Wilting seedlings

[zigfeld]

Comments: Good day.
I have a 5x5 gorilla tent with a 1000w mh. I have a 6" exhaust with a 6" in line fan. And I'm using ambient air flow for my 6"intake. The tent is in a 7' x 14' enclosed unheated shed. I live on the Oregon coast which is a cooler environment meaning the avg temp in the winter is in the mid to upper 45 to 50 with some frost. I have 4 girls from seed that are sitting under a cfl in my office. The seedlings are about 2 weeks old and healthy. I have them in 16oz solo cups with drainage holes. I have attempted to put the seedlings under my lamp 2 times and each time they wilt a little. I started with the lamp 30" from the seedlings and the started to wilt so I raised the lamp to 40" set them on a 18/6 timer and let them stay in the tent overnight. They were wilted again the next morning so I raised the lamp even higher and slowed my fan down. My fresh intake comes from the outside which has been in the mid 30's at night. I am wondering if I need to heat the area outside of the tent, in the shed and draw my intake from that warmer air. The temp in the tent has been around 70 when the lamp is on. I have been turning the fan off when the lamp turns off to keep from drawing in cold air.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Greg C

[gbauto]

I think that you may be running into more of a light shock rather than a temp issue. If the conditions at the plant are in the 70's with some humidity then I wouldn't think that is a problem. I had a girl finish this year in 20 deg temps-slowed her growth a bit but just shrugged off the frost. Ended up cutting her down because she wouldn't die.
I think that if you can acclimate the plants to the new lamp it should work.

[zigfeld]

Thanks for your help. I was wondering about light shock, so if I put them about 40 - 50" from the lamp and just let them acclimate that should work? Is there anything to gain by vegging on a 24hr cycle?

[gbauto]

I'm hoping that someone who uses a setup like yours chimes in. I don't know if there is a way to 'turn down' the light until they get going. I have a similar issue with the led's I use- have to back them off about 4' until the plants start to take off.

[shineman]

welcome greg, i use the dwc system in a 2'x4' gorilla tent inside a 12'x 20' room in my garage. the first thing i would suggest is to move your plants to larger containers, it doesn't take them long to get root- bound in them solo cups. i would take the air intake from inside the room where it's warmer and exhaust back inside with a carbon filter inline, i keep my room between 70 and 80 deg. and inside the tent, around 75 deg. i use CFL's at a light cycle of 18/6 for vegging and i use 2x 300w LED lights at 12/12 for flowering cycle. sounds like you have plenty of light, you also need a small fan inside the tent to keep the air moving around the plants. just watch the temps. around the plants, also i spray a weak solution of nutes over the tops of the plants during the veg cycle. what strain are you growing? hope this helps you, keep us informed.
gary

[zigfeld]

gary, I used to grow dwc in a previous residence, had great success but it was an expensive set up. Sold it all some years later as I was unable to use it. The weather has been unseasonably cold the last couple of weeks. I'm growing Buzz light year, OG Kush and Incredible Bulk. I got the beans from Dr. Krippling . I do have a 6" fan directed at the tops of the seedlings. I have a carbon filter for the exhaust fan, I haven't hooked it up yet as I haven't needed it but I know I will need it soon. I didn't think I would need the carbon filter on my intake.
The temp inside if the tent has been about 70 with 30% humidity when the lamp is on but it drops into the low 50's for the 6 hour shut off. The solo cups do indeed have allot of roots so I will transplant them tomorrow, Spraying a weak solution of nutes sounds good, less-invasive. Thanks for your help, i will keep you up to date.
greg

[zigfeld]

The seedlings failed as they were stunted probably from to much light. I'm using the paper towel method of germinating new seeds and 2 are just showing a root. I am using General Organics nutrients, Biothrive veg and Biothrive flower.I intend to put the seedlings into rock wool cubes until the roots develop under a CFL bulb. I'm thinking that if I create 1/4 strong solution and mist it onto the seedlings until they are ready to go into the 1 gallon pots of Verisoil. I have a 1000 watt MH for veging so I will need to put the new seedlings as far away as needed to control light shock. My temps continue to be around 75 with a humidity level of 30%, I'm not sure how to effectively increase the humidity level without allot of expense.