Second grow- Having some major issues

[Moshnaked]

This is my second grow, and I pulled 8oz out my first no problem, So I went into this with some confidence.
But now Im starting to get scared.

At the 7 day mark, my LAST grow looked like a damn bush.. This ones looking like this..

It's got a weak stem, The leaves are drooping, and its browning.

My first grow, I used a 400 Watt HPS. Now I am using a 240 Watt G8 LED. I also switched hydro systems, as I needed a bigger bucket. My first grow I also applied No nutes the first couple of days, then started with about 20% of some mediacore nutes. THIS time I have everything in the GH bundle so I started with the "seedling" formula.

The only thing I can think of is I should check my PH? My tap water kept a solid 5.5-5.6 my first grow and my PH strips got wet so I never bought more. Maybe it has dramatically changed since then? Im gonna pick up some today but I figured Id post ASAP. Any help would be MUCH appreciated.

 

[Mike Wright]

Seedlings do NOT like the LED until they are a couple of weeks old, that has been my experience. Maybe if you put it really far above, but I find that CFL's for the first 1-2 weeks gets them well established enough to flourish under LED. I have vegged a couple of times under LED and I got mad stretching

 

[Moshnaked]

Seedlings do NOT like the LED until they are a couple of weeks old, that has been my experience. Maybe if you put it really far above, but I find that CFL's for the first 1-2 weeks gets them well established enough to flourish under LED. I have vegged a couple of times under LED and I got mad stretching

Okay, I guess that's good news considering I may have found the source of my problem. I still have my old HPS.
Did you ever get any browning as well? I thought the browning was relative to my enviorment/nutes, so it worried me.

 

[PeytonManning]

Yeah, led can hurt a young seedling. Don't forget that under led, you need to supplement cal/mag. But she should be fine if you get her under some CFL

 

[John1961]

The G8LED 240-watt growing lamp is an 8-band full-spectrum unit and I wouldn't think that a supplement of Cal-Mag is necessary just due to the fact it is an LED lamp.

How far away is your LED light from the leaves? From my reading on LED lamps, placement is somewhat critical. Your lamp should be about 20 or so inches above the leaves. More than that, and the plant will start to stretch. Less than that and the plant may exhibit stunted growth and leaf discoloration.

As a quick reference, I cut a piece of wooden dowel to 20 inches. I then like to use that every few days to ensure the LED lamp is positioned properly. I just bump the end of the dowel up against the bottom of the lamp and see where the other end terminates in my plant canopy.

 

[Moshnaked]

The G8LED 240-watt growing lamp is an 8-band full-spectrum unit and I wouldn't think that a supplement of Cal-Mag is necessary just due to the fact it is an LED lamp.

How far away is your LED light from the leaves? From my reading on LED lamps, placement is somewhat critical. Your lamp should be about 20 or so inches above the leaves. More than that, and the plant will start to stretch. Less than that and the plant may exhibit stunted growth and leaf discoloration.

As a quick reference, I cut a piece of wooden dowel to 20 inches. I then like to use that every few days to ensure the LED lamp is positioned properly. I just bump the end of the dowel up against the bottom of the lamp and see where the other end terminates in my plant canopy.

My light is too far away, I know that for a fact. I was actually GOING for stretch at first. I know that sounds silly, but I lst'ed last time, and I had a bush going on. I was trying to get some more height out of this one.. considering I have good light penetration now. I forgot to consider the fact the they tend to stretch with LED's as is. I also had no idea it would make it look this unhealthy looking. The leaves curling down made me quite sad haha.

I will bring my light closer and give it a day, see how that goes. My bad for wasting peoples time if that IS the problem. Thats pure negligence, and Im at fault

 

[growsorgnc]

why is LED light not good for seedling plants? thankyou not sure its alright to ask question here? i need my journal starting soon

 

[Moshnaked]

why is LED light not good for seedling plants? thankyou not sure its alright to ask question here? i need my journal starting soon

Pulling the LED to the distance thats normally directed made it much worse. So I actually started considering the first two answers I got.

Theres some interesting hypothesis' I read in a thread that do make some sense. I tried linking it but its not working, perhaps because its not on this site. Idk. But I think it may be a combination of the first two answers. Under LED's people seem to say their plants are more prone to mag/cal deficiencies. Im assuming this is the most noticeable as a seedling. Hence the "Seedling dont like LED's" comment. My seedling was yellowing/slightly browning starting from the tips.. with a slight curl as well. Thats why I came in thinking there was a problem below the plant itself, rather than a problem with the source of light.

I put her under my HID and threw a cal/mag supplement in there. Its only been one light cycle but shes sort of standing again. I gotta give it another day or two to be sure.

 

[Moshnaked]

Seedlings do NOT like the LED until they are a couple of weeks old, that has been my experience. Maybe if you put it really far above, but I find that CFL's for the first 1-2 weeks gets them well established enough to flourish under LED. I have vegged a couple of times under LED and I got mad stretching

I scrapped my current plant and started over. It hurt to do it, but Ive done too much damage, and lost too much time. I own a 400 Watt HPS. I actually switched to LED because I dont pay the electric bill in my household. The fact that I own an HPS wouldn't make a difference right? 2 weeks under that should be fine?

 

[Mike Wright]

If it is a wide spectrum HPS bulb (like Hortilux) seedlings are ok. Otherwise they may stretch because of the red spectrum there.

 

[Moshnaked]

If it is a wide spectrum HPS bulb (like Hortilux) seedlings are ok. Otherwise they may stretch because of the red spectrum there.

Nah Ill be good. I actually used this light once before and by the 21 day mark it was 4 inches tall, but like a foot wide. Thats why I felt the need to scrap this. I know I can do so much better. I just wanted to make sure it would have developed enough by then that it wont be hurt when switching to LED. I got a new one germinating now. :]