and never had a problem it could be you mixed something else in the mix.

Yeah i mixed a local organic seedling starter soil since ive heard fox farms can sometimes come hot.

 

[Ruefuu]

This is an update on how theyre doing. Ive since transplanted them and just watered this morning

 

[Aphex.dave]

I'm doubtful it's an issue with lights if it was you've sorted that out, its either watering/feeding issue but I'm hopeful that you will grow your way out of this, they look little bit better than last time I reckon...

 

[Ruefuu]

I'm doubtful it's an issue with lights if it was you've sorted that out, its either watering/feeding issue but I'm hopeful that you will grow your way out of this, they look little bit better than last time I reckon...

My biggest concern is this rust looking color. It dosent really look natural to me. Think it could be some sort of pests?

 

[Aphex.dave]

I dunno being honest rueful, guess you could lop off those leaves that are affected as there not doing much anyhow, could even leave bits if there mostly green and then if it is pests you will soon see other areas affected, I reckon it's not but... I would say looking at new growth your doing well but maybe someone else has better idea sorry bud goodluck m8

 

[Aphex.dave]

Typo ruefuu, soz

 

[Edinburgh]

Autoflowers have very weak root systems and are notoriously eaysy to burn with nutrients, that said i do not start to feed my autos till day 21, i have hundreds of pics of different strains by different breeders and allways used fox farm with zero problems, never ever burned 1 seedling, i asked my hydroponic guy and he told me happy frog is a hoter mix, i think your trouble is u added other dirt to your medium makeing it to hot, in my humble little opinion. Pics are my last 3 grows autos in fox forest, first 3 pics critical by Nirvana all autos, last pic a run of 2 toof decay 1 bean did not germanate, autos are much weaker than photoperiod plants, if i can grow autos in it for 9 years with never burning a seedling or plant then ffof is NOT a hot medium just add pearlite for airation dont feed till day 21 and then very lighley, i use botanacare pro grow in veg after day 21 by day 50 i flush em out add atami bloombastic at around day 50, dwarfs and such ave 65 days from sprouts, plants in 2gal pots ave 70 days from sprouts, autos in 3gal pots ave about 80 days, fox farms ocean forest is a great mix that i grow autoflowers in consistently with absolutely no burn to my seedlings ever! A great mix that is not hot!!!!!!!!!!!!! These pics are by different breeders & different strain of autoflowers grown in ocean forest if this mix was hot i would not get these results, next time in my little opinion just use fox farms, do not feed till day 21 & and you want your plants reaching for the light not shying away from it, with a 2 cycle 600w led my sweet spot is 24inc after there seedling stage, ffof is a great medium and if i can grow hundreds of different strains by different breeders over 9 years with zero problems it's not HOT!

 

[SadBadGrower]

Those brown spots are from drowning your plant's roots for long periods of time. Soil needs a good wet AND dry cycle. Remember that once you fix the problem, damaged leaves wont recover. The fabric pot you are in.....water once every 3 days. Don't drench the soil either. Take your time watering, going slowly. Water til you get a little run off then repeat 3 days later.

 

[Edinburgh]

He is right it's winter my rh is 16, im watering every other day but just to keep them wet but not soaked, plants are doing fine with no problems but i cant turn heat off sucks you cant drown them but you do have to go easy, last winter i ran a humidifier but i got spoting, but my 2 grows are fine.