No air circulation indoors is the reason for the 'white fuzzies' - you don't want your seedlings covered once germination has taken place. If just started, uncovering them and providing some moving air should be enough. (bleach/water will raise the PH of your soil/growing medium and make it too alkaline). Other growers have suggested hydrogen peroxide and water, or chamomile tea but I haven't used either.

You said ceiling fan, do you have a small gentle fan you can direct at the seed flat?

It's pretty bad "white fuzzies". One of my baby seedlings has keeled over. Luckily, most of the plants are over 3 wks old w/ at least 2 leaves so the one new seeding is the only one that seems affected so far. In researching the internet I've heard that ground cinnamon can help. Is there anything to that?

I'd start with making a weak chamomile tea, and putting it in a spray bottle after it's cooled and spraying the seedlings. Chamomile tea is a natural anti-fungicide. I got white fuzz on a couple basil seedlings when I didn't remove the dome quick enough after germination. I sprayed them with the tea and the fuzz disappeared immediately. I also use chamomile tea to water all my seedlings instead of water, and I haven't gotten any dampening off, which comes from the white fuzzy fungi (definitely not the techincal term :) ). Don't water until the seedlings are dried out at least 2 inches down because over-watering causes the fuzz. The best way to water is from the bottom. I fill a tray with the tea and set another tray with holes and the seedlings in the first tray. Let the seedlings sit until they are wet to the top of the soil, then take them out and let the tray drain. I find that's the easiest way to bottom water. Good luck!

I also water seedlings with dilute chamomile tea. Once I thought I'd try just mixing a packet of tea in with my seed starting mix...I had chamomile sprouting in every cell, LOL!

You also don't want to run the lights 24/7. I keep mine on only about 15 hours a day. They need some "night" to grow properly.

loribee2,

There are conflicting reports on this. Growing tomatoes under lights is different from growing STARTS under lights. If these plants are headed for the garden eventually, I believe that the 24/7 light is actually OPTIMAL. Based on the information contained in the thread below, peppers grew bigger, stockier and healthier under 24/7 light than only 16. They also produced a full harvest of peppers earlier than the 16 hour variety. Their second harvest was basically in line with 16 hour peppers.

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread on raising peppers...

Well, the reason I keep the lights on them 24/7 is cuz I really have too many for the one light that I'm using - one of the 3 rows is always in the dark. Therefore, I reposition the lights throughout the day so all the plants will get their share of light. Then, on nice sunny days I put them outside for a while as well.

Thanks for all the advice on the chamomile tea - I'll be getting it today & hopefully that'll get rid of the mold!

I think you are keeping them too wet, as well as too warm. Pick off the mold and let the soil dry out for a few days. Al