Plant won’t grow fast

[Twon334]

Hello guys and gals. I’m new here and new to growing. I started out with one seed and it popped. So I put it inside of a solo cut under plant grow light from Lowes. The pic you see is how this plant was 3 weeks ago with no movement. Please let me know what I’m doing wrong. I have another seed ready to go but I want to wait and see what changes I need to make.

 

[Gingerbeard]

Hey Twon334 Check your packaging for distances between you seedling and the light. If what you're showing is your setup, the light looks too far away. It could also be genetics.

Is it bagseed, auto, fem, or regular?

 

[Canuck147]

No perlite in the grow medium - roots need some air - room to grow.

 

[Twon334]

It’s an auto purple diesel. Going to get some perlite I hope that will help as well. I ordered my first tent but others say it’s to small to start under a 600w light.

 

[Gingerbeard]

If that's a 3 week old auto, I'd say you have a bum seed. Maybe old? Maybe gifted? Your 600w is probably too much but the grow light you have might be fine for seedlings and early veg. However, what you have is a shop light that is running t12's. It's old technology but used for years. The current tech is t5 bulbs. If you remove the light cover and lower the light to your seedling, you will get better results. How far? You'll have to start at maybe 6". Put your hand next to the seedling. If it's warm for you, it's warm for the plants. Adjust it up and down as you feel necessary.
I'd say go ahead with your next seed and use the t12's. Keep growing your current as an experiment. Do a little googling to see if you can find grow journals.
I'm also going to throw out the need for bagseed to get people growing. They're a great education in growing.

 

[dphipps1020]

Bagseed has been all I've grown so far because I don't want to pay for seeds until I get it right. I completely agree with you about bagseed being good for beginners.

 

[dphipps1020]

I agree, drop the light closer. My friend was using a cheap LED lightbulb from Walmart and had the same slow (if any) growth. Gave him a cheap LED that's supposed to be 600W equivalent and he's had much better luck. What type of 600W light do you have, HPS or LED? If it's HPS, is your ballast dimmable?

 

[Twon334]

That like I have on it right now is a shop light in my room. I won’t get my grow tent with the 600w until next week. That light maybe 45w or so.

 

[FunkyButtLovin]

That's the slowest growth I've ever seen. It looks healthy too but man, that looks like it should have been a seed in the bag 5-6 days ago.

 

[dphipps1020]

So I'm assuming it's LED. Will be fine for seedlings as long as you keep it far enough away. I've used my 600W LEDs for seedlings with no issues.

 

[Brown]

What distance did you keep your LED from your plant? Mine is 300W LED and 80 cm away but plant still experiences stress

 

[dphipps1020]

It all depends on the light. Each one has its own distance range. The manufacturer should have sent you a sheet along with your light. Start there and adjust as necessary. If it's causing stress, raise it a little. Slower growth, lower it. I usually start high and lower it if I see the leaves reaching for the light. For seedlings you generally want to keep it a little higher at first anyway. My specs say to keep it at about 2m for veg and 1.8m for flower, I believe it's been closer than that for the most part. I honestly don't really pay attention to the actual distance any more I just try to keep them over a foot away but like I said it really depends on the light. If you don't have the paper with it I'm sure you can download a manual and find it there. Hope that helps.