Is an 8 bulb T-5 too much for seedlings?

[simondetroit]

After I got my seeds to sprout I put them in rockwool and let them go 18/6 under my 8 bulb T-5 unit. Things were going good for about 4 days until my timer (for unknown reasons) didnt shut off. I went to check on the plants for a "lights off" visit. Ended up the lights were still on (48 hours) and the 6 DNA Denetice Sharksbreath were toast. I know some growers go 24/0? The seedlings were folded over and burnt and the rockwool was pretty dry. I had the light about 10 inches from the seedlings and they appeared to be doing fine while the timer was working. I returned the timer to Home Depot and bought a Hydro Farm timer from my local grow shop. Now I guess I'll move on to the G-13 NL/SK seeds that I have left and use only 4 of my 8 lights until they get to be a bit bigger?

 

[Screwnuts33]

SD,
That is exactly what I started my seeds under. It worked wonderfully. I ran mine 24/0 all the way through veg. I kept the light height about 2-3 inches above the seedlings. I planted 20 seeds, 17 came up and 16 survived. Get out my grow journal and you can see them from the begining. Are you running a fan on them? What are your temps?

 

[simondetroit]

Thanks Screwnuts. No I don't have a fan on them yet. The temp is 79f. Humidity is only at 40% because I'm not using a dome. I think I'm gonna turn all 8 bulbs back on and run 18/6 for a couple days and see how fast they are drying out.

 

[Screwnuts33]

What size pots are they in? I started mine in 1/2-gallon pots so they didn't dry out too fast.

 

[Droopy Dog]

Thanks Screwnuts. No I don't have a fan on them yet. The temp is 79f. Humidity is only at 40% because I'm not using a dome. I think I'm gonna turn all 8 bulbs back on and run 18/6 for a couple days and see how fast they are drying out.

I think that was your problem, drying out.

Think about it, seeds in nature, as soon as they pop and break the soil's surface are exposed to full sun (most of the time), so the light shouldn't bother them. But, don't water your seedlings and that same sun will toast them right quick. I've done that more than once with my garden seeds.

DD

 

[simondetroit]

What size pots are they in? I started mine in 1/2-gallon pots so they didn't dry out too fast.

Ya Screwnuts, I got them in solo cups. I should have started bigger. You think I should hold off before I transplant them to larger pots to avoid any shock this early on in the process?

 

[SciFi]

I know a guy who starts sprouts in 8oz cups then moves on to the blue solos, and claims as long as you have a stable root base, you don't damage that shape/roots when transplanting and you water them in quite well, you can usually avoid shock, or at least minimize them. He did point out thou, that the smaller the cups, the denser you can pack them, but the more often you have to water them.