First Time Grower - Clear Signs Of Problems!

[Colossus]

Hi Guys,

First id like to say sorry as this has certainly been posted before but due to the severity ive placed it under ive decided to go straight ahead and start asking away!

Secondly, Hope everyone is enjoying their day and night wherever in the world you are!

Finally but not limited, I managed to acquire an old setup a friends brother used for doing clones. Its a tent 2 meters in Height, 2 in Width and maybe 3 in Depth - Its enough to fit 4 comfortably. The tent was literally made in the backyard - Although he claims he bought it along time ago. Im using a Clay rock Medium - 3 plants were clones (white russian) 1 was Hollands hope who i suspect has just turned male and happened to be paired in the same pot as a Auto-Cheese i decided to put in there for personal smoke - This problem is only visable on the WR strains - I suspect it to be Manganese Deficiency on 2 plants and maybe Magnesium Deficiency on the other (please see uploads included) Im using an Auto watering system and Nefarious Part A & B which i layed off giving half strength too till recently and have starting noticing this getting alot worse since then..... Im aware im going to need to maybe check my pH levels (which i have only recently started doing - the past 2 days) and the pH sits at around 6,8 - ive just put half a lemon 10 minutes ago - Is there any recommendations? Intially i thought it was light burn after increasing from 600w to a Sunmaster 1000w Warm globe. Inputs are much appreciated. What steps do i need to take from here?!

 

[Junk]

What is your ph after the lemon trick (which I've never heard of till just now) in hydro, ph is important, and 6.8 is high.

I don't know if that is your problem or not, I'm sure someone else will chime in, but you have to get the ph fixed as well.

I'm dwc, (similar to you but you have a top drip) and I keep my ph at 5.8-6.0

 

[Colossus]

I will try and get to the Hardware store today, did you use pH Down to bring it down?

 

[Power OG]

Ph is off causing lock outs in my opinion , i also agree that your ph should be between 5.5 -6.0, id recommend geting ph up & down & a good digital ph pen and get it under control, and see if the problem persist, there's so many variables, so start checking them off one at time. You'll get it bro.
Respect

 

[Colossus]

Thanks PowerOG - I just got back from the hydro shop, purchased some down only, Fucked it up the first one my Ph went to 3.... Drained the water and refilled her - Shes sitting at 5.5 - Do you no how often id need to be monitoring the situation? Every few hours? Every day?

 

[Power OG]

Check it in few hours if your good id check it once a day or every other till you have a better understanding of what its doing, staying or raising etc.

 

[Colossus]

Mate you wouldnt know how much i appreciate the comments... Ill check just before feeding time @ 6 tonight and then ill take it from there and let you no how i go! Again. Thank you very much!

 

[Power OG]

Mate you wouldnt know how much i appreciate the comments... Ill check just before feeding time @ 6 tonight and then ill take it from there and let you no how i go! Again. Thank you very much!

No problem bro, anytime thats what we here for to learn to grow the best meds. Keep it green.
Respect

 

[Junk]

I will try and get to the Hardware store today, did you use pH Down to bring it down?

Is your water ph that high? Like, what was causing the ph problem?

If your water is not naturally that ph, you will need some up and down. If your water is just naturally high, you just need down. Get a good kind (I don't remember names of mine) so it doesn't settle.

I keep mine at 5.8-6.0 because that's what my water is. Ideally, I'd want to be 5.7, but I'll take it.

If this is your first dwc, I'll look at my nutes later today and tell you the name. They make it very easy, just add A and B. So long as you can keep your ph right and change out your water, you can't screw it up. What I discovered with nutes is some settle in the buckets (nectar for the gods) and some don't. I believe it s a sodium based vs I forget (just woke up) but you want the kind that doesn't settle.

**Edit - also, since it's your first time, you may want to search the mainlining thread. You arent going to get very much product keeping your plants trimmed that way. You can pm me any questions after you read it.

 

[Rootbound]

I would keep a chart of what you are doing. Then you can look back to see what helped and what didnt.

 

[Colossus]

Is your water ph that high? Like, what was causing the ph problem?

If your water is not naturally that ph, you will need some up and down. If your water is just naturally high, you just need down. Get a good kind (I don't remember names of mine) so it doesn't settle.

I keep mine at 5.8-6.0 because that's what my water is. Ideally, I'd want to be 5.7, but I'll take it.

If this is your first dwc, I'll look at my nutes later today and tell you the name. They make it very easy, just add A and B. So long as you can keep your ph right and change out your water, you can't screw it up. What I discovered with nutes is some settle in the buckets (nectar for the gods) and some don't. I believe it s a sodium based vs I forget (just woke up) but you want the kind that doesn't settle.

**Edit - also, since it's your first time, you may want to search the mainlining thread. You arent going to get very much product keeping your plants trimmed that way. You can pm me any questions after you read it.

Hey lad, thanks for the heads up..... I never actually thought of taking the pH of my water, but im assuming its around the 7 mark... Thats what the pH is once ive added A and B to the water.... I also take my big bucket of water and empty it i also clean it out very well (as told by the friend who initially set me up) Not just water i get the sponge in there and give it a proper wash down before putting any new water and nutes in..... I have been checking the thread and reading up on it, and this is actually the site that gave me the information to establish what was actually happening.... Its weird, they were fine one minute then all of a sudden :( ------ UPDATE:::: The pH of the water seems to rise every couple hours after putting pH down in..... Im also in Australia - Im sure the Nutes we have here would be different to the rest of the world... Although i hope not :)

 

[Colossus]

I would keep a chart of what you are doing. Then you can look back to see what helped and what didnt.

Im kind of doing that, nothing in hard copy but certainly in my mind! Thats the thing, i didnt change anything from the beginning hence why im scratching my head.. They are about 4th week into their 1000w after being under 600w for a couple weeks would the heat change may have caused this also? (i keep the tank out of the tent so not sure how it would)

 

[Junk]

These are the nutes I was talking about.



So long as you have an accurate measuring device (to dispense the liquids in the correct amounts, you don't even necessarily need meters yet) it's pretty hard to screw up. You will need to add other nutrients as you transition to flower but for veg & training time, it's fine. It may not be the best, but it makes everything very easy for your first time around with hydro.

In another thread i mentioned that people discouraged me from using co2. After using it, I think they were totally wrong. It's very easy to do, & it makes a significant difference. So I disagree with that advice. So long as you are a person with average intelligence, co2 is hard to screw up in my opinion.

But my point is this; I was told the same thing about hydro. The thing with hydro. However, I discovered that hydro actually IS very easy to screw up. Imo, it's easier to maintain bc I don't have to water every few days. But if you screw up, its very unforgiving.

That's the only reason I mention those nutes. I have no affiliation with the company. In fact, my next run, I plan on switching to a more complex system. But I will have meters & what not to make sure everything is "just right."

I always keep a test plant. If you are able to, in the beginning I think it's a good idea. I feed that plant first to make sure the plants I care about aren't going to be stunted. Even if I go over on the nutes (extra tablespoon of A & B) the burn is extremely light. So, I'm not sure what you are using now (you may have mentioned it & I just forgot) but if you can measure tablespoons accurately, & get your PH to where it needs to be, you can use the nutes I mentioned above for a first hydro grow & your chances of ruining a crop is minimal.

PH though, has got to be in that 5.5-6.0 region. If possible, I like to be at 5.7, but if it's as high as 6.0 I won't bother adjusting it. Where I live, after it rains, the PH of my water goes up. I have town water. If it's been dry a few days, that's when I get 5.8. I don't have an explanation for it, but maybe with that info you will either figure it out for us, or at least you will take note of that.

Just out of curiosity, what is the PH of your water before doing anything to it? & what region do you live in? (E.g. I live in the North East part of the country) I'm just curious where the ph of the tap water is that high? I've heard of people having higher, but don't know where they are at in the country.

 

[Colossus]

North East part of America i take it?

Im As far South to the glode you can get brother ;) Im in South Australia! Ive just tested the water straight out the tap (non filtered although i do have filtered water) The non filtered water in South Australia is 6.9 (this reaches 7 when i put A & B in measured with a Syringe) My filtered water is 7 which im guessing it should be?!

 

[Junk]

Im kind of doing that, nothing in hard copy but certainly in my mind! Thats the thing, i didnt change anything from the beginning hence why im scratching my head.. They are about 4th week into their 1000w after being under 600w for a couple weeks would the heat change may have caused this also? (i keep the tank out of the tent so not sure how it would)

So you are on a reservoir system? What temps are you at in the tent, & also your res water?

It could be that you experience the same phenomenon as I do, with the PH fluctuation of the water pre-rain vs. post-rain. Were your previous PH numbers that high? You might just have a high PH in general, but used the water at a time when it was a few points higher & that made the difference? Either way, now you know that is much too high. Fix that first, it could very well be your only problem.

A hard copy in your head doesn't work long term for most people. I'm pretty meticulous, I'm OCD, & a diagnosed perfectionist. Many people say they are a perfectionist but they don't know what it really means. It's tied into obsessive/compulsive operation. A real perfectionist, it gets in the way of their life. It causes problems. I painted my living room 7 times (literally 7) because it "just wasn't right," my wife was angry, but I just can't stop it. I will lay awake at night just thinking about how the paint is not "perfect," at least in my opinion.

Now, when I grow out all the "freebie" auto seeds I get...well, let's just say stuff I thought I would remember, because of my perfectionism...I've forgotten. A nice big calendar is great because you can keep track of all your notes, the date is already marked so just write the time down. It will serve you well in the future. It's really worth the effort, especially in hydro.

 

[Junk]

North East part of America i take it?

Im As far South to the glode you can get brother ;) Im in South Australia! Ive just tested the water straight out the tap (non filtered although i do have filtered water) The non filtered water in South Australia is 6.9 (this reaches 7 when i put A & B in measured with a Syringe) My filtered water is 7 which im guessing it should be?!

For drinking, 7.0 is great. For growing plants in hydro, with no soil or medium to buffer PH, 7.0 is way too high.

 

[Colossus]

Currently i use these nutes

http://www.greenacreshydroponics.net/apps/photos/photo?photoid=104767715

 

[Colossus]

So you are on a reservoir system? What temps are you at in the tent, & also your res water?

It could be that you experience the same phenomenon as I do, with the PH fluctuation of the water pre-rain vs. post-rain. Were your previous PH numbers that high? You might just have a high PH in general, but used the water at a time when it was a few points higher & that made the difference? Either way, now you know that is much too high. Fix that first, it could very well be your only problem.

A hard copy in your head doesn't work long term for most people. I'm pretty meticulous, I'm OCD, & a diagnosed perfectionist. Many people say they are a perfectionist but they don't know what it really means. It's tied into obsessive/compulsive operation. A real perfectionist, it gets in the way of their life. It causes problems. I painted my living room 7 times (literally 7) because it "just wasn't right," my wife was angry, but I just can't stop it. I will lay awake at night just thinking about how the paint is not "perfect," at least in my opinion.

Now, when I grow out all the "freebie" auto seeds I get...well, let's just say stuff I thought I would remember, because of my perfectionism...I've forgotten. A nice big calendar is great because you can keep track of all your notes, the date is already marked so just write the time down. It will serve you well in the future. It's really worth the effort, especially in hydro.

And being the first grow, your absolutely right, i should be making a very big list of notes, what to do, what not to do!!! Ill be honest with you, Here in Australia its winter so it has been raining literally every day, its a good point you made about the rain and its affect on the pH - Certainly!!! The temp in the Tent sits and never usually fluctuates at all is around the 28 degrees C..... Im guessing from what ive read thats around perfect?

 

[Colossus]

I dont take Temp of the water - Should i be? Im guessing that would be room temp although i do leave the window in the room open for a little bit of circulation - Ive been told that leaving it open for 15 minutes a day should be enough (currently i dont close it (we are in winter) ) could this affect the pH in water though?

 

[lazyfarma420]

I dont take Temp of the water - Should i be? Im guessing that would be room temp although i do leave the window in the room open for a little bit of circulation - Ive been told that leaving it open for 15 minutes a day should be enough (currently i dont close it (we are in winter) ) could this affect the pH in water though?

I've never checked my ph not once I guess comes I'm growing in super soil there's no need to ??