Deficiency (magnesium) in Sohum living soil/Autopots

Hi, I have 2 x 5 gallon springpots in XL trays, healthy solo cup transplant to Sohum water only soil. 9 days top watering, healthy plants, switched on system. Plants seemed to do really well until the OMG started to show a leaf deficiency. All fan leaves died and I had to trim them off. The smaller growth is now picking up but its super stunted.

The other plant was much healthier ... grew really well ... about 5 days ago a similar leaf deficiency started. I'm worried I'm going to lose this plant as well.

Ppfd is totally in line, around 300 at the canopy. Temp 80/81F, RH 50- 60, vpd is in order. Good air circulation and fresh air pulling in 24/7.

PH in the trays is about 6.7, res climbed to high 6s, but its tested daily and kept around 6.25. In the res all I have is SLF-100 to support plant immunity and keep the lines clean, and CX regenaroot, suggested to me by Autopots directly for root health (its an auxin precursor).

I'm attaching pics. Curious if anyone had any sense of whats going wrong. I even called HLG to see if Im burning my plants with a bad lux to ppfd conversion but apparently I'm spot on.

If you check the last pic you'll see my sad OMG plant ... its struggling with the inner growth, all but 2 fan leaves had to be removed as they were more than 50% dead.

One issue I'm noticing, but this is my first AP grow ... is that the soil is bone dry down as far as I can push my fingers down the side of the pot. Thats got to be about 4 inches. I have 1" of #3 perlite at the bottom as instructed. Airdomes are on. Should this much of the soil be dry? I was expecting the soil to wick moisture to the top.or at least close to. Perhaps the severe dryness is causing a ph spike in the soil In not seeing in the tray? I really have no good guess here.

Any thoughts? Thank you.
 

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