ZoomBoom

currently, i've got a few clones (about 8" tall on average) veg'ing under a 400w and they've been there for a few weeks. they are in small pots with a 55/45 or 60/40 soil/perlite mixture. they are about two and half feet from the lights. the temperature doesnt get higher than 80 in the room at times, and other than the peaks, i keep it at a vigilant 78 degrees. i feed them a couple ounces of water every four days or so alternating a weak nuted mixture every other feeding. the soil is nice and dry when i feed. i have a large fan going in the room to keep fresh air coming. the fan gives the plants a healthy shake but not enough to damage or overwhelm. my light schedule is 18/6...with the lights turning off at 2am.

my situation is...every night, around midnight (2 hours before lights off), my mother and the veg'ing clones start drooping--beginning with the topmost leaves. they droop like wilting/overwatered plants that i've seen pictures of. when the lights come back on in the morning, they are right back to normal in about an hour. fresh as a daisy--with the cycle repeating every night around midnight.

my question is...is this normal? or does this bizarre trait signify a greater problem? its been puzzling me for some time--and because they seem to snap out of it completely when the lights come back on, i haven't sought the wisdom of the elders yet.

any suggestions/input?

thanks for your time...

ZB

__________________
My current grow journal
Gardenscure Nursery Questionnaire
The Complete Guide To Sick Plants, pH and Pest Troubles
my pen writes like this
Posting Guidelines
Accepted Use Policy
St0ney's Soil & Hydroponic pH Nutrient chart

Lady Gardener

Is that a 400 watt HPS or MH?

Prolly HPS eh? I find at the end of their suntan that some tops gets wimpy.I feed alot more often than that. Actually I blew the fert chart up. They like my folic acid and Canna CoCo products and I throw in the odd 15-30-15. No yellowing, so I give it~

__________________
Account closed at members request

ZoomBoom

you feed 8" clones more than twice a week? yikes...

maybe i'm doing stuff WAYYY wrong...

__________________
My current grow journal
Gardenscure Nursery Questionnaire
The Complete Guide To Sick Plants, pH and Pest Troubles
my pen writes like this
Posting Guidelines
Accepted Use Policy
St0ney's Soil & Hydroponic pH Nutrient chart

toke-some-trich

What is your humidity? If it is real low, transpiration is rapid causing soil to dry out quickly. If this is happening the stomata will close to protect the plant from dehydrating, which may cause leaves to droop. Or, Maybe it is time to transplant to larger pot and water thoroughly each time you water.

__________________
Failure is the mother of success. Without a mother— success would never be born, everything would be pure luck.

Lady Gardener

I'm in the Canna CoCo soil though..........

Almost impossible to over fertilize, Just pricy stuff.

__________________
Account closed at members request

ZoomBoom

it'd be easier to put it in your sig.

let me guess...you sell Canna CoCo for a living, right?

__________________
My current grow journal
Gardenscure Nursery Questionnaire
The Complete Guide To Sick Plants, pH and Pest Troubles
my pen writes like this
Posting Guidelines
Accepted Use Policy
St0ney's Soil & Hydroponic pH Nutrient chart

buzzmobile

Not that this is the fix, but try watering the hell out of your plants when they need watering. Really soak them. Soak them again. Then let them dry out before the next watering or feeding. It seems to me they are not getting enough water.

Xgone.

I fully agree with buzz ZoomBoom. It's important to water deeply to allow excess salts to be flushed out of the water along with stagnant deoxygenated moisture that maybe present.

ZoomBoom

well, just got back from the shop w/bags of soil and perl.
funny thing is...even though they are only about 8" tall...the roots are popping out of the drainage holes of my 1.2 gal. pots. so...with that in mind, im gonna head out and get me some 5 gal. buckets, put on a partical mask, throw on my fav. Talking Heads album, and mix soil.

since they are ready for the transplant, i'll be watering them thoroughly as you guys suggested. before i was watering them until water came through the holes--thinking that it was doing so because the substrate was soaked enough, but actually it was because im using a large percentage of perlite and the water was kinda running through.

this time, it will be well watered.

thanks for the input, i'll update.

-ZB

__________________
My current grow journal
Gardenscure Nursery Questionnaire
The Complete Guide To Sick Plants, pH and Pest Troubles
my pen writes like this
Posting Guidelines
Accepted Use Policy
St0ney's Soil & Hydroponic pH Nutrient chart