DWC Setup, First Grow, Small & Stunted Seedlings?

[SlimePope]

Hi everyone,
Even though this is my first grow, I have done extensive research and I'm not dumb. I've done years of schooling in sciences so I'm confident in my water numbers, etc....
Anyways, my question is, do these seem to be growing really slow to anyone else? This is Day 13 for the bigger one Day 12 for the smaller one.
I'm not overly sure what could be stunting it.
The strain is Gelato, hybrid.
My temps are 22-23C or 71.6-73.4F
PH is 6.0 (I try to keep it close) I check it every day for the first days
1/3 of the recommended nutes
600w LED hung 1 foot above, 12 inches.
Humidity 75%, Heard this strain likes humidity
Water level 2 inches up basket in DWC bucket.

 

[Canadadoes]

Welcome slimepope. I have no idea when it comes to DWC or Hydro in general. I’m sure some fine folk on this site will be around sooner or later to help you out with this one. They do look a little small to me for 2 weeks old. Don’t quote me on this but I though intake charts for hydroponics state that the plant will intake nutrients better at 5.8 PH, but I’m growing in soil so I’m at 6.3. When did you start nutrients?

 

[SlimePope]

Welcome slimepope. I have no idea when it comes to DWC or Hydro in general. I’m sure some fine folk on this site will be around sooner or later to help you out with this one. They do look a little small to me for 2 weeks old. Don’t quote me on this but I though intake charts for hydroponics state that the plant will intake nutrients better at 5.8 PH, but I’m growing in soil so I’m at 6.3. When did you start nutrients?

I started my nutrients about 4 days ago.
Also, I was told that for hydroponics I should be aiming for the middle of 5.5-6.5pH so I've stuck with as close to 6.0pH as possible.

 

[Canuckush]

They do seem a little small for 2 weeks, I had my 2nd nodes at 13 days in rockwool, I dipped fed mine until enough roots were out of the bottom of the cube then I put it into the netpot. Did you put your cube in right from the start? You may have plugged it in the netpot too early.
Once the roots come out the bottom they'll seek out the water down below, once the feeder root hits the res water it'll start to take off.

 

[Canuckush]

This is how my roots looked at 13 days.

And how big she was at 13 days when I finally put her in the netpot. Up until then I was feeding her by dunking the bottom of the cube into some nutrients at quarter strength and putting it back in a seedling tray to drain.

That seemed to work well for me.

 

[SlimePope]

Hey CanucKush,
thanks for the in depth response. I tried something different due to my limited resources. I dipped fed my cubes as well but used a metal tray, filled it with the clay pebbles and watered as the cubes approached a state low moisture(To the touch), and left a low water level in the pan under neath the cubes to get the root's attention. Each plant developed a long tail out the bottom. I'm talking like 2.5 inches by day 8. Transplanted them and dealt with the buckets water and here we are.

 

[SlimePope]

Oh no. Everyone I might have found the culprit. My grow light was not turned up all the way. It was actually only on half power. I'm thinking light might be the issue.

 

[SlimePope]

This is how my roots looked at 13 days.

And how big she was at 13 days when I finally put her in the netpot. Up until then I was feeding her by dunking the bottom of the cube into some nutrients at quarter strength and putting it back in a seedling tray to drain.

That seemed to work well for me.

I kind of hurt my backup seedling by picking him up
But he's rooting like that. Just an idea of what I'm assuming is happening with the larger root one that's in the bucket right now.

 

[N420]

I'd be careful turning the light up at this stage in the plants life small plants don't need alot of light to start. You said above that your water level is 2 inches up the net pot you need to have an airspace between the net pot and the res somewhere around 3/4 of an inch. The bubbles popping from the air stone will be wicked up by the hydroton and provide enough moisture until the roots make their way down into the res. Your ph should be around 5.7 preferably up to 6.1 is ok but the plant will absorb the nutes alot better at 5.7. Things are looking good for the most part just have a bit of patience and when the roots hit the res she will take off.

 

[SlimePope]

I'd be careful turning the light up at this stage in the plants life small plants don't need alot of light to start. You said above that your water level is 2 inches up the net pot you need to have an airspace between the net pot and the res somewhere around 3/4 of an inch. The bubbles popping from the air stone will be wicked up by the hydroton and provide enough moisture until the roots make their way down into the res. Your ph should be around 5.7 preferably up to 6.1 is ok but the plant will absorb the nutes alot better at 5.7. Things are looking good for the most part just have a bit of patience and when the roots hit the res she will take off.

I have adjusted the pH slightly, and the raised the light. Will wait for changes. Thank you

 

[Canuckush]

I agree with @N420 they're small yet, don't blast them with full light just yet, my seedlings were under a T5 seedling light until they went into the bucket. Also the space is necessary between the bottom of the cube and the res water level and the optimum ph at 5.7-5.8, different nutrients are taken up at different ph levels so it's not necessary to be at 5.8 all the time, just stay close and it will fluctuate inbetween res changes.

Good luck and happy growing!

 

[SlimePope]

Thank you!

 

[Stoned Ape]

Yes good advice from N420 and cunuckush. I think in about 1 week when the roots hit the resovoir juice the plant will take off. It's good to have a little air between the bottom of the basket and the res nutrient solution

 

[Stoned Ape]

Dwc can be a bit finicky at the start but when it's dialed in great results. Cool res teams lots of bubbles and water movement helps alot

 

[hygro]

At ph 6.0 in hydro you'd be missing some elements and on the border of others. 5.8 should be ideal as per the bottom half of this chart anyway:

 

[SlimePope]

The chart helps a lot. I was definitely running towards alkaline some waters.

 

[SlimePope]

Just curious, If I remove my large plant from the pot to check roots. Am I alright to lay the roots/mineral wool back down onto the hydroton? How sensitive are roots to damage?

 

[AdaminCO]

@TurboBucket and @West Hippie
are your dwc guys if I’m not mistaken. Hopefully they can steer you in the right direction.

 

[SlimePope]

@TurboBucket and @West Hippie
are your dwc guys if I’m not mistaken. Hopefully they can steer you in the right direction.

Awesome thank you.
I took the largest one out of the pot to check root status. Carefully put him back down on the clay pebbles. about 10, 4.5 inch roots hanging down. They definitely just need more time. Hoping I didn't damage. My lack of patience got the best of me. But now that I'm sure they're growing healthy roots, I won't touch again. Time to just let them grow.

 

[N420]

10, 4.5 inch roots hanging down

Right on! Give her a week and she will have roots in the res.