Im going back to the hardness/nutrient lockout. You want it to be about 100ppms total, you can go up to 150, but at this stage id say 100 or less. Your over 300-400 easy. So whenever this problem started is when you should have been lowering the
calmag. I would make up a new batch. Ppm to 100 with
calmag, ppm to 300 with micro, ppm to 400 with grow, ppm to 800 with bloom. I doubt that 800ppms are too high, but it could be. Then you check it in 12hrs with the strip, always remember how much in ppms your adding when you ph up with calcium carbonate. I know your not using it much, but I stopped using the
Calmag from flora trio and started using the
calmag from
athena. It has less calcium. I also use athenas balance instead of ph up, it uses potassium silicate and actually adds K. It makes my PH stay pretty stable, and I dont really have to use the grow bottle as much either. I stopped using ph up, the calcium carbonate version.
I think the issue is you went from needing low amounts of
calmag, to heaps, now your back down to no
calmag barely, just substitute more micro is what I do. I have yet to see an issue with high N ppms during late flower, its how I brought my purple out during fade.
Your buds are showing purple, so I dont think its lack of N. IF it was lack of N you would have leafs fallen off and cripsy. Your lower growth wouldnt have rust spots.
So new plan, do what you do normally, just when it stops the stretch, keep your hardness on those strips under 150ppms.
the buds are also finishing, your not going to make it foxtail or stress by pulling off those bad leafs. IF they are big, and facing inwards, and are damaged more than 50%, pull them and let them lower buds finish up. Your plant will look quite well with some good defoliation. I wouldnt worry as much about stressing it out. Id worry about getting light down to the lower buds, and getting your hardness levels down.
I would also use some string and tie those buds up where they are even after you defoliate. I see one hanging down low that needs to be tied up in that last pic, its beautiful but it needs that heavy frost coating now.
Also I would partial harvest this bad boy. Those lower buds should stay in there at least 7 days with all the top buds out of the way. Id string them all up, wait a 8 days, cut the big ones, wait 7 days, cut them all. Id say your close to the finish line. My rule of thumb, you can always go 2 more weeks for the frost. now if the shit was ugly and revegging and foxtailing, on to the next batch. . but this is looking good bud.