Need a diagnosis on a deficiency please!

Tmac4302

Well-Known Member
5 weeks into veg. Topped and LST first 4 weeks of veg growth. Temps stay between 70 - 85. RH is 20 - 40%. pH usually hovers anywhere from 5.5 - 6.5. PPM's were 800 last week and 600 the week or 2 before. The nutes are a 3-part base formula, B vitamin supplement, and beneficial bacteria by Advanced Nutrients. Problem occurred about a week or 2 ago. Started on the lower leaves, then slowly made its way closer to the middle. The top growth as you see is also turning yellow with chlorosis and the veins under the leaves and the leaf stems are starting to turn like a purple/red color. Maybe Mg or K def? Why is it only turning yellow in between the veins, but still staying green on the veins themselves? Also, why the necrotic spots? Makes me think it isn't N deficiency.

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Thehermaphroditemaker

Well-Known Member
The pics remind me of a zinc deficiency and also a lock-up of other micro-nutrients from the chart I looked at. Bump for more experts. I had a theory your nutes may be a bit strong, maybe a n/p/k toxicity locking up the micro nutrients like mg. Could be simply over fertilization, but a plant that big 800 should be fine... What kind of water are you using?

Deficiencies appear as chlorosis in the inter-veinal areas of new leaves producing a banding appearance as seen in figure 18. This may be accompany reduction of leaf size and a shortening between internodes. Leaf margins are often distorted or wrinkled. Branch terminals of fruit will die back in severe cases.
Also gets locked out due to high pH. Zn, Fe, and Mn deficiencies often occur together, and are usually from a high pH. Don't overdo the micro-nutrients- lower the pH if that's the problem so the nutrients become available. Foliar feed if the plant looks real bad. Use chelated zinc. Zinc deficiency produces "little leaf" in many species, especially woody ones; the younger leaves are distinctly smaller than normal. Zinc defeciency may also produce "rosetting"; the stem fails to elongate behind the growing tip, so that the terminal leaves become tightly bunched.
 

Bayou bud

Active Member
I agree with thehermaphroditemaker. From his description, and some personal charts I have, Zinc definitely appears to be the main cause, if not a co-morbid condition that goes along with your micro nutes being a little off.
 

Tmac4302

Well-Known Member
The pics remind me of a zinc deficiency and also a lock-up of other micro-nutrients from the chart I looked at. Bump for more experts. I had a theory your nutes may be a bit strong, maybe a n/p/k toxicity locking up the micro nutrients like mg. Could be simply over fertilization, but a plant that big 800 should be fine... What kind of water are you using?
Tap water. My PPM's aren't that bad. Like 90-100 PPM. That description sounds a lot like what has been happening. First run with these nutrients so I'm still getting a feel for them. :/ That's makes sense now though. Thanks!!
 

nick17gar

Well-Known Member
well the main thing is pH. micro nutes are locked out easily by a pH issue.

one thing is for sure, its a micro nutrient. Ive got my money on zinc or magnesium defiency. id lean to the zinc deficiency becuase they lack a shine to them. but the dead spots makes me lean towards mag def. also mag deficiency is common when pH is too low (acidic), which you are. you said 5.5-6.5. you need to stay closer to 6.5. i know 1pH doesnt sound like much, but 5.5 is 10 times more acidic then 6.5

could also be iron def in the early stages, but its better to add a little iron now, before it gets worse (if thats the case)

either way, its a micro nutrient. check your fertilizers, see if these 3 elements are listed. if one (or more) isnt listed on the bottle, then thats probably what your deficient in.

I bought a bottle at a pet store that was for aquatic plants, for a fish tank, had 0-0-0 NPK rating, but 14 micro nutes. FOURTEEN! i use it every feeding, and have never had any issues, from start to finish. paid like 8 bucks i think.
at the same time, i also use 4 different veg+bloom nutes from start to finish, at different ratios depending the stage of the plant, and each brings its own set of micro nutes.

youll be ok, just fix the pH, and slowly add in some micronutes. slowly, cuz if it was pH lockout, the nutes are there, just not able to be absorbed, you dont want an abundance.

**if you do go to the petstore to get some of that micro nutes bottle for plants that kicks so much ass, get some pH buffer, most are 7.0 but if your lucky, they wil have a bottle of 6.5 (usually for african cichlids) but EXCELLENT for pot in soil. i use that every feeding too, and i know that liquid going in is 6.5, and runoff is around 6.2ish)**
 

Tmac4302

Well-Known Member
well the main thing is pH. micro nutes are locked out easily by a pH issue.

one thing is for sure, its a micro nutrient. Ive got my money on zinc or magnesium defiency. id lean to the zinc deficiency becuase they lack a shine to them. but the dead spots makes me lean towards mag def. also mag deficiency is common when pH is too low (acidic), which you are. you said 5.5-6.5. you need to stay closer to 6.5. i know 1pH doesnt sound like much, but 5.5 is 10 times more acidic then 6.5

could also be iron def in the early stages, but its better to add a little iron now, before it gets worse (if thats the case)

either way, its a micro nutrient. check your fertilizers, see if these 3 elements are listed. if one (or more) isnt listed on the bottle, then thats probably what your deficient in.

I bought a bottle at a pet store that was for aquatic plants, for a fish tank, had 0-0-0 NPK rating, but 14 micro nutes. FOURTEEN! i use it every feeding, and have never had any issues, from start to finish. paid like 8 bucks i think.
at the same time, i also use 4 different veg+bloom nutes from start to finish, at different ratios depending the stage of the plant, and each brings its own set of micro nutes.

youll be ok, just fix the pH, and slowly add in some micronutes. slowly, cuz if it was pH lockout, the nutes are there, just not able to be absorbed, you dont want an abundance.

**if you do go to the petstore to get some of that micro nutes bottle for plants that kicks so much ass, get some pH buffer, most are 7.0 but if your lucky, they wil have a bottle of 6.5 (usually for african cichlids) but EXCELLENT for pot in soil. i use that every feeding too, and i know that liquid going in is 6.5, and runoff is around 6.2ish)**
I don't grow in soil anymore. Drip/DWC hydroponics. 5.5 -6.5 is what I've read and have been told by every hydroponic grower to keep my pH range in. And also what that awesome pH chart says. However, the micro nutes from the pet store sounds pretty solid. I definitely think I'll pick some up if things get any worse.
 

nick17gar

Well-Known Member
I don't grow in soil anymore. Drip/DWC hydroponics. 5.5 -6.5 is what I've read and have been told by every hydroponic grower to keep my pH range in. And also what that awesome pH chart says. However, the micro nutes from the pet store sounds pretty solid. I definitely think I'll pick some up if things get any worse.

and for dwc/hydro, your right, 5.8ish is perfect. this is why:

View attachment 1970297
 
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