Droopy/curled Leafs. Help Please

[Terrpz]

Here's a few pictures from 3days after transfer to 8days to 15days. It was doing great but something happened and growth has stopped completely. Im growing in rockwool. I have a 300w LED. I have a co2 bag and I use neem oil often to prevent any pest. The temp is 75-77 with humidity at 50-60%. For about a week i was having problems with heat and it got up to 88 a couple days. I found a couple fungus gnats but I think I fixed that problem.

 

[DGP]

How often do you water the rockwool? Do you water drain-to-waste by hand? What is you nutrient ppm and PH?

Dee

 

[Terrpz]

How often do you water the rockwool? Do you water drain-to-waste by hand? What is you nutrient ppm and PH?

Dee

I water every other day. I drain to waste by hand at the moment. Using foxfarm 6-4-4 I don't have the stuff for my PH yet I am a beginner still. This was a clone originally in soil. After the tranfer it grew like 4 nodes it was doing great. But the past 4 days it's went down hill. Am I not using enough nutrients? I thought it was lockout possibly.

 

[DGP]

My suspicion is that the roots have some issues. However, I am not entirely sure. When you transplanted how did you deal with the roots (cleaning the soil off etc.)? If you traumatized the roots it could show a few days later as the plant may have a hard time drinking if there was significant damage. Also, wondering if the heat didn't cause some damage. My rockwool sits in water continuously and I think the flood and drain folks water 1 or more times per day (during lights on time). In my veg tent I drip top feed continuously without a problem. I am wondering how dry do they get before you water. You don't want the roots to dry completely out.

If you don't ph the nutrient water I am concerned about that as well. You could use cheap test strips that are for Aquariums or for general gardening to get by till you can get a meter. For young plants like these you want to use a lot less nutes than most manufacturers recommend. I am currently using general hydro but don't recommend it. I am transitioning to Jacks Professional but I never go over about 250ppm for plants that young. Others may recommend a higher level but it is strain dependent as well.

Are you able to take some pictures in regular white light or with the flash on? Its hard to tell whats happening with the pick color.

In hydro applications an EC meter and Ph meter are kinda critical. I recommend HM brand but there are others that are acceptable. Some are just junk and in the case of these meters it is a "get what you pay for thing".

https://www.amazon.com/HM-Resistant...F8&qid=1521748525&sr=8-1&keywords=HM+ph+meter
https://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-D...8&qid=1521748551&sr=1-2&keywords=HM+ppm+meter

Dee

HM meters:

Continuous top feed drip (ring raised up for visibility, normal flush with hydroton):

 

[Terrpz]

I did some research before I did it and I just washed off as much dirt as I could in room temp water. I wasn't rough and for the first week it showed no signs of stress. I really seen the differents when the heat spiked and my watering continued the same and it did get kind of dry a couple times here is a current picture. I do appreciate the help. How is your drip system set up? What do I need.

 

[DGP]

I just use a reservoir (can even be another 5 gallon food grade bucket) with a submersible pump in it. The pump sends water up and into the tent through a 1/2" pvc line and out of the 1/2" line there are 1/2" to 3/16" tees that go to each drip ring. The the drain tray (in my case buckets) can have a return line in the bottom that goes back the the bottom of the reservoir and it just recirculates through the system at a rate you control with a timer. COuld use a manual timer (digital ones arent as good for this kind of application IMO) and have it come on anywhere between every 15 minutes to once a day, you get to decide.

Or.....you can just continue to hand water a couple times during the light on cycle. There are many ways to manage the plants, so you need to decide on the best grow method for you and with regards to how much time you have. I run a Deep Water recirc for the veg tent and a Deep Water UnderCurrent for flower. I could leave the country for 2 weeks and these systems would happily run along without much help (unless a power failure or something weird happens).

You can make drip rings from irrigation tubing from Home Despot or Lowes using 3/16 plastic line and tees etc. They even make controlled drippers as well as a punch to make drip holes etc.

Deep water buckets (you could just use a drain tray though):

Drip line:

Master reservoir is just a cheapo garbage can (polypropylene):

Return lines going back to reservoir (you wouldn't need but one return line from you flood and drain tray):

 

[DGP]

At this point based on your last post regarding the heat event, I think that all you can do is keep them from drying out, go light on any nutes (maybe just ph'd clear water) and watch to see if they perk back up. Looking at the leaves in the white light picture, I don't see any discoloration so it just looks like what I call "Canopy Collapse Disorder". I named it that once when I damaged my plants roots (via pythium) and the canopy literally collapsed something like what you worst picture looks but the plants were much bigger. They did recover but with such small plants that are in shock you may end up starting over.

Hoping some more experienced folks render additional opinions.....

Dee

 

[DGP]

Once you get the plants thru this issue, if you want to build some automation then here are some scribbles. Don't take my design as gospel though as there are many ways to do a F&D tray and there are people on this forum with a lot more experience than I have.

Dee

 

[Terrpz]

Thank you for all your help man! I'm picking up everything for a drip system and I'm starting over!

 

[DGP]

DO some research first and don't take my words for gospel, study, study, study, then decide what to buy...

Love to help in any way I can,

Dee