H3ad Formula Problems

  • Thread starter Hurricaine
  • Start date
  • Tagged users None
Hurricaine

Hurricaine

47
18
Im new to using this forum and badly need some help i cannot lose this crop. 4kw lights over 2-3x6 with 18 plants in 2gal smart pots per table in botanicare aeration mix. Using head formula 6/9 micro bloom with 2tsp epsom salt added and experiencing cal/mag deficiency? Sprayed with calimagic 2days ago and problem does not seem to be improving. Noticing very weak yellow new growth with rust spots on fan leaves leaf tips. Plants were doing great until 2 days before 12/12 I added Caps bennies tea and problem really seemed to show itself plants didn't drink much water after that. Any suggestions are appreciated much!!
 
H3ad formula problems
H3ad formula problems 2
H3ad formula problems 3
Hurricaine

Hurricaine

47
18
Hurricane you in airation mix? It's coco + pearlite?
Yes would this be better suited for the 8/16 formula...i bought a ph pen so I can monitor that better thinking I have salt build up lock out I flushed the other night with a 1/4 strength nutes and oh 6.5ish since my runoff water has been orange on my ph test kit...hopefully just a salt ph issues which I'll be addressing fully tonight. Any input is still greatly appreciated!! Thanks and happy growing!!
 
Hurricaine

Hurricaine

47
18
what are your temps ? How is the area set up ?

All the top growers have this under control and its the reason they are the " top ". No matter where or what u grow.


https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/understanding-transpiration.82240/
This is something I've been working on more than a fancy feed schedule the area is dialed in 78 degree temps on canopy with lights on maybe 70 atnight humidty 40-50% humidity. 420cfm intake fan in a room 504cf room. Environment is dialed until summer gets here lol.... my runoff was very acidic on my last couple watering leading me to believe they are not eating all the food and that there is nute build up within the media?? I will be using a watered down H3ad formula tonight maybe 600ppms compared to my usual 700 reading. Hope I'm on the right track to becoming one of those top notch growers is thoroughly enjoy this project hope to continue learning but def need a good harvest this time my last coupl3 were very upsetting do to some root aphids in organic soil no bueno...peace love n weed!!
 
Hurricaine

Hurricaine

47
18
I believe the whole issue was not using a p.h meter I finally and broke down and bought one (long time organic farmer). Last piece to the puzzle I believe I hope!!
 
Hurricaine

Hurricaine

47
18
Im using earth juice catalyst for my p.h down. I was not using nearly enough to lower the p.h and was going in around 6.3. The drop p.h test kits just don't cut it for coco/perlite. I was hoping to get away without buying a p.h meter but glad I did plants are nice and perky now with the H3ad formula and 1ml calimagic/gal and catalyst to p.h of 6.0.
 
20170320 003813
Hurricaine

Hurricaine

47
18
The cookie table is looking good too hard to get these things to fill in need to use more plants next time!!
 
20170320 004128
Savage Henry

Savage Henry

960
143
I believe the whole issue was not using a p.h meter I finally and broke down and bought one (long time organic farmer). Last piece to the puzzle I believe I hope!!

Totally. A ph pen is an absolute necessity in coco.
 
Hurricaine

Hurricaine

47
18
This head formula is not all that simple stupid it's a great base formula for sure but to feed that all the way thru and just that, it's not that easy. Ph must be kept below 6.0 5.7 I find to be good and it will rise over the next 24 hrs/ before next feeding this way I'm getting a range of p.h feeding. I'm also noticing a salt build up and burned leaf tips which I'll be addressing with a half to 1/4 strength flush at least once a week with cannazym to address any dead roots that may have accumulated and as a preventive to keep things clean!! Just trying to chart some problems and resolutions to this formula loving the results so far can't wait to get it dialed in!!!
 
Hurricaine

Hurricaine

47
18
I think the nitrogen is a bit high on this mix for my strain and a 5/9mix is More appropriate for flower with the added Cali magic I'm almost certain it's too much nitro. Will be backing down to 5/9 & stepping the micro down as I feel necessary. I'll post some picture updates later! 2weeks into 12/12 starting to see some fruit!!
 
Hurricaine

Hurricaine

47
18
The one question I keep asking is should I even be using the h3ad formula 6/9 or should I be doing lucas 8/16?? My media is 55/45 coco perlite I believe or very close to that its botanicare aeration mix anyone have any experience with this mix?
 
Bearfamfarm

Bearfamfarm

167
63
Hi @Hurricaine hopefully I can give you a lil help just from my own personal experience. I am running a 70/30 coco per mix in smart pots using gh nutes. I tried starting with that head formula you are using and it was too hot. Not only that but in flower just the micro was too much n. Even feeding low at 400 ppm was getting a slight claw and had to back the micro down to almost nothing. What I am also finding is that with the 70/30 mix watering daily is a must or you will get salt buildup with gh. Even watering till run off. Probably even twice a day would not hurt especially since you have 55/45. So my strain is a cross of bubba and Chem dawg. What I have been doing is actually doing a 3/6 micro bloom in veg. This covers the cal and mag as well so you don't really need any. Then I bump up my ppm where I want em with just bloom if it's off and ph. If you ph is low I use armor si. Bumps the ph and gives some good nutes. When I get to flower I keep going with the 3/6 formula and for then just add liquid Kool bloom instead of flora bloom for my bumps. What I find is that my run off will slowly raise over the week. I'll feed them 400-600 in flower and when the run off gets to 800-900 I go to a 1/4 strength for a day then back to normal. I find I can watch her better this way as the ppm in the root zone creeps up and if you notice any sign of stress back down the nutes. Helps me push her to the limit and use the salt buildup to advantage. Hope this helps. Just my 2 cents
 
Hurricaine

Hurricaine

47
18
Say thanks bear fam!! I was suspecting the micro was a bit much on the N i had to back it down. I'm on second week into flower and its looking ok just not great I've seen my best results with just pure ocean forest but I got root aphidsfrom them too so had to switch up my game plan. Sorry slacking on the pictures I'll get some up tonight to see what others think. What kind of numbers are you pulling from your bubba chem setup? My strains are this forums cookie cut and some mystery platinum cookies because i couldnt get my dosido clones to root.. :( thanks for all your help that's all very helpful because I'm learning this all on my own not getting to see it done by someone else first...
 
Hurricaine

Hurricaine

47
18
Well I flushed over 50 gals of 1/4 strength h3ad formula thru 36 2gal smart pots they sure needed that finally got the run off down to 500ppm and p.h was 6.2 when I was watering 5.7ph not sure why the p.h was a tad high on run off? 36 hrs later they were drying out and watered with @Bearfamfarm 3/6 suggestion! Looking nice and happy this evening!!!
 
Last edited:
Hurricaine

Hurricaine

47
18
Here's a few pics of the mystery platinum cookies it sure is looking like a winner to me even with all the stress I've put em thru!!
 
20170328 124830
20170328 124854
Hurricaine

Hurricaine

47
18
Here be the Cains cookie it def showing the signs of too much Nitro. Hope the flush and lowering to 3/6 get a this girl back on track....the mystery platinumcookies has more frost starting and that's just not right I've never seen anything out frost the Cain cookie...lol looks like I'm on the right path!! Super appreciate the help @Bearfamfarm !
 
20170328 124958
20170328 124953
Bearfamfarm

Bearfamfarm

167
63
Well I flushed over 50 gals of 1/4 strength h3ad formula thru 36 2gal smart pots they sure needed that finally got the run off down to 500ppm and p.h was 6.2 when I was watering 5.7ph not sure why the p.h was a tad high on run off? 36 hrs later they were drying out and watered with @Bearfamfarm 3/6 suggestion! Looking nice and happy this evening!!!
So glad to hear your back on track! With soil you get a nice buffer zone. Us guys in coco not as much. The ph on the runoff is higher many times because you are flushing some of the salts out that the plant didn't use. Usually the extra florabloom she didn't drink. This is totally fine. We like to think we are giving our girls exactly what they want all the time but really we line her up at a buffet and let her eat. Sometimes she just drinks the water and deposits those nutes right in the root zone. So we know that our ph and ppm climb on the run off. This means she is getting more nutes than she can drink to me. So if you see anything funny at this point it's not a deficiency. It's probably a ph problem due to the salts in the medium. Now if your ppm and or ph is lower on run off. She needs more nutes. She is drinking them up faster than giving em to her. And if stable run off you hit the sweet spot. That's where I let the ppm creep on runoff I was talking about. You watch it close first run (every strain diff feeding) and when you see the first signs of tip yellow or burn you know that's too hot. And then you can just push her to the max every run cause you know that she burns at a certain ppm at certain weeks. Your plants are looking really good man. Keep it up. Now that your not double feeding cal mag it probably freed up another 100-150 ppm you can use for more liquid kool bloom. Start with your 3/6 base and check ppm. Then add some liquid kool bloom to get where you want the ppms. Mine has been running 3/6/9 with no burn but I don't know what your cookies can handle. I picked up a pack of csi humboldt bubba girl cookies so when those finally take off I'll be able to have a lil more insight on how cookies grow.
 
Bearfamfarm

Bearfamfarm

167
63
Oh and I'm sure you do this already but when you flush do it in 2 stages. Water real good till run off and let it soak. Give it 30-45 min then hit it again. This way any undissolved salt deposits can dissolve and then be flushed out on the second rinse. I'll try to get you some side by side pics but basicly if I didn't do that I got those white salty stains on my smart pots. And since I've been doing that have not had that issue.
 
Bearfamfarm

Bearfamfarm

167
63
Here's a few shots of the bubba dawg. Got a table about 6 weeks to go and a single plant flushing. Took a few mature buds but the rest is finishing. Chop this week. Getting frost on fan leaves 6 inches and farther down from tops of colas on the table. But I did lower my rh and started her on my tea this run.
 
IMG 1368
IMG 1409
IMG 1415
IMG 1463
IMG 1467
IMG 1468
Top Bottom