My previous comment was a sarcastic one. I would never start a seedling in their final pot nor recommend anyone to do so either. I've done the test in different sized pots and there was no difference except spending extra time checking the larger pot to see if it needed more water. I'm trying to...
I don't treat my coco with anything but water to expand the coco bricks. I pH 5.5 - 5.8 and drop it down to 5.5 when the plant/s start showing any issues of a high pH. I do this for all my plants in coco (veg and bloom) has been working for me for a couple years so far.
We all start in the same place my friend!! Don't beat yourself up!! Life is all about lessons till the day we leave. I've tried to teach some friends and family member's how to grow for years.... It's seems they would rather I do it as they still can't for some reason lol. Where's some...
From everything I've learned, Clear is uppity, cloudy is a happy medium and amber is nappy time haha!! Our lovely plant likes to be tricky and put us to work!! Fine by me :)
I'm sorry, @Jlac. I must have missed your post!! I've been really busy and semi distant to get some important plans in motion. Ya take some clones and bloom the current out. Veg the clones and you'll be set for the next round!!
The guys at AutoPot recommend using a 50/50 mix of:
Perlite or clay pebbles (50%) with Coco, soil or rockwool (50%)+
Your mix doesn't look correct, they may be suffering from over-watering or rather a lack of proper aeration for the use of this system.
Keep A Layer Of Washed Gravel Or Clay...
The crinkle in your leaves imo is highly due to pH. If your pH is rising that fast then pH your mix to 5.5. When it rises it will bring you into the sweet spot. The girls will also get more of the full scale of nutrient availability. I'm not sure how that system works but they do give the look...