curiousgrowth
- 17
- 3
Hello all! This is my first post on the site. I’ve been growing for about a year and a half. I feel like I’m starting to get a handle on some stuff, though I am constantly learning how little I actually know.
A little information on my setup:
3 x 3 x 6.5 tent
HLG 300L R- spec light
Cloudline T-4 ventilation fan with controller
Carbon filter
24” box fan
Autopot watering system
Cloth 5 gal pots
Coco with 50/50 perlite
Little 3 amp heater
Food:
Tap water- 7.4 pH/80-90 PPM
Advanced Nutrients Sensi Coco
Big Bud Coco
SLF-100
Botanicare Cal-Mag+
The pictures show Lili’s growth up until now and her space. She’s a Hawaiian x Purple Skunk cross and just completed her 5th week. It looks like she’ll go the full 10 weeks. I’ve trimmed her a couple times and also topped her once at the 5th node.
Now for the issues: With every grow I’ve done, I have been unable to feed anything more than 1/2 the amount of recommended nutrients, or else the tips start burning. Right now I am dealing with nutrient deficiencies and tip burn as I push the 1000 PPM threshold. I have some suspicions as to what the problems are, but don’t know if I’m headed in the right direction.
Suspicion #1: Low PPM from tap indicates low amount of essential trace minerals normally found in tap water. Without these minerals, nutrient lockout occurs over a certain PPM
Suspicion #2: Low PPM from tap indicates low levels of calcium and magnesium, requiring the use of the Cal-Mag. However, there may be a difference between calcium nitrate and calcium phosphate and the Cal-Mag I’m using isn’t correct, thereby causing the plant to be deficient
Suspicion #3: Advanced Nutrients Sensi Coco has more added calcium, so adding the extra Cal-Mag is giving her too much, causing nutrient lockout above a certain PPM. On their site, their own Cal-Mag product says it’s only to be used with other companies product, that their base nutrients have all the Cal-Mag you need.
Suspicion #4: Not enough microbial/mycorrhizae action going on in the root system, leading to nutrient lockout above a certain PPM.
Suspicion #5: Temps are not getting high enough. Prior to installing the heater, tent only got to 68-70* in the cooler weather. The heater is connected to the same timer as the light, so they turn on together. The tent now sits at 78* with light on, 60* with it off. Humidity regulated by Cloudline fan at 55%, 75% in veg.
Suspicion #6: pH levels are too high/low. I have both a pH pen and GH pH indicator fluid, and they never agree. I bought another GH indicator fluid bottle and it gives me the same results as the old, so I’m going by that for my measurements. After mixing reservoir, pH reads around 5.5-6. Any time I test the pH, it always reads 5.5-6.
A buddy of mine is also doing an Autopot grow with great results, able to feed over 2000 PPM regularly without burn. I have to keep mine around 800-900 PPMs or she burns. We have nearly identical HLG lighting, same grow medium (I literally helped him put the Autopot together and make the pots up the way I always do with the same materials I use), and similar tent environments, although his is 3 x 6. He uses the same food, same Cal-Mag, same SLF-100. His tap water is around 8.2 pH/250 PPMs, which is the only difference I can see. It’s great to see him with a monster on his first grow, but now I’m a bit jealous and want to get this figured out!
Any help or ideas are appreciated. I’m willing to listen, even if it’s crazy.
A little information on my setup:
3 x 3 x 6.5 tent
HLG 300L R- spec light
Cloudline T-4 ventilation fan with controller
Carbon filter
24” box fan
Autopot watering system
Cloth 5 gal pots
Coco with 50/50 perlite
Little 3 amp heater
Food:
Tap water- 7.4 pH/80-90 PPM
Advanced Nutrients Sensi Coco
Big Bud Coco
SLF-100
Botanicare Cal-Mag+
The pictures show Lili’s growth up until now and her space. She’s a Hawaiian x Purple Skunk cross and just completed her 5th week. It looks like she’ll go the full 10 weeks. I’ve trimmed her a couple times and also topped her once at the 5th node.
Now for the issues: With every grow I’ve done, I have been unable to feed anything more than 1/2 the amount of recommended nutrients, or else the tips start burning. Right now I am dealing with nutrient deficiencies and tip burn as I push the 1000 PPM threshold. I have some suspicions as to what the problems are, but don’t know if I’m headed in the right direction.
Suspicion #1: Low PPM from tap indicates low amount of essential trace minerals normally found in tap water. Without these minerals, nutrient lockout occurs over a certain PPM
Suspicion #2: Low PPM from tap indicates low levels of calcium and magnesium, requiring the use of the Cal-Mag. However, there may be a difference between calcium nitrate and calcium phosphate and the Cal-Mag I’m using isn’t correct, thereby causing the plant to be deficient
Suspicion #3: Advanced Nutrients Sensi Coco has more added calcium, so adding the extra Cal-Mag is giving her too much, causing nutrient lockout above a certain PPM. On their site, their own Cal-Mag product says it’s only to be used with other companies product, that their base nutrients have all the Cal-Mag you need.
Suspicion #4: Not enough microbial/mycorrhizae action going on in the root system, leading to nutrient lockout above a certain PPM.
Suspicion #5: Temps are not getting high enough. Prior to installing the heater, tent only got to 68-70* in the cooler weather. The heater is connected to the same timer as the light, so they turn on together. The tent now sits at 78* with light on, 60* with it off. Humidity regulated by Cloudline fan at 55%, 75% in veg.
Suspicion #6: pH levels are too high/low. I have both a pH pen and GH pH indicator fluid, and they never agree. I bought another GH indicator fluid bottle and it gives me the same results as the old, so I’m going by that for my measurements. After mixing reservoir, pH reads around 5.5-6. Any time I test the pH, it always reads 5.5-6.
A buddy of mine is also doing an Autopot grow with great results, able to feed over 2000 PPM regularly without burn. I have to keep mine around 800-900 PPMs or she burns. We have nearly identical HLG lighting, same grow medium (I literally helped him put the Autopot together and make the pots up the way I always do with the same materials I use), and similar tent environments, although his is 3 x 6. He uses the same food, same Cal-Mag, same SLF-100. His tap water is around 8.2 pH/250 PPMs, which is the only difference I can see. It’s great to see him with a monster on his first grow, but now I’m a bit jealous and want to get this figured out!
Any help or ideas are appreciated. I’m willing to listen, even if it’s crazy.