Then they died

[Steveo77]

Using a smaller grow tent. First time growing indoors and first time growing in 24 years. Recently retired from mil. Had 2 autos running 24 hrs. Added PH down and then lost power for 13 hours and plants died over night. I don’t know what happened but here’s the photos. Literally, less than 48 hours they wilted and then crisped up. I deleted the photos I had of them dying. When I yanked them they stalk was slimy and soil was turning white. I know it’s very vague but any thoughts? I can’t start another round until mid July due to being away for a bit. Also, with the size of the spider farm tent should I just run 1 plant? They we re definitely crowding each other. Thanks for everything.

 

[Aqua Man]

What size tent is it… 3x3? Depends on the grow style. Can do 1 plant per sq ft max if doing SOG using clones and very short veg.

Can do 1 plant SCROG, mainline, topping and LST.

Or anywhere between depending on your skillset and goals

 

[Heywood]

Using a smaller grow tent. First time growing indoors and first time growing in 24 years. Recently retired from mil. Had 2 autos running 24 hrs. Added PH down and then lost power for 13 hours and plants died over night.

.
Hi. I see you are growing in soil and I am trying to understand your statement of "Added PH down".
Do you mean that you prepared water for them and you had adjusted the PH with PH down?

Sorry if that seems obvious to you, but it is just the way that you call out "Added PH down" without mentioning any other nutrients or additives.

How are you measuring the PH ?
What is your PH value that you adjust to?

 

[Steveo77]

What size tent is it… 3x3? Depends on the grow style. Can do 1 plant per sq ft max if doing SOG using clones and very short veg.

Can do 1 plant SCROG, mainline, topping and LST.

Or anywhere between depending on your skillset and goals

I did top one. The tent is spider farm 70*70*160 cm. So just under 3*3 and 5.3 feet tall. skill set is beginner. Using seeds. I tried LST in the days before they died because it was stretching to the light, but only on the right plant.appreciate the help.

 

[Steveo77]

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Hi. I see you are growing in soil and I am trying to understand your statement of "Added PH down".
Do you mean that you prepared water for them and you had adjusted the PH with PH down?

Sorry if that seems obvious to you, but it is just the way that you call out "Added PH down" without mentioning any other nutrients or additives.

How are you measuring the PH ?
What is your PH value that you adjust to?

Thanks for replying. My soil PH was hovering at about 7.5- 8. I use water from culligans bottled water. as the water here is very hard. It’s the only water we drink. We cook with tap but drinking comes from purchased.

I used bloom, grow, micro as instructed to get the water right but soil was still reading too high. So I bought PH down and used it. That’s when things went south after going pretty well.

 

[Steveo77]

.
Hi. I see you are growing in soil and I am trying to understand your statement of "Added PH down".
Do you mean that you prepared water for them and you had adjusted the PH with PH down?

Sorry if that seems obvious to you, but it is just the way that you call out "Added PH down" without mentioning any other nutrients or additives.

How are you measuring the PH ?
What is your PH value that you adjust to?

Measure PH, Soil, and Light by one meter

 

[Steveo77]

Think I’ll try different soil this time around. Thoughts on autos for 24/7? Cost is not a problem. I run solar for the spring-fall months. I’ve read a lot of different theories. 16/8 20/4 24. If cost isn’t an issue what are your thoughts. I wanted to do and prob still will do one of each. I know each strand will react different but im rolling with GSC and Bruce right now. I have one other auto that’s a mystery sent as a surprise.

 

[Heywood]

I think I understand which meter you are talking about. That's the one that has the dual probes that are like 6 inches long then a small switch you use to change to display the moisture or light value?

I have that one, but really only use it as a reference to how moist the soil might be near the bottom of the pot. I don't trust it for other readings.

 

[Steveo77]

I think I understand which meter you are talking about. That's the one that has the dual probes that are like 6 inches long then a small switch you use to change to display the moisture or light value?

I have that one, but really only use it as a reference to how moist the soil might be near the bottom of the pot. I don't trust it for other readings.

That’s the one.

 

[Steveo77]

That’s the one.

What do you recommend for PH

 

[Heywood]

.
Well, there's going to be different schools of thought on even having the need to adjust PH when growing in soil.

I am hard-headed and stubborn and I will always test and adjust the PH of my water to 6.3 - 6.5 range.
Every. Single. Time.

Aqua Man - who is WAY more knowledgeable than me regarding all things cannabis, will tell you the reasoning for not needing to PH adjust in soil.
I basically understand them, and I have no reason to doubt him whatsoever...
But I am OCD. If I do not PH my water, I will have difficulty going to sleep that night.

With that said, you can get on Amazon and get a much better PH meter than that multi-meter you have.
The one I use is this $30 one HM Digital PH-80 pH Meter Waterproof PH80 Tester HydroTester
But I also calibrate it regularly with General Hydroponics 7.0 calibration solution
If you don't calibrate, they tend to drift over time.

(The underlined items are clickable links to the products on Amazon)

The purists will tell you to ditch the meter altogether and use the test strips with the dropper method.
I have no issues with that method either, but personally I have difficulty distinguishing between the slight variations in shading.
Hence the use of a digital meter for me.

 

[N1ghtL1ght]

PH perfect has an inane pH-corrector and it's not really doable to correct the pH of a soil with a bit watering. Though I'm not convinced it was actually that alkaline or problematic to begin with as the plants grew fine.
Do you mix your soil by yourself? Adding peat or elemental sulfur can take it down, or less calcitic/chalk.

The problems with overtly much acids on soil is the pH-swings which can be detrimental to bacteria's and soillife plus roots also establish an own surrounding where they can work well.

But it's strange they died so quickly. Could it perhaps be your pH-meter malfunctions and you accidently fed way too acidic?

 

[steamroller]

I suspect you used too much ph minus ? A death that quick is poisoning IME .
Test the water that comes from your pot after watering for pH.
Most soils will have what is needed to handle 'normal ' water without issue.
I don't pH my water but started out of fear once !

 

[Steveo77]

What do you recommend for PH

Appreciate it. Looking at digital ones now. Again. Thanks.

 

[Steveo77]

PH perfect has an inane pH-corrector and it's not really doable to correct the pH of a soil with a bit watering. Though I'm not convinced it was actually that alkaline or problematic to begin with as the plants grew fine.
Do you mix your soil by yourself? Adding peat or elemental sulfur can take it down, or less calcitic/chalk.

The problems with overtly much acids on soil is the pH-swings which can be detrimental to bacteria's and soillife plus roots also establish an own surrounding where they can work well.

But it's strange they died so quickly. Could it perhaps be your pH-meter malfunctions and you accidently fed way too acidic?

Honestly, think that’s where screwed it up. They were growing fine but I was so concerned with PH levels. Should have just left it alone as they were growing fine. Eh. Live and learn. Thanks for the feedback

 

[Heywood]

Could it perhaps be your pH-meter malfunctions and you accidently fed way too acidic?

.
I think this is the meter he is using.
There is nothing about these things that says "quality" to me.
Maybe there is nothing wrong with them, but I just don't trust the readings...

 

[Steveo77]

That’s the one.

 

[Steveo77]

That’s the one.

Ehh crazy you found the exact one.

 

[Steveo77]

PH perfect has an inane pH-corrector and it's not really doable to correct the pH of a soil with a bit watering. Though I'm not convinced it was actually that alkaline or problematic to begin with as the plants grew fine.
Do you mix your soil by yourself? Adding peat or elemental sulfur can take it down, or less calcitic/chalk.

The problems with overtly much acids on soil is the pH-swings which can be detrimental to bacteria's and soillife plus roots also establish an own surrounding where they can work well.

But it's strange they died so quickly. Could it perhaps be your pH-meter malfunctions and you accidently fed way too acidic?

I did not mix soil myself. I honestly think it was me. Think I killed them with PH down. So frustrating. I bought spoil from local Blume store here in Germany. I’ve been looking at fox farms for the next cycle. I can get it from England. It’s not available here. I’m sure there’s something similar but trying to explain what I want from the soil is difficult.

 

[N1ghtL1ght]

.
I think this is the meter he is using.
There is nothing about these things that says "quality" to me.
Maybe there is nothing wrong with them, but I just don't trust the readings...

View attachment 1252745

I have those, too ordered cheap from Ali some time ago just to check them. They don't work. Everything is really way off and the metal sticks even rust so they are in a box ever since :/