Yellow and Bright Green OG Kush - HELP!

[MonkeyDragon]

I am an absolute beginner - my first grow. I'm having trouble and feel like I have checked every single potential problem and compared all nute problem images with my plants - and still my plants seem to have some "other" issue. I have a feeling you're all going to look at these pics and say, "duh, dude, it's ..." but I can't figure it out. This is a long post, my apologies, I wanted to make sure I answered all the questions in the Marijuana Garden Saver: The Complete guide to Sick Plants, pH, and Pest troubles! by MynameStitch

First the basics: OG Kush clones from my dispensary, 4x4 grow space, 600 HPS consistently 18" from canopy, hepa filter intake and carbon filtered exhaust (both 400 cfm), oscillating fan, #3 pots. Original soil is organic potting soil mixed with Vermiculite and Perlite. I have fertilized with Insect Frass and with Biofuel 3-1-1 in 25% and, when they were healthy, a 50% dose. I use a DIY Co2 maker - sugar and activated yeast - once got a reading of 1000, which isn't great, but better than without the solution).

MY MISTAKES:
1. pH was off and it may have been two watering cycles before I figured it out. Higher than 8 at some points. I have watered once with 6.0 pH Distilled water, got run off readings of 7.2 on my last watering. (my pH meter is HM digital and I am have tested ingoing water, runoff and have made a 50% 7.0 water solution/50% soil dug from pots, shook up the mix and measured the result in tupperware containers.)
2. I overwatered in weeks one and two of veg. Let them totally dry out before the pH corrective watering.
3. I topped these plants - all of them.
4. It's been hot in SoCal, so I've been fighting 80-84 degree conditions - at night I've been able to get the temp down to 72 (I have a thermometer at the root level and it's often a nice 77-78). Tested for heat issues directly from the lamp with the back of my hand - not an issue, but the box is definitely hot.
5. I had a three or four day issue with soil gnats, but treated with organic food-safe spray and have maybe one or two gnats now every once in a while.

THE PROBLEM:
Plants are approx 12" tall now and exhibiting extreme yellowing and clawing (I think). Fan leaves are the worst, many of which are now falling off after going completely yellow. I have been experiencing a consistent problem for about two weeks now (this is the 4th week of veg).

MY ATTEMPTS to date:
1. Dried out all plants, to correct overwatering.
2. Fixed (?) pH issues by adjusting water readings
3. Finally, I transplanted three of the plants into new soil (there was some moderate root circling, but not exactly what I would call "root bound"). I used Basement Gold Soiless mixed with Blood Meal and Insect Frass. (they don't seem to be recovering yet - it's the second day after transplant). I may have watered too much at transplant.

Finally, the worst part of it all - when I first planted, I ran out of my soil mixture for my last plant. Ran downstairs and grabbed my outdoor garden's Miracle Grow - THAT PLANT IS DOING GREAT! That's annoying, because I read everywhere that Miracle Grow was crap for my girls.

Included pics:
- the plants as a whole (there are two sativas in there (planted in the "Basement Mix" listed above) - they are ROCKING.
- Close-up of worst plants - yellow leaves/neon green leaves, purple stems, missing fan leaves - the stems are solid and tough, not brittle.
- a shot of the three plants that were transplanted.
- the damn Miracle Grow plant, which (correct me if I'm wrong) looks good.
- Dropped fan leaves.
- Unknown strain of Sativa - looking good.

Can someone help me? Is this just pH-related lock-out? I'm wondering about a sulfur deficiency? Mag?? It seems like I have several potential problems once.

Thanks for taking the time to read this - I appreciate any assistance. I hope I have given you all the details you need.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Lots of deficiencies showing, likely attributed to a pH imbalance. Check your runoff.

 

[MonkeyDragon]

Thanks Doctor, I guess in the back of my mind, I knew that was the problem. I watered two days ago, and measured 7.2 from the run off - my water was 6.4 going in, so I assume I can estimate that my soil was between 7.5 and 8.0? I have heard (read here) that some people think measuring run off isn't accurate? What do you make of that?

Can I expect that, with lower pH water going in that these gals will recover? Beyond that treatment there's really nothing else I can do, right? Just chill?

Well, either way I thank you for looking. I guess now I'm an official noob.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Runoff isn't a perfect indicator, but it is generally a good determiner.

6.0 is better for soil watering

 

[freegrow]

how old are they ? if they have been in that soil for a month with no feed they are starving soil will only feed for a month or so unless it is top shelf organic mixes .what nutes do you use ?

 

[hiboy]

U shouldnt be using a hps to veg in, u can but u get way better veg growth with the blue spectrum of mh or fluories,
I would
a. flush with ph 6 water no nutes
b. let dry out a bit and renute with just base fert. with a ppm of 500 no more
c. humidity for vegging should be 50%
d. temps under 80, above 70
Expect no changes for a few days, then after a week u should start to see some new growth hopefully looking like u want.
Back to the basics.
h

 

[kaotic99]

Try feeding them more nitrogen! Look for a fertilizer with a high first #. It should be an instant fix. Make sure you lower the waters ph to like 6 or better yet get a RO machine and use reverse osmosis water!

 

[MonkeyDragon]

Thanks all.

My pH was screwed - almost up at 8.0 with soil tests, and 7.8 or so with runoff (water started at 6.0, so I was seriously high on pH.

Soil sucked majorly - would not drain, making it impossible to adjust pH and nutes on a timely basis. So ... here's what I did...

1. Bought larger pots (had seen some root bound indications, so this was my solution).
2. Removed each and every plant from containers, knocked off as much of the old soil as I could and then transplanted to larger containers - only this time, I used Basement Soilless, mixed in some insect frass and a bit of blood meal. I also added about 2 inches of hydroton to the bottom of each pot for extra oxygen.
3. Watered fully through with pH of 5.5 and very light nutes (General Hydro's GROW at 1/4 strength)
4. Have been foliar feeding each day when lights are out.

Success rate has been very good - a couple still trying to catch up, but others are completely recovered. Of course, now my veg time has doubled from my original schedule, so I'll have large plants. Was not going for Sea of Green, but may end up with one anyway. Not a bad problem to have, I guess.

In any event, patience has prevailed in this situation and I may begin flower as soon as middle of next week.

photos, 1. a shot of most plants, 2. nice new growth, and 3. the last plant to recover - you can see it's doing better, but still has signs of my bad pH.

Thanks Dr. Detroit, Freegrow, HiBoy and Kaotic 99 for your responses. I can already tell my next battle is going to be size issues. I foolishly accepted two sativas from a friend and, of course, they're out growing the others by 4x - thinking of training them horizontally in the back of the closet.