First Grow Dwc Problem

  • Thread starter Muckworm
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M

Muckworm

31
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Oh boy. Just got home and checked the girls. Bad news. As you said it's not the light and they just took a turn for the worst. I will post pics. I think I'm going to make new water without cal/mag and start over. I will post new picks. I think I'm in trouble as I've tried everything. Ugh.
 
M

Muckworm

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IMG 3185
 
IMG 3184
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IMG 3182
M

Muckworm

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Ppm 615
Water temp 19.4c
Room temp 72
Humidity at 40 percent
PH at 5.9

Help!!!!!!!
 
Douglas.C

Douglas.C

312
63
Could you link me to the nute calculator you used to compare for the Mel Frank numbers?

The leaf crinkling is from too high of a pH, the spotting on the leaves looks like pH spotting to me. I thought you said you dropped the pH to 5.4 the other day?
 
M

Muckworm

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I did drop it. It climbs up daily. Here is another pic under regular light. As for the nute calculator I was simply told to follow the chart I posted under DWC "high yield" from the feed chart for the nutes I'm using. Everything lists the same on the bottles. Maybe I'm missing something here. Thank you.
 
Nayhay

Nayhay

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3
Doesn't look too bad, looks like it's growing fast. Burnt areas looks like a result from pH fluctuation. I'm a fan of House and Garden's DWC chart and have noticed that letting the pH gradually swing is better than trying to micromanage and end up with big swings as a result, even if those big swings bring you closer to the ideal pH.

For example, if topping up with pH'd water, I'd resist the urge to add extra-acidic water to bring the overall rez.
 
M

Muckworm

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This is the type net pods I'm using too. I have the water just touching the bottom now like people suggested.
 
M

Muckworm

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When I left for work this morning many of these leaves that are burnt now we're not. What should I do guys. I'm all ears. I'll send another pic of my other plant that is effected too.
 
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M

Muckworm

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Douglas you haven't given up on my have you? If I misunderstood something you mentioned already I do apologize.

I don't know if I should cut off the affected leaves or leave them for now. Should I change the water and start again? Could I be using too much UC roots? I did max dose and add 6ml every other day. I'm leaving for four days on Thursday. I think if I leave everything alone it will kill them. Do I just need to lower the PH to 5.4 and try to stabilize it there? I was hoping for suggestions. I think I may be noted stressed than my plants.
 
Douglas.C

Douglas.C

312
63
Leave the leaves, no worries.

Change the water and start again. Start with the r/o water and add nutrients to around 550ppm. Then use pH up to reach a pH of 5.4. The pH should gradually rise, I'm thinking you probably used pH down to reach 5.4, which (if it was the case) leads me to believe you used a pH down product.

When you pH to only 5.4, the pH rise is from the plants eating the nutrients. This is a very stable swing in pH. When the pH reaches 5.8, add nutes back to the 550-600 range. There shouldn't be any need to use pH down and probably no need to use pH up for the rest of the grow, if the pH up you're using is quality.

The nutrient chart provided by the mfg is not helpful, unless you know someone else who has the same setup as you and using the same nutrient mix. Cannabis is a light feeder and a hyper/dynamic accumulator, it's best to only feed it what it can eat completely. The target values Mel Frank posted are very close to a 'general' mix for cannabis which requires very little tweaking. Epsom salts are best for dealing with the differences between strains in the amount of magnesium required. Mag is the largest variable between cannabis strains/phenos of any element in your nutrient mix. To reach these numbers, it helps to have a nutrient calculator, where you can plug in the amount of each nutrient you're using and it gives you the target ppm's for each element.

The "ask lucas" thread on the web has all of this information, and then some.

I have no idea what UC roots is, I do know the mfg's recommendation is usually much too strong for cannabis plants, unless it was created specifically for cannabis. Even then, mfg's prefer people use as much of their product as possible, always start with less than the max recommended. ;)

She's looking a little dark green, 600 might be too high. heh Still looking decent enough. Watch the pH rise today and tomorrow, it should be steady. You should be ok with being away for 4 days (definitely not ideal though) I really prefer to top off the reservoir daily. It keeps the ppm drop and pH-swing steady.
 
M

Muckworm

31
8
Oh my. Great info. Thank you. I understand what you are saying now. Okay my wife will be able to keep the level while I'm away. This is what I did last night. Did a complete water change. Because you said the spots look like a PH issue I checked the PH with my other (older) meter. Found the meter I was using lost its calibration setting. So when we talked last time about raising ppm and lowering PH to 5.4 it was off almost a whole point. Meaning I must had brought it to 4.4. Ugh. Lesson learned. Anyway, I skipped the Cal/majic and started at 30 ppm after RO. Added nutes to 440. Cal/mag was bringing ppms up to 200 before I started adding nutes. I let everything sit for a half hour and checked PH. Only needed 6 drops of down to get it to 5.40. Much better. Now I will do as you say and watch it climb as my Nutes decline. I should make a separate bucket with nutes at 440 and PH at 5.40 to fill as it drinks. Correct? Thank you my friend. I think I will swap over to the Lucas method after this grow. I've been reading up on it and now understand what you mean. Again. Thanks so much.
 
M

Muckworm

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As I was making water I threw this together for flowering (which I plan to start next Saturday). I have big dreams. Lol.

Truth is that I've learned a lot from this grow already. I've probably stressed these plants out to hermie as I've used an entire small bottle of PH down trying to stabilize it and a few other problems here and there. I hope the girls are tough. Here's a pic.
 
IMG 3196
Douglas.C

Douglas.C

312
63
Something is wrong with your R/O machine, ppm should be 14 and under. After adding nutes you should only need pH up to get back to 5.4. I've been there with the pen being off, good you caught it. Yes, 4.4 will cause those spotting and other issues for sure. :) I haven't used pH down in a flowering res for years. I have some for emergencies, hardly ever use it. The powdered GH up is good stuff. :)

Other than that it looks good. Glad to hear you'll still get top offs while you're away. Make sure she knows what the level should be, adding water drowns the roots which have adapted to air.

My pleasure. Hydro is stupid simple when you're taught the correct way. Just difficult to find on the net still. ;)
 
M

Muckworm

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Yes. You are right about the RO issue. My problem is that I have well water. Pressure can't get high enough upstairs to bring the ppms to 0 -14. I could buy a booster pump, but seeing as I was at 340 I thought I'd hold off and see what happens.
 
Douglas.C

Douglas.C

312
63
Yes. You are right about the RO issue. My problem is that I have well water. Pressure can't get high enough upstairs to bring the ppms to 0 -14. I could buy a booster pump, but seeing as I was at 340 I thought I'd hold off and see what happens.
That explains it, you need at least 40psi. Look around, there are booster pumps which are only around $80 and well worth it. This might help
 
M

Muckworm

31
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Hi Douglas. I have a question. Now that I understand the PH/nute system and how to keep it stable I did some testing last night. Okay here goes. I will refer to my biggest plant. Monday night as you know I changed the water. Ppm 440 and PH 5.4 last night at 9pm I pulled the plant out of the bucket and tested again. Ppm 340. PH 5.5. So knowing what you told me I felt like I needed to add a few drops of PH up before adding new water and nutes. I brought it up to 5.7 then added my pre made water and nutes at 440 and 5.4. The plant took 5 cups. However it only raised my ppm to 370. So I can only assume my fill water should be spiked much higher in nutes to bring that ppm number back to 440ish. Here's what I did. I. Bumped my fill water up to 900 ppm and 5.4 PH. I also added nutes directly to my plant water to raise it to 440. PH back to 5.4. My thinking is tonight when I add the fill water I will be much closer to 440. Is this correct or am I off base here?
 

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