what is wrong with this setup?

[sopappy]

I keep the stones around the plug damp and they're up in no time 3-4 days
but they stagnate, just sit there
water is tap water, no nutes
humidity 70, temps 75ish
those are 2 T5HO 24/7

they look over watered if the leaves grow much at all

must be me because different seed sources but heeck, i grew bag seed okay like this but now maybe 2 in 10 keep growing.

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[bombbudpuffa]

I really suck at hydro. Wish I could help you.

 

[Hushpuppy]

I find it better to put seedlings and clones in a more enclosed air space that I can control. its so easy to over water, under water, over dry them with wind, burn them with hot air pockets under the light, etc. But I would suspect since the humidity is fairly high that they aren't getting over dried from dry wind. I would suspect maybe too warm from the radiant heat of the bulbs (I cant keep my lights too close to my seedlings or they get too warm).

Your media may also be getting too warm. I have that same issue when I start in cups. The cups and media can get quite warm from the radiant heat as well. I have to keep a fan blowing under them so that the medium stays cool. I use the same kind of plugs but I set mine in coco coir/pearlite. I don't soak any of the medium or plug but rather wet it till its just damp. The coco holds just enough moisture. I use a laser thermometer to check my cups to make sure they don't get above 78f or below 72f.

Not sure how much water the clay pebbles hold but I suspect they may be drying out too much. If/when you lose one, try to immediately pull the plug up and see what the roots look like and how moist or dry the plug and pebbles are below the surface.

 

[Hushpuppy]

Ya know after looking back at the pics, I am less inclined to think heat as much as overdrying from the exposed media in the baskets, or if you are watering more to prevent over drying, then you may be drowning them. I cant tell without being there, but I think its one of those.

This is just my opinion but I would get solo cups and burn a few holes in the bottoms for drainage then use those the same as you use the baskets (with plug and pebbles). then all you will do is keep them damp with very light watering (adjusting for wind and light forced evaporation). Feel the plugs if possible to see if damp. if damp don't water. The solo cups will slow the evaporation that you get in the baskets. Make sure to get the plug down in the pebbles so that it doesn't lose water through the plug edges.

 

[zem]

Place the netpots inside small regular pots and bury the stem and place the lights close and keep the rocks watered. They could be drying between waterings because growrocks dry out fast especially in small exposed volumes like small netpots out in the open ventilated area.

 

[Budlight]

Me myself I would keep those seedlings in the humidity dome or a little bit longer before you transplant them it really does look like they’re drying out to me get some plastic cups or plastic baggy that are trans parent and put them over top of the seedlings while they’re in there to work as a humidity dome I bet it Will help

 

[Budlight]

How many times a day are you watering them

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I used to never transfer my plants to the hydro unit until the plants in the rapid rooters were up and had a lot of roots growing out of the cubes.

 

[sopappy]

all good tips and I am leaning towards over-watering, here they are same as usual, 4 out of 6 up and away but they just stop and die... I was keeping the tray full of room temp tap water and it wicked up, i see the darkened pebbles around the cube.
This time I left tray empty and just syringe a spray around the cube twice a day.
I don't want to raise the tubes re stretching and I want that cube a tad dryer this time.
next pic will be of the walking dead.... maybe 2 will persevere

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[sopappy]

I used to never transfer my plants to the hydro unit until the plants in the rapid rooters were up and had a lot of roots growing out of the cubes.

I keep them in those pots until they get chopped. Hard on the roots I guees but I just lower them into trays or buckets as they grow.
They never get transplanted.

 

[Budlight]

I keep them in those pots until they get chopped. Hard on the roots I guees but I just lower them into trays or buckets as they grow.
They never get transplanted.

Too much water is definitely the problem you need to have them on a timer that way the table is flooding and draining a few times a day at least with constant water in there the roots are getting no oxygen and drowning in a sense

 

[sopappy]

Me myself I would keep those seedlings in the humidity dome or a little bit longer before you transplant them it really does look like they’re drying out to me get some plastic cups or plastic baggy that are trans parent and put them over top of the seedlings while they’re in there to work as a humidity dome I bet it Will help

They are misted 70%
I think I am overdoing it, only I could over-water in a hydro set-up
I have a pic I think, it's like they're cruising in the maid of the mist under niagra falls

 

[sopappy]

Ya know after looking back at the pics, I am less inclined to think heat as much as overdrying from the exposed media in the baskets, or if you are watering more to prevent over drying, then you may be drowning them. I cant tell without being there, but I think its one of those.

This is just my opinion but I would get solo cups and burn a few holes in the bottoms for drainage then use those the same as you use the baskets (with plug and pebbles). then all you will do is keep them damp with very light watering (adjusting for wind and light forced evaporation). Feel the plugs if possible to see if damp. if damp don't water. The solo cups will slow the evaporation that you get in the baskets. Make sure to get the plug down in the pebbles so that it doesn't lose water through the plug edges.

Drowning them. Yup, i think that's it, those cubes are too soggy
I was starting without the cubes and it was the same story so I'm back to the cubes again figuring it's not the cubes.

 

[Budlight]

Drowning them. Yup, i think that's it, those cubes are too soggy
I was starting without the cubes and it was the same story so I'm back to the cubes again figuring it's not the cubes.

I would definitely put them on a timer for three times a day maybe four for about 15 minutes each time guarantee it will do you a world of difference

 

[sopappy]

I would definitely put them on a timer for three times a day maybe four for about 15 minutes each time guarantee it will do you a world of difference

I'm going the other route, no water in the trays, drain to waste, I'm syringing maybe 100mL on to those stones twice a day
there's plenty of mist, no lid, this should work but I'll take pics as they look back and turn to stone
I make subtle changes to no avail, this time I'm documenting it,
I'm wasting a small fortune on seeds :-(

 

[sopappy]

Too much water is definitely the problem you need to have them on a timer that way the table is flooding and draining a few times a day at least with constant water in there the roots are getting no oxygen and drowning in a sense

When they're big enough for nutes, I turn stuff on and a those trays fill and drain about once an hour (too much?)
nutes around 200, I add cal/mag

trouble is, only 2 of 10 make it to nutes, others die or stop in the 2nd week
???

I don't cover those plugs because the things always look too soggy to me

 

[Budlight]

When they're big enough for nutes, I turn stuff on and a those trays fill and drain about once an hour (too much?)
nutes around 200, I add cal/mag

trouble is, only 2 of 10 make it to nutes, others die or stop in the 2nd week
???

I don't cover those plugs because the things always look too soggy to me

i wout turn them on when you put them in there just don't add nutes

 

[sopappy]

Looks like i might get all of them up this go-round
not the best pic, I'll get better ones as we watch them stagnate
it's not damping off that I can see but a couple will keel over, most just stand there pretending to grow
100mil tap water syringed around the cube on to the rocks, twice a day

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[Hushpuppy]

Keep doing that until you see some change. They may have suffered some root damage and are taking a little linger to get going due to root repairs. This is a very difficult stage for many people because the seedlings are so finicky and react quickly to any issues.

 

[sopappy]

Keep doing that until you see some change. They may have suffered some root damage and are taking a little linger to get going due to root repairs. This is a very difficult stage for many people because the seedlings are so finicky and react quickly to any issues.

Seems so. This is too regular an occurrence for me. I don't think it's roots, when I have given up and pulled them, I see plenty of roots coming out of the cubes. I shock them, I can't figure out how, drowning is close I bet, no water in that tray this go-round
I'll get closer with tripod when they start to look off, look great right now

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