Help Plants Not Growing

[Roboman]

Not my first indoor grow but first time with Barney's Alcapulco Gold. Using Fox Farm Ocean and after a month the plants are not thriving and are only about 4" tall. I thought maybe I was over watering (leaves were drooping) but cutting back on watering was of no help. I'm wondering now if it's my tap water. A year ago I had a water softener installed and I'm using potassium chloride. Could that be the problem? If so, can they be saved at this point and if so what would be suggested besides changing to maybe distilled water? Many thanks!

[PRIMO]

Roboman sorry to not be able to offer much help. What kinda pot are they in? how big? etc. Are your outside faucets also softened? Let your city water sit in an open container for a couple of days to evaporate off added chems. What are you using for light? Show us a couple of good pics, in natural light. Worth a thousand words.

[SoOrbudgal]

Yes please post photo and describe more details

[Roboman]

Okay here is a photo. The lights are Marys-Hydro 600w LED. Currently in clay pot. Once established I transplant to a fabric pot. Outside faucets are not softened so I guess I could use that instead. Never had an issue like this before.

[PRIMO]

Looks like they need to dry out a little bit, I'd repot in 3gal fiber pot straightaway,their little roots need room and oxygen to grow. Also air gap the bottom of the pot.

[Going2fast]

Planter is too small. Overwatering and washing what nutes in soil out. Need to know pH for such a small planter. Don't have a softener but I'm sure someone can chime in on that. Photo or auto? Lights?

[Going2fast]

Sorry saw light post. Ok there

[TOKABIGONE]

My daughter has a water softener and I can taste the potassium salts. I would not use on my plants but worse is root bound and probably some nute lockout. Use your outside water for sure. Some strains may be ok with the salts while others not so. My 2 cents!

[Gingerbeard]

I seem to recall Grandma's softener softened all the water at her house. Outside as well. I can't stand San Diego tap water but G's garden hose put out the best freaking water since the Fountain of Youth.

[dilvish]

there are all kinds of factors. need more info on your grow

FYI FF soil usually only has enough nutrients for about 3-4 weeks. If you aren't testing the PH of the water going in then that could be the problem right out of the chute.

she's really pale and that's a sure sign of lack of Nitrogen.

600W light is fine but is it full spectrum and is it 18-24 inches from the top of the plant?

Temps? humidity?

Could also be just bad genetics in the seed...

[billyboy]

pH is off. They are starving and the pot is too small.

My guess is the pH is too low.

I'd put them in a fabric pot (3 gal or 5 gal) and get the pH figured out and get them fed.

[Rwise]

Bingo!

[SoOrbudgal]

2nd that Bingo

[Roboman]

Thanks for all your help. I transplanted into fabric pot yesterday. The water I was using measured 7.2 PH and the water I switched to is 6.5. By the way, of the three seeds I tried germinating one did not sprout. Does that tell you anything?

[dilvish]

not sprouting just means the seed is old...it happens. Next time just give it a few more days and see what happens. of course making sure the seed is left moist not wet...too much water can also cause seeds not to sprout.