Slow growth and funky looking seedlings

[Conformist]

This is my first grow, it's only been 6 days since my seeds cracked open and I'm already having a lot of problems.

They are in 25% perlite, 75% promix soil and all I've given them is room temperature water at 7.0PH.

I'm using 1 gallon pots, a 400W MH on a 18/6 schedule, the light is at 12 inches from the pots and the room temp is at around 80F during daytime, 68F during night time.

I planted the seeds in moist dirt on 9/8/2013 and gave them 0.5L of water each on 9/13/2013.

Here's some pictures :

This is the funky looking one, WR#1

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

[/FONT]

WR#2

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

[/FONT]

WR#3

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

[/FONT]

What am i doing wrong here? Am i over watering them?
Thanks.

 

[Midnight Tokar]

12 inches for a 400 watt light is the closest I put them to very large plants. IMO that is way too close for such young plants.
It may be too little or too much water, most look pretty dry. The easiest way is too take a pot and water it thoroughly, take another pot of the soil needing watering, pick them up and compare the weights. When the pots get close to the dry pot weight - water. It gets pretty easy to remember the weights after awhile.

 

[Conformist]

12 inches for a 400 watt light is the closest I put them to very large plants. IMO that is way too close for such young plants.

Alright, i raised my light 2-3 inch higher

It may be too little or too much water, most look pretty dry. The easiest way is too take a pot and water it thoroughly, take another pot of the soil needing watering, pick them up and compare the weights. When the pots get close to the dry pot weight - water. It gets pretty easy to remember the weights after awhile.

Most of them are still moist after 4 days.

The top is very dry but if i stick my finger 1/4 inch deep into the dirt, it's still super moist.

What i have been doing is water until run off and since then, my plants stopped growing and the round leaf looks like they're gonna die.

I think i'm gonna have to water them again tomorrow tho, how should i water them this time?

 

[Midnight Tokar]

I would probably raise that light by a foot or more, if the soil is as wet as you say it is 1/4 inch down they probably don't need any water right now. Remember, your root system is very small and is not really removing any water from the soil right now, the only water leaving the soil right now is through evaporation.
Is there any way you can do the weight comparison test..............it's really the most accurate way until you know your plants.

 

[Avinash.miles]

in the future, more perlite for seedlings, more aeration... check lightwarrior, or try perlite 70% and promix hp 30%,

 

[Conformist]

I would probably raise that light by a foot or more, if the soil is as wet as you say it is 1/4 inch down they probably don't need any water right now. Remember, your root system is very small and is not really removing any water from the soil right now, the only water leaving the soil right now is through evaporation.

I think raising the light might actually help.
I noticed the leaves started curling up yesterday.
It might have something to do with heat stress.

Is there any way you can do the weight comparison test..............it's really the most accurate way until you know your plants.

Sure, that's what i used the last time i watered them.

 

[gmanwho]

1 gal pots will take some time before a seedling could ever consume the water held by the soil. for having seedlings under a 400, im surprised there not toast. Not much happens in seedling stages, slow an patient. having smaller cups an pots are beneficial as there is more dry out period, an root temps seem to stay warmer. lotta root development an structure need to happen before that 400 could be utilized. lower wattage would be beneficial.....


b-safe