smithgrown said:
going from what the package says the total num of lumes is 16000. the four 42w CFLs are 2600 lumes each and the four 27w are 1400 lumes each. i wouldnt even count those old t12s. so you think i should start nutes and not alternate nutes and straight water? i have always been told not to do that. like every third watering give nutes. the temps have been kinda high like in the low 90's but i corrected that prob and for the last few days have been in the mid 80's. the lights are about 4in above my tallest plant. i will try moving the lights up some and see what happens. as far as nute burn could my soil be burning them with all the pete moss or i do think the potting soil had a bit of manure in it.
300 watts of lights at 4 inches...there's your stress. That's just too close for that size plant.
Bingo! Move em up. The plants will recover and within a week, show new growth that is undamaged.
No, staggering waterings with nutes is crazy. Look at it this way; If it was a valid method, then you could exaggerate it and only use nutes every tenth watering and make the nutes 5 times stronger!
I promise you that if you did that, it would kill the plants on one dose.
Your nutrients should be applied in a strength that can be given with each watering. As an example; if you currently give them 4 teaspoons of nutes in one gallon of water and give that water only every other day, then divide the nutes in half and mix 2 teaspoons per/gallon and give it to the plants every day, but with less water per/watering.
Plants thrive from a steady, balanced diet of nutrients, water and oxygen. There can be no justification for alternating feedings. It literally can't happen in nature and should never happen for any plant.
You'll see it on fertilizer packages, but that's when you use it on other types of plants and fertilize once every other week or once a month when you rely on rain to slowly wash the nutrients into the soil outside.
When watering/fertilizing indoors, the nutrients are ALWAYS given in a steady dose with every watering. Be sure to divide the dose to fit the regular watering.
Start small. You can always build the dose. It's damn hard to extract it.
I always start with 1/8th of the manufacturers suggested dose. Use that for a week and see how your plants react.