What is the temperature you are keeping the area at?

How long do you have your lights on?

Do you use any kind of liquid seedling fertilizer mixed in with the water?

I have California Wonder and Anaheim Hot Pepper seedlings growing and all are doing well. I also have them under Cool White Premium 40-watt fluorescent bulbs with the temperature between 65 - 70 degrees.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Garden Blog

The temp is whatever it is in my basement. The lights are on for 16-18 hours a day and yes I used a liquid seaweed/fish fertilzer.

Sounds like you are doing everything correctly then. As long as your basement is above 60 degrees, that shouldn't be the problem.

The pale color of the leaves - to me - means a possible light source issue.

could it be as suggested on another forum too much water I am using those jiffy pots 3 inches and pro mix the lights are 40 watt 4 foot shop lights, the plant are touching the light or nearly. But it seems like i have to water ever 2nd day as the pot get really light and the soil really dry.

It could be that they got too dry for a while and got stressed. I find peat pots can dry out too fast. I've switched to using all plastic containers.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the cotyeldon leaves supposed to fall off after true leaves develop?
Also, you may want to try posting on the hot pepper forum, there is wealth of knowledge on peppers of all kinds there.

I doubt it's a light issue because the plants would get leggy not turn yellow and no the cotyledons don't fall off as soon as they get true leaves. The cotyledons should carry them through 3-4 sets of true leaves if everything else is in order. They fall off prematurely if overwatered. If they got too dry they should have wilted.

OK this might help. With peat pots I water from the bottom only. I wait until the pot looks dry as it will wick up the warer leaving the soil still damp, then I warer just enough to make the pot damp again this takes some time for the pot to take up the water. I see no problems with the light as that is what I use

Curt

Yellowing leaves cause me to suspect, in order, the following possible causes:

1.) Over-watering.
2.) Over-fertilizing.
3.) Temps too cold.
4.) Roots cooking or some other kind of root stress.
5.) Disease.
6.) Combination of any of the above.

I assume over-watering can be eliminated because the OP seems properly aware of how to avoid this issue.

taz6122 is 100% correct - plants stay green and wilt when under-watered (leaves first then entire plant) so I feel that issue can be eliminated.

I also agree with all who have stated it is not a light issue - assuming the plants are not leggy.

Regarding temperature - peppers are heat lovers so if you have them in a basement and you do not know what the ambient temperature is - you SHOULD know. Put a thermometer down there to get a reading to see if this could be a cause. I check the temperature out of habit every time I enter my growing room. 70 degrees minimum works best for me for my plants. My pepper seedlings thrive in 70-80 degrees. I suspect a too-cold temperature is not the problem, though, because your pepper seeds wouldn't have germinated in the first place (unless you germinated them somewhere else).

Be VERY careful fertilizing seedlings. As I have stated in past posts, I do not understand why folks immediately start fertilizing seedlings - it is risky and unnecessary IMO.

Given the information in the OP I doubt it is due to root stress or disease but those potential problems should be eliminated from suspicion by your observations.

IMO peat pots suck. I started out using them and had nothing but problems regarding maintaining proper moisture levels. They act like a wick and suck the moisture out of the soil. The quick dry-wet-dry cycle noticeably stressed my plants. Also consider that if a person fertilizes when watering, even a dilute solution, you end up putting a lot of fertilizer on the plants because the peat pots cause an abnormally increased watering cycle. I never used peat pots again, and I haven't had any problems since.

My bottom-line suspicions of the cause based on the facts presented: Fertilizer burn. Solution: Difficult - only chance would be to flush the soil with water only, or transplant into fresh soil. Either way, if this is the cause I think your plants are in trouble.

I wish you good luck! Hope you solve the problem.
-Tom

I find it difficult to grow seedlings in peat pots because they dry out a lot more than regular pots. Would it be possible to move them to a different container? I have had good luck using plastic cups in fact with my seedlings if you can't find small plastic pots.

Is it possible that your grow light is heating up too much so the potting mix gets too dry? I have seen my seedlings turn yellow and get stunted when the mix is too dry. As previous poster mentioned, the cotyeldon should stay on until there are at least 5 or 6 true leaves. At least all my peppers always did.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I never fertilize seedlings. That comes after transplantation out in that garden. Also, I have better luck using a sterile germination mix and clean plastic six-pack starter cells. I've never had success with peat pots, and many of the seed-starting problems you read about seem to include them. It's a wonder they sell so many.

My, my, I have the same problem...yellowing pepper transplant leaves. Like the original poster I basicly do the same and don't over water which is the common reason. I have a suspicion but not sure.... this all started when I repotted with Mircle Grow Potting soil/mix. The bag states it has fertilizer in it that lasts for 6 months...could it be the potting soil/mix is to hot. Anyone else have a problem with Mircle Grow or other fertilizer based potting mixes.

"IMO peat pots suck."

That has been the consensus here for a long time.

"Anyone else have a problem with Mircle Grow or other fertilizer based potting mixes."

Yes. Another brand of potting mix was disastrous for both me and a friend for starting seedlings. Be careful to use only a seed starting mix. ProMix BX works great for me.

Jim

Compost: Potting Mix problems?

Here is a link that might be useful: Potting Mix Problem

Something nobody seems to have mentioned, is that you need to watch the leaf temperature, although fluorescent tubes aren't "hot" compared to other bulbs, the bulbs should never be almost touching as the leaves will over heat if they touch the bulb or get close enough. Fluorescent tubes are terrible for seedlings that are any reasonable size since they're such a diffuse source of light, and this is just because light intensity drops exponentially in relation to distance. I move all my seedlings to a 100 watt metal halide bulb (or sodium) street light type setup so they get enough light but don't burn because a point source puts more out more light, but less heat, i.e. the plants are further away.

I will use the miracle grow houseplant liquid at 1/4 to 1/2 strength on seedlings if they have 2 sets of leaves AND only if they're starting to show a little yellowing. But ideally would never have to fertilize seedlings because they're so easy to burn.

Any ideas on what is happening to my pepper seedlings ?