Newbie Help! Cause of silver/light brown spots

First grow in 5 years and I’m up against my first major problem.

Background-
Indoor tent
Soil - terra professional ph 6.5, 11L pots
900w LED
Strain- advanced female blueberry twist from seed. 5 weeks into veg


Watered 3 days ago and were looking amazing. Checked on the girls yesterday and I was shocked to find loads of tiny white spots and a few of the newer fan leaves curling under. I did a bit of research and came up with spider mites as a problem. I just can’t see it being them as I grew from seed, first grow and never been to another grow room. Is this even possible?

I made the rookie mistake of buying soil without any feed in. I realised about 4 weeks into veg. I fed them half dose of nutes. They responded awesomely to the feed. I’ve only watered them with Ph’d water since. 2 waters! I was waiting on a delivery of foxfarm nutes to feed again.

There was a problem with condensation as I didn’t fit the carbon filter or fan. I needed to keep the heat in the area through a very cold spell. It’s fitted now and making so much noise. I definitely need to change the fan. It’s going to keep my neighbours awake.

I’m hoping the wealth of information you guys have will point me in another direction.


Thanks in advanced

That looks like thrips more than it looks like spider mites. Good thing you’re still in veg. Thrips aren’t too hard to get rid of.

There are some DIY methods online to fight them. As far as organic pesticides go, I like Azamax. Spinosad is effective too, and cheaper.

They look great aside from the bug problem! I think they like your light handed feedings.

Good luck!

It's A THRIP

Thrips??

For future prevention how did I manage to get them?

I’m second guessing myself all the time. I’m thinking would the wrong ph’d water have the same effect? I mean something like 3-4ph. I have no faith in my ph tester. Basic solution but the colour chart is not like any other. Problems have only been there since last water.

Cheers

Thrips are just around. They may have hitched a ride indoors on you, on an animal, who knows.

When the right environment and food is provided, bugs appear. I had never seen a tomato hornworm until I started growing tomatoes, ya know?

Of all the big problems to have thrips is not an awful one.

Improper or fluctuating pH can cause discoloration and other marks on leaves but those photos are of bugs. It’s ok! Just treat the plants and you’ll be fine.

Oh, and you can always use sprays as a preventative measure before bugs appear. Some like to do this, some don’t.

Definitely will be a preventive measure from now on. Don’t want these fuckers coming back and ruining my babies again.

I’ll be getting some azamax or need oil ASAP.

Uk42009876 said:

Definitely will be a preventive measure from now on. Don’t want these fuckers coming back and ruining my babies again.

I’ll be getting some azamax or need oil ASAP.

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not sure where these people c thrips?? they leave little highway marks on leafs looks like mites to me

thumper60 said:

not sure where these people c thrips?? they leave little highway marks on leafs looks like mites to me

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Is there a solution out there that will kill both thrips and mites?

I know you guys don’t like pictures under lights but you can see the markings a lot better.

I helped on a grow that used Azamax and Nuke Em as preventatives, alternating each product every couple of weeks in veg. Both products work on thrips and mites. Using both ensures the pests don’t build a resistance to one.

Uk42009876 said:

I know you guys don’t like pictures under lights but you can see the markings a lot better.
View attachment 4115120

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really doesn't look like mites or thrips

In my opinion. It's ph and pests.
There has to be a pest. There are white eggs, or shit, all over the place in some of the photos.
Sick plants attract pests.
Whether it be ph, overfeeding, over watering etc etc.
They're easy targets.
I really like the idea of the combo spinosad and azamax, nukes, etc as stated.
I'd start with the spinosad. It's fairly non toxic , and easy on people. But is the devil for bugs. Then if they are coming back, and the plants aren't in flower. Hit them with azamax or nukem.
Also, before you spray. Use a damp cloth to rub off all their eggs.
Then spray.
You're gonna fuck em up

Well I just had a thrips infection. I dont think thats what this is.

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/spinosadgen.html

You should be able to find a lot of factual information, about pesticides here.
Whichever you choose OP.

I’ll be honest I don’t think it’s any bugs. I’ve checked and checked. I shook every branch with white and dark Paper under them and nothing dropped on them. I see no evidence of bugs on any part of the plant. 48 hours on and there isn’t a single new spot/bite.
I did a soil ph test and the wet soil at the bottom had a ph of 5. Top soil was at 6.5. I sprayed the leaves with the same water I used to water the plants. I pretty sure I put Way to low ph water (around 3-4ph) in soil and bleached the leaves by spraying the same water on to them.

Would that make sense to you guys?

thumper60 said:

really doesn't look like mites or thrips

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In post #10 it looks like it might be Powdery Mildew.

Uk42009876 said:

I’ll be honest I don’t think it’s any bugs. I’ve checked and checked. I shook every branch with white and dark Paper under them and nothing dropped on them. I see no evidence of bugs on any part of the plant. 48 hours on and there isn’t a single new spot/bite.
I did a soil ph test and the wet soil at the bottom had a ph of 5. Top soil was at 6.5. I sprayed the leaves with the same water I used to water the plants. I pretty sure I put Way to low ph water (around 3-4ph) in soil and bleached the leaves by spraying the same water on to them.

Would that make sense to you guys?

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If you rub the leafs does it come off?

You might be right with the spray. If the light is to close, it might have magnified the droplets causing it to burn holes or dots in your leafs

thumper60 said:

really doesn't look like mites or thrips

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Would my explanation work with what you know?

emeraldbuds said:

If you rub the leafs does it come off?

You might be right with the spray. If the light is to close, it might have magnified the droplets causing it to burn holes or dots in your leafs

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it doesn’t come off at all. Definitely on the leaf.
The light is 24” away but is a pretty powful led. 900w.
As I said in previous posts I can’t find no bugs at all. They are growing also rapidly.
I can’t find an explanation other then from the super acidic water I stupidly put on them. I bought test strips today to check my other ph tester and they are completely different.

Might be. It would explain the white colour.

Although if you do a Google Image Search for thrip leaf damage. I think you'll find a striking similarity to yours.

Thing about bugs. Is you don't usually see one, until there's a full on infestation.

But spraying plants with that water, wouldn't help either.


IMHO.
Treat it for bugs.
Don't spray with ph5 again.
Keep temps and humidity in the zone.
Monitor changes.
Done.