Having trouble diagnosing this problem

sucitivel

Member
I'm having a problem, and so far everything I've tried has been only maybe slightly helpful or made things worse. And I'm all over the map with trying to find a solution-- I don't know if it's pH, overfert, underfert, salt buildup, etc. I'll give the facts and hopefully you fine people will help me :) I'm not using the most sophisticated measuring equipment, and I'm probably going to change to tomorrow, so I may have better data by then as well.

The clones are grown hydroponically in a little cloning box I made... and no problems there. Generally no problems until about 3-4 weeks into flowering, and problems seem to be more intense on some plants vs others, even though they all get the same feeding water.

I've harvested several plants already, and my yields are definitely low, but the bud is still good. Since I've harvested, I've been able to check out the root systems, and they seemed kind of week but I don't know exactly what to look for since I've historically grown hydro. Everything is climate controlled, and I'm using C02.

Tapwater - I'm told Denver's tapwater is fairly hard but I have no way of really knowing the mineral levels. Using pH drops, test between 7.5 and 8.
Feeding Water - Added to tapwater, 3tsp/gal GH florabloom, 2tsp/gal GH floramicro, 1tsp/gal GH floragro, 1tsp/gal botanicare vitamino, 1tsp/gal rock supercharge, 1tsp/gal rock resinator, 1tsp/gal GH cal-mag
Feeding Water pH - 6-6.5
Watering - Feed until water flows from bottom, runoff is collected below raised platform
Runoff pH - 6
Feeding Frequency - Once a week, tapwater in between if necessary
Substrate - Sunshine Growing Mix #4, 2 gallon pots
Light - 400W HPS, ~1.75 feet from top of canopy
Day C02 - 1400-1700ppm
Day Temp - 80-84
Night Temp - 76-80
Relative Humidity - 55%

Observations: In between fertilizations when flushing with plain tapwater, symptoms progress more quickly. Immediately after fertilization, symptoms progress more quickly. It's almost like no matter what I feed with, it makes things worse. I've checked for mites, definitely aren't any bugs. It's so confusing because it's like if I cut all feeding nothing really improves, but if I feed normally things get worse. I also was adjusting my pH before I started adding cal-mag to more of a 6.5-7, versus what it is naturally after nutes more of a 6-6.5, and this actually seemed to have the worst effect. Adding the cal-mag and not adjusting my pH has slowed the symptoms, but still has clearly not fixed the problem. Lately it seems like the leaves have stopped browning, and started yellowing.

Picture 1 - Most recent, brown spots stop progressing, leaves are becoming more yellow though.
weed3.jpg
Picture 2 - Brown spots
weed2.jpg
Picture 3 - Middle tier leaves seem affected more than bottom and top. Small, inner leaves are virtually unaffected.
weed1.jpg

Let me know if you have any questions guys, I really really appreciate your help!
 

BCBuddy420

Well-Known Member
I've had this same problem with a very similar setup. When you flush do you use 6 gallons of water per pot? It's good to use 3x pot size to get all the salt/nute whatever buildup out of there. Then re feed at half strength and see how that goes. Maybe ask a local shop about your food regimen (where did you get it from) It looks like nute burn to me, but I'm no experienced grower, just a simple grower who get's by.
 

doniawon

Well-Known Member
i would knock out the mag cal and the viatamino.. Your tap water has enough mag cal already and gh flora series is a complete nutrient.
 

marc88101

Well-Known Member
The middle picture is a ph issue, coppering and hooking. I'd check the Ph, bring the ppm down a bit and maybe add a touch of n....my 2 cents!
 

Relaxed

Well-Known Member
you are well into flower so whatever you do you wont save or get back those leaves. you can only learn from it. I am going to say most likely overfeeding of nit. I use soil and ffof with amendments to the soil monthly sunleaves seabird guano. no issues till chop and green all the way. I suggest you run this application next run side by side to see. I wont commnet on how much you over fert but most people use 25% of recommended for success. I highly suggest you get a ph pen for 40 bucks not drops. Drops Ive heard from others can read very different in different lights hps, incond. outside etc. nor reliable like you need and you could be well over a point diff. causing lockout.
 

Bakatare666

Well-Known Member
I'm having a problem, and so far everything I've tried has been only maybe slightly helpful or made things worse. And I'm all over the map with trying to find a solution-- I don't know if it's pH, overfert, underfert, salt buildup, etc. I'll give the facts and hopefully you fine people will help me :) I'm not using the most sophisticated measuring equipment, and I'm probably going to change to tomorrow, so I may have better data by then as well.

The clones are grown hydroponically in a little cloning box I made... and no problems there. Generally no problems until about 3-4 weeks into flowering, and problems seem to be more intense on some plants vs others, even though they all get the same feeding water.

I've harvested several plants already, and my yields are definitely low, but the bud is still good. Since I've harvested, I've been able to check out the root systems, and they seemed kind of week but I don't know exactly what to look for since I've historically grown hydro. Everything is climate controlled, and I'm using C02.

Tapwater - I'm told Denver's tapwater is fairly hard but I have no way of really knowing the mineral levels. Using pH drops, test between 7.5 and 8.
Feeding Water - Added to tapwater, 3tsp/gal GH florabloom, 2tsp/gal GH floramicro, 1tsp/gal GH floragro, 1tsp/gal botanicare vitamino, 1tsp/gal rock supercharge, 1tsp/gal rock resinator, 1tsp/gal GH cal-mag
Feeding Water pH - 6-6.5
Watering - Feed until water flows from bottom, runoff is collected below raised platform
Runoff pH - 6
Feeding Frequency - Once a week, tapwater in between if necessary
Substrate - Sunshine Growing Mix #4, 2 gallon pots
Light - 400W HPS, ~1.75 feet from top of canopy
Day C02 - 1400-1700ppm
Day Temp - 80-84
Night Temp - 76-80
Relative Humidity - 55%

Observations: In between fertilizations when flushing with plain tapwater, symptoms progress more quickly. Immediately after fertilization, symptoms progress more quickly. It's almost like no matter what I feed with, it makes things worse. I've checked for mites, definitely aren't any bugs. It's so confusing because it's like if I cut all feeding nothing really improves, but if I feed normally things get worse. I also was adjusting my pH before I started adding cal-mag to more of a 6.5-7, versus what it is naturally after nutes more of a 6-6.5, and this actually seemed to have the worst effect. Adding the cal-mag and not adjusting my pH has slowed the symptoms, but still has clearly not fixed the problem. Lately it seems like the leaves have stopped browning, and started yellowing.

Picture 1 - Most recent, brown spots stop progressing, leaves are becoming more yellow though.
View attachment 2492504
Picture 2 - Brown spots
View attachment 2492505
Picture 3 - Middle tier leaves seem affected more than bottom and top. Small, inner leaves are virtually unaffected.
View attachment 2492506

Let me know if you have any questions guys, I really really appreciate your help!
To me, (forgive, I been drinking and smoking already) it looks like K def., on a Sativa dom. plant, which I had last season, right next to my Indica dom. plant that was fine.
However, when I resolved the problem, I also gave a good dose of Epsom Salt, so I can't say for sure which it was.
 
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