White surface on soil in seedling tray

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Raebeling Cottonwood, AZ Jan 21, 2014

A delicate, white, crystalline-sort-of glaze is developing on surface of soil mix in cell packs of 5-days old tomato seedlings (babies). Mix was 2/3 miracle grow seed starting mix & 1/3 peat. Wet thoroughly, but not too wet. Pre-sprouted seeds (in damp paper towels) put into mix in cell packs & under lights & on heat mats (indoors). I've done it this way the last 5 years & works great. But now this "white stuff" on surface. Does NOT seem like mold. It's only on top surfaces (not down in low spots or down sides). Have only bottom watered right after moving in the seed sprouts. Beginning to dry out & need more water... plan was to bottom water again. Am in N.Arizona & used tap water. I washed cell packs thoroughly & soaked in bleach solution ... did not rinse after being in bleach solution, but dried them in the sun. So far seedlings seem ok: 1" tall, no true leaves yet.
So what might this be and what (if anything) should I do about it?
One idea: spray (or bottom water) with very weak hydrogen peroxide solution?

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jmc1987 Cascade, VA(Zone 7a) Jan 21, 2014

perhaps you have hard water? that is all i can think of. other than mold that would leave a deposit,

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Gymgirl SE Houston (Hobby), TX(Zone 9a) Jan 22, 2014

I'm thinking hard water deposits, too. Shouldn't hurt the seedlings...

If you think it's anything else, add two capfuls of Hydrogen Peroxide (plain old off the shelf in the brown bottle - $1 store) per gallon of water when you bottom water.

H2O2 will handle it, as well as give the babies a boost of oxygen, too!

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terri_emory Alba, TX(Zone 8a) Jan 28, 2014

I'll add that I agree. Hard water deposits is the best guess.

However, when I lived in Florida I had something similar happen. My neighbor there, an old time gardener, said it was salt and that the area of FL we lived in had such natural soft water. He said to just flush it away with bottled water. I still managed to get good tomato seedlings....so it must not have been much in the way of salt to cause an issue. He also used to brush his build up away with an old tooth brush. He must have known what he was doing as his veg and flower gardens were gorgeous!

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