Need help diagnosing issue. Nutrient burn or deficiency?

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darkerfalz

darkerfalz

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Hey all. I’m into my 6th grow or so and having some issues roughly 3 weeks in. My past grows have all gone fairly smoothly considering my lack of experience and aside from some hiccups and stupid mistakes, I never really experienced too much difficulty with the nutrients but cal mag has always been a bit of an issue for me.

This more recent grow started great, the best yet so far actually. Usually I have trouble in the first stage and have generally had slow growth in the beginning of the seedling stage but these girls just took off. I fed them around 3 days ago and next day one of then immediately showed the signs of stress like in the attached photos but lighter. I topped them the next day anyways and then after another feeding it got worse and showed in both plant. It starts from the older growth and hasn’t reached the top yet so I’m thinkin it might be Mg.

Im running Lucas formula with RO in coco/perlite mix. Been running only 1:2ml per gal ratio of micro to bloom with 5ml per gal cal mag, PHd to 5.9-6.1. Last feeding I bumped up to 2:4ml because they were starting to get a little lighter and look hungry. That’s when the problems started so it’s been a few days.

Any advice? I plan on running a lighter solution of 3ml per gal cal mag thru the medium to flush out any salt buildup and replenishing with a light nutrient solution again.

Need help diagnosing issue nutrient burn or deficiency
Need help diagnosing issue nutrient burn or deficiency 2
Need help diagnosing issue nutrient burn or deficiency 3
Need help diagnosing issue nutrient burn or deficiency 4
Need help diagnosing issue nutrient burn or deficiency 5
Need help diagnosing issue nutrient burn or deficiency 6
 
darkerfalz

darkerfalz

30
8
Defficiency caused by too much light. The plant doesn't have enough roots to intake enough for that much light.
Darn, now that you mention it that might be it. Had the Mars Hydro TSW2000 light 12 inches from pots/tops of plants. I literally upped the light from 75 to 100% about 4 days ago. I never wouldve guessed that might be the issue since its happening from the bottom up but after looking around it seems its def the case.

I moved the light to 18 inches and pushed it back down to 75%
Agreed. How often are you watering also? What are those 3 or 5gal pots?
Watering roughly every other day in 7 gal pots. I absolutely understand its overkill for coco but I wanted to try it out for science to compare the results to my 3 gal grows.
 
2Bad

2Bad

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Darn, now that you mention it that might be it. Had the Mars Hydro TSW2000 light 12 inches from pots/tops of plants. I literally upped the light from 75 to 100% about 4 days ago. I never wouldve guessed that might be the issue since its happening from the bottom up but after looking around it seems its def the case.

I moved the light to 18 inches and pushed it back down to 75%

Watering roughly every other day in 7 gal pots. I absolutely understand its overkill for coco but I wanted to try it out for science to compare the results to my 3 gal grows.
I understand completely. Are you used to running coco? Did you buffer before hand? Def think its the light tho just wanted to cover the bases.
 
darkerfalz

darkerfalz

30
8
I understand completely. Are you used to running coco? Did you buffer before hand? Def think its the light tho just wanted to cover the bases.
Yea, my first grow which was 6 plants was soil + dry amendments but after that I've run every grow with coco + lucas formula with results that Im very satisfied with. The coco I used is supposed to be pre buffered, but I did run 4 gal each of a light nutrient solution through both pots. I watered very lightly though the first few days after sprout but started watering more to keep the medium moist and saturated so that the roots could grow. Never had a problem with overwatering.

I am thinking of attempting the Mr. Canucks Coco + Dry amendment method one of these grows soon, but Ive heard many mixed things about it. Most negatives seem to be from people who never tried it though, and Canucks seems to get good results along with the growers attempting to follow his methods. It would be nice to get the advantages of coco without having to muck around with synthetic bottled nutes every day.
 
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Nectarivorous

Nectarivorous

708
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Yea, my first grow which was 6 plants was soil + dry amendments but after that I've run every grow with coco + lucas formula with results that Im very satisfied with. The coco I used is supposed to be pre buffered, but I did run 4 gal each of a light nutrient solution through both pots. I watered very lightly though the first few days after sprout but started watering more to keep the medium moist and saturated so that the roots could grow. Never had a problem with overwatering.

I am thinking of attempting the Mr. Canucks Coco + Dry amendment method one of these grows soon, but Ive heard many mixed things about it. Most negatives seem to be from people who never tried it though, and Canucks seems to get good results along with the growers attempting to follow his methods. It would be nice to get the advantages of coco without having to muck around with synthetic bottled nutes every day.
My two cents is the first thing you need to do is get a light metre. I'd bet good money you're still way over based on those settings. To give you an idea I use the TSL which is basically just a long version of what you have. At this stage of plant growth I was at 30 inches and set to about 30-35%. If you're not already you should work from a PAR schedule that you trust and base your current lighting off actual measured PPFD at plant tops. Talking about distance and % setting is too vague, particularly given the damage we can do to plants with the amount of light modern LEDs can deliver. If you're using iPhone, download Photone.

Canuck gets some good results but I'm not sure how mixing dry amendments is easier than mixing liquids in a nute tank. Why are you doing it every day? I need 5 gallons a day atm but still only need to mix every 3 days? Just curious why you are doing every day. ☺️
 
darkerfalz

darkerfalz

30
8
My two cents is the first thing you need to do is get a light metre. I'd bet good money you're still way over based on those settings. To give you an idea I use the TSL which is basically just a long version of what you have. At this stage of plant growth I was at 30 inches and set to about 30-35%. If you're not already you should work from a PAR schedule that you trust and base your current lighting off actual measured PPFD at plant tops. Talking about distance and % setting is too vague, particularly given the damage we can do to plants with the amount of light modern LEDs can deliver. If you're using iPhone, download Photone.

Canuck gets some good results but I'm not sure how mixing dry amendments is easier than mixing liquids in a nute tank. Why are you doing it every day? I need 5 gallons a day atm but still only need to mix every 3 days? Just curious why you are doing every day. ☺️

Thanks for the app suggestion, Ill definitely try that out! I mean, Ive had success in the past using the settings Im currently at, but I will definitely look into my situation more because like you said, its only a vague understanding I have here. It would be nice to dial it in perfectly rather than just winging it basically.

I have done dry amendments in soil once and I think its just a bit less tedious, but it def comes with its tradeoffs. Idk, its just my perception of the process I guess rather than it actually being less work, but I find the babysitting and ramping of the nutes just a bit annoying. Even so though with dry amendments Id still be putting calmag in my water instead of using dolomite lime or something since Im using RO and the lack of minerals/ppm in the RO water makes it nearly impossible to PH (and obviously straight RO is bad as it can leech nutes from plants and people as well). I guess I just like the idea of only having to really feed once every month or so rather than babysit the nutes schedule as much, even if I get less control if something goes wrong.

I need around 3-4 gallons every other day, I currently only have 5 gallon buckets, and currently my RO system puts out around 3 gal ever 6-8 hours I think? Anyways, I only really ever make around 4 gal at a time anyways until I get to flower, then I load up a few buckets of RO, but I dont pre mix, I just take them as I need them which is basically every day in flower. Im just hand watering from the top to runoff.

I'm trying different things until I find a method I really like. I really like lucas tho, it is very simple, clean, and gets good results. I just really need proper firsthand experience myself with these other methods before I can really decide which is my favorite.
 
Nectarivorous

Nectarivorous

708
143
Thanks for the app suggestion, Ill definitely try that out! I mean, Ive had success in the past using the settings Im currently at, but I will definitely look into my situation more because like you said, its only a vague understanding I have here. It would be nice to dial it in perfectly rather than just winging it basically.

I have done dry amendments in soil once and I think its just a bit less tedious, but it def comes with its tradeoffs. Idk, its just my perception of the process I guess rather than it actually being less work, but I find the babysitting and ramping of the nutes just a bit annoying. Even so though with dry amendments Id still be putting calmag in my water instead of using dolomite lime or something since Im using RO and the lack of minerals/ppm in the RO water makes it nearly impossible to PH (and obviously straight RO is bad as it can leech nutes from plants and people as well). I guess I just like the idea of only having to really feed once every month or so rather than babysit the nutes schedule as much, even if I get less control if something goes wrong.

I need around 3-4 gallons every other day, I currently only have 5 gallon buckets, and currently my RO system puts out around 3 gal ever 6-8 hours I think? Anyways, I only really ever make around 4 gal at a time anyways until I get to flower, then I load up a few buckets of RO, but I dont pre mix, I just take them as I need them which is basically every day in flower. Im just hand watering from the top to runoff.

I'm trying different things until I find a method I really like. I really like lucas tho, it is very simple, clean, and gets good results. I just really need proper firsthand experience myself with these other methods before I can really decide which is my favorite.
Just a thought and sorry if I'm telling you things you knew - are you staggering and layering your nutes correctly, ie in the right order? It's critical in any case, but especially if you are using RO. If you do it right you will buffer your water for pH and will have less pH issues than just using straight tap. Again apologies if already doing this but it goes like this:

Silica OR Potassium Silicate - check dosage for the second, I use straight silica solution at 3 ml per litre. This will take your pH of your RO to about 10. Wait half hour or so for proper dissolving.

Now - pH down to 6.0-6.3. Next add Calmag, for me it's 2 ml/litre but will vary by brands/pheno.

From there I add Canna A, Fulvic, Canna B, PK (I'm almost 4 wks into flowering), Cannazym, Biodiesel (batshit and stuff).

If you're not doing that first bit, bring it up with the silica then back down to 6.0, you'll have pH issues with RO. I had huge swings, got shown this by Aquaman, now I put in 6.2 and get out 6.3 like clockwork.
 
darkerfalz

darkerfalz

30
8
Just a thought and sorry if I'm telling you things you knew - are you staggering and layering your nutes correctly, ie in the right order? It's critical in any case, but especially if you are using RO. If you do it right you will buffer your water for pH and will have less pH issues than just using straight tap. Again apologies if already doing this but it goes like this:

Silica OR Potassium Silicate - check dosage for the second, I use straight silica solution at 3 ml per litre. This will take your pH of your RO to about 10. Wait half hour or so for proper dissolving.

Now - pH down to 6.0-6.3. Next add Calmag, for me it's 2 ml/litre but will vary by brands/pheno.

From there I add Canna A, Fulvic, Canna B, PK (I'm almost 4 wks into flowering), Cannazym, Biodiesel (batshit and stuff).

If you're not doing that first bit, bring it up with the silica then back down to 6.0, you'll have pH issues with RO. I had huge swings, got shown this by Aquaman, now I put in 6.2 and get out 6.3 like clockwork.
Hey appreciate the advice a lot. Sorry for the late reply, life catches up sometimes but after reading your method I'm certainly intrigued.. Since I am running Lucas I usually just hit it with the calmag - and GH Micro:Bloom at 1:2 ratio - then PH. Ill certainly look into getting some silica and trying your method on a future grow.

Anyways, thought I would post an update now for anyone interested. After fixing the light the girls exploded :) Here's a pic of them now each in their own tent - Ripley's OG auto in a 3x3 and Double Grape Auto in a 32" x 32"from Mephisto Genetics.
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