Roots are turning brown too soon

[crims0n21]

I’ve been into hydro for a while, but this one’s got me scratching my head. My basil seedling looked great in the sponge starter, but once I moved it into the NFT channel, growth nearly stopped. EC is around 1100. After 12 days only three leaves and the roots are darkening. Could this be water temp or oxygen issues? Appreciate any advice

 

[Alan]

Yeah, basil can be a little picky when moving from starter to NFT. Dark roots often point to water temp or oxygen, like you mentioned, but sometimes it’s also about how quickly the transition happens. Do you monitor your water temperature regularly, or add any extra aeration to the channel?

And just curious, have you tried moving other herbs the same way, or is basil the only one giving you trouble?