Hello. I'm DCDan. I'm a new member but have been looking at informtion on the site for a while. I've grown coco for years and switched to HP-CC for ease on this recent grow. I am starting this grow journal to record my grow with two very popular products in order to clarify things for myself and other growers who are new to the nutrient line or peat based media. Would appreciate help from the more well known growers who preferably use either/both of these products. Thank you.
Things started of very well but I have been experience issues lately that appear to be caused either by pH problems.
- I received clones and started feeding them Jack's Classic Citrus Feed at 1/4 TSP per gallon, as well as 2mL of Botanicare Calmag, silica, 5mL of kelp meal, enzyme and mammoth microbes. Water was pHed down to 5.8 from 6.8-6.9. I would not feed until run off, but kept the medium well saturated.
- No problems occured with this feeding schedule (every watering) for 5 weeks.
- Two weeks in to flower: Began noticing discoloration of lower leaves that extended beyond standard cannibalization/ discolooration of lower leaves.
- I tested run off with a standard feeding of Jacks+ (averages 900 ppm) and found ppm of run off to be 3000 but pH was at 5.8.
- Heavily Flushed plants with plain filtered water (250 ppm) pHed down from 7.0 to 5.8.
- Began to see what appear to be Calcium deficiency (red rust spots)
- In order to avoid potential Nitrogen Toxicity and locking out of calcium, fed KISS method of MaxiBloom at 7 gram per gallon. pHed water down from 6.0 to 5.8.
- What appeared to be Calcium defficiency after watering that prompted MaxiBloom feeding, spreads further up plants and on to new plants.
New clones were started: Started feeding at 1/8 TSP per gallon of Jacks Classic Citrus Feed + same levels of other ammendments. pHed down from 7.0 to 5.8.
- 4 or 5 days after transplanting to 3 gallon pots, multiple issues begin. Leaf Claw (Nitrogen Toxcicity? or pH issue?), what appears to be phosphoporous (or pH?), calcium (or pH?)
Testing:
Tested run off of "problem plants" ppm came out very high (2000-3000 ppm) even for new plants that received 1/8 Tsp of jacks. pH of run off tested at 5.8-5.9.
Run off Test on New Bail of Pro-Mix Media:
Water @ 7.0 pH, throug media dropped to 6.2
Jacks Citrus @ 7.0, run off 6.4
MaxiBloom @ 5.9-6.0, run off: 6.0
Run Off Test on well established Solo Cup Plants that had received 1/8 TSP Jacks+:
Water @ 7.0, run off: 5.8
Jacks Citrus @ 6.9, run off 6.0
MaxiBloom @ 6.1, run off: 5.7
Fungal Test:
Cut bag off of larger plant with severe leaf clas and phosphorous deficiency (pH problem?). Roots are very healthy, white and fuzzy. No signs of root rot or insufficient oxygenation.
Problem Diagnoses:
- pHing to 5.7-5.8 + acidifiction of peat is causing pH to fall below optimal range.
- Potential problems caused by constant use of pH down (phosphoric acid)
Solution:
- No more use of pH up or down
- Allow media to full dry between feedings
- When feeding plant, allow ample run off to prevent any build up of salts.
Things started of very well but I have been experience issues lately that appear to be caused either by pH problems.
- I received clones and started feeding them Jack's Classic Citrus Feed at 1/4 TSP per gallon, as well as 2mL of Botanicare Calmag, silica, 5mL of kelp meal, enzyme and mammoth microbes. Water was pHed down to 5.8 from 6.8-6.9. I would not feed until run off, but kept the medium well saturated.
- No problems occured with this feeding schedule (every watering) for 5 weeks.
- Two weeks in to flower: Began noticing discoloration of lower leaves that extended beyond standard cannibalization/ discolooration of lower leaves.
- I tested run off with a standard feeding of Jacks+ (averages 900 ppm) and found ppm of run off to be 3000 but pH was at 5.8.
- Heavily Flushed plants with plain filtered water (250 ppm) pHed down from 7.0 to 5.8.
- Began to see what appear to be Calcium deficiency (red rust spots)
- In order to avoid potential Nitrogen Toxicity and locking out of calcium, fed KISS method of MaxiBloom at 7 gram per gallon. pHed water down from 6.0 to 5.8.
- What appeared to be Calcium defficiency after watering that prompted MaxiBloom feeding, spreads further up plants and on to new plants.
New clones were started: Started feeding at 1/8 TSP per gallon of Jacks Classic Citrus Feed + same levels of other ammendments. pHed down from 7.0 to 5.8.
- 4 or 5 days after transplanting to 3 gallon pots, multiple issues begin. Leaf Claw (Nitrogen Toxcicity? or pH issue?), what appears to be phosphoporous (or pH?), calcium (or pH?)
Testing:
Tested run off of "problem plants" ppm came out very high (2000-3000 ppm) even for new plants that received 1/8 Tsp of jacks. pH of run off tested at 5.8-5.9.
Run off Test on New Bail of Pro-Mix Media:
Water @ 7.0 pH, throug media dropped to 6.2
Jacks Citrus @ 7.0, run off 6.4
MaxiBloom @ 5.9-6.0, run off: 6.0
Run Off Test on well established Solo Cup Plants that had received 1/8 TSP Jacks+:
Water @ 7.0, run off: 5.8
Jacks Citrus @ 6.9, run off 6.0
MaxiBloom @ 6.1, run off: 5.7
Fungal Test:
Cut bag off of larger plant with severe leaf clas and phosphorous deficiency (pH problem?). Roots are very healthy, white and fuzzy. No signs of root rot or insufficient oxygenation.
Problem Diagnoses:
- pHing to 5.7-5.8 + acidifiction of peat is causing pH to fall below optimal range.
- Potential problems caused by constant use of pH down (phosphoric acid)
Solution:
- No more use of pH up or down
- Allow media to full dry between feedings
- When feeding plant, allow ample run off to prevent any build up of salts.
