PH issues or Heat stress?

I’m still fairly new especially with living soil, I sprouted these babies exactly 2 weeks ago and I’m noticing major stunting on my Rainbow Belts. The other girl is GG4 she seems to be doing okay.. I’m growing in living soil, pretty much the coots recipe and each pot is from the same mix of soil..

What does this look like to the more experienced growers out there? I’m not pHing the water so I’m thinking either ph problem or the other thing I thought it could be is light stress, I use 2 SF4000s in my 4x8 tent on 50% I had them about 15” away from the light (it was at 18” first but since they grew it became 15” above canopy) raised it now to 24” away. And to top that off I was having a hard time getting my tent below 85 degrees F. I had the VPD dialed in so in turn, the humidity was pretty high around 80%. I’ve since lowered the temps with my a/c to 80 with the humidity levels around 65%

I know this post is pretty long I just wanted to add as many details as possible so we can save my girl

Let me know what you guys think!

PeachHazelx said:

I’m still fairly new especially with living soil, I sprouted these babies exactly 2 weeks ago and I’m noticing major stunting on my Rainbow Belts. The other girl is GG4 she seems to be doing okay.. I’m growing in living soil, pretty much the coots recipe and each pot is from the same mix of soil..

What does this look like to the more experienced growers out there? I’m not pHing the water so I’m thinking either ph problem or the other thing I thought it could be is light stress, I use 2 SF4000s in my 4x8 tent on 50% I had them about 15” away from the light (it was at 18” first but since they grew it became 15” above canopy) raised it now to 24” away. And to top that off I was having a hard time getting my tent below 85 degrees F. I had the VPD dialed in so in turn, the humidity was pretty high around 80%. I’ve since lowered the temps with my a/c to 80 with the humidity levels around 65%

I know this post is pretty long I just wanted to add as many details as possible so we can save my girl

Let me know what you guys think!

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This is the other girl she’s getting big fast in comparison to my Rainbow Belts. Also forgot to mention they’re both feminized seeds I purchased the RB from Premium Cultivars.

Last thing, I was watering every other day but waited an extra day to water in case she needed to dry out a little more she was already a little droopy.. When I did finally feed her (plain spring water) she became even more droopy.. but I highly doubt I’m over watering.. I could be wrong tho? Let them go longer in between feedings?

Pots are way to big for plants of that size , next time start in smaller pots and pot them up as and when, also 50% power is to much for them at there current size dim or raise your light , if your in living soil no need for any food should be plenty available . Good luck op !

Leeski said:

Pots are way to big for plants of that size , next time start in smaller pots and pot them up as and when, also 50% power is to much for them at there current size dim or raise your light , if your in living soil no need for any food should be plenty available . Good luck op !

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Okay thanks I’ve always read mixed things on the percentage but I will definitely try turning them back down! It’ll help with the high temps too!

What do you have going on in those homer buckets with the holes in the sides? Plants that size I would water every four or five days. I have plants bigger than those, I water every seven to ten days. I'm in plastic pots not grow bags. I lift the pots and when they feel light, I keep an eye on them. When it looks like they are drooping a little, I water. Yeah, its a pain, because some drink faster than others, so I don't have any kind of schedule and I'm mixing Ph down in small batches, but the end result makes me happy. Keep up the good work.

warble said:

What do you have going on in those homer buckets with the holes in the sides? Plants that size I would water every four or five days. I have plants bigger than those, I water every seven to ten days. I'm in plastic pots not grow bags. I lift the pots and when they feel light, I keep an eye on them. When it looks like they are drooping a little, I water. Yeah, its a pain, because some drink faster than others, so I don't have any kind of schedule and I'm mixing Ph down in small batches, but the end result makes me happy. Keep up the good work.

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It’s my worm bin & okay yeah I’m probably definitely overwatering then! I’ll let them dry out a little I keep buying sh*tyy ph meters so I haven’t even bothered to see what the ph is but I fear I could definitely be an issue as well

I'm reading here that in living soil Ph isn't something to worry about. I use cheap Ph meters too. I rinse it off with tap water, cap it and put it in a cool dark shelf. I've had one last two years that way. Most seem to last about a year and a half. I had a blueIab meter and that only lasted a year. Waste of money. I also have those drops to make sure, in case the meter seems whack.

I'm going to agree with @Leeski about smaller pots being better for plants that size. Not so much about light exposure. They look healthy enough for their size. When the leaves look like they are reaching for light, like yours, I bring the light closer or put an upside down pot under the pots to bring the plant closer to the light.
I keep my worm bin outside. I don't like the smell and the fungus gnats. I thought they would freeze and die, but I turned them over a couple of days ago and they are living well. I even have a potato plant growing out of my bin. Must have sprouted from peels. Your plants look good.

They don't look too bad. Did you let the soil cook first?

Kamau42 said:

They don't look too bad. Did you let the soil cook first?

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Thank you! & only for three weeks I would’ve liked to do it a lot longer

C) Nutrient issue

Soil cook??
Something else I don't know?
Good thing I found these threads

Squatchsmoke said:

Soil cook??
Something else I don't know?
Good thing I found these threads

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I don't think "cook" is an appropriate term, more like "cool off" imo. I've definitely mixed soil with compost and fertilizer and planted into it the next day, with no ill effects. In some cases, though, the microbial activity in a freshly mixed soil is so high that the soil actually gets warm or hot to the touch after a day or two. In that case, it should probably "cook" until the temperature settles down, before planting anything in it.

OP, your plants look fine for their age. At this point you're way more likely to stunt them by giving too much of something (especially light or water) than too little.

Haven't seen you since state of survival, small world.

Ok...so prepare the soil the day before you plant..does this Matter the season? Like more likely in the summer than spring ??
So micro activity could possibly cook the seed if too hot ?

Let it cook for 2 weeks to a month. Ammendment your soil, then water it with a compost or ewc tea. Keep it moist the whole time. The microbes in the soil will begin to break down the amendments making them bio available to the plant. Best to introduce a plant with an established root system

I would personally put cooking soil in the category of "just to be on the safe side". If you have time, you might as well, if you don't I won't sweat it. I've done it both ways and never noticed any difference

weedstoner420 said:

I would personally put cooking soil in the category of "just to be on the safe side". If you have time, you might as well, if you don't I won't sweat it. I've done it both ways and never noticed any difference

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I haven't really either

I knew of the direct sunlight heating the soil which is never a problem to keep cool until they pop...never heard microbes produce heat....but dissolve mostly organics in the compost so..

Squatchsmoke said:

I knew of the direct sunlight heating the soil which is never a problem to keep cool until they pop...never heard microbes produce heat....but dissolve mostly organics in the compost so..

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Oh ya. Sometimes the soil can actually get hot from the microbial activity. It depends what's in it. Hotter amendments like blood meal break down faster and create more heat than a milder amendment like fish bone meal.