Chamber of Horrors

[Bueller]

Hello ozstoners, have a ghastly little garden that I need some help with, first time grower.

 

 

Indoor/Outdoor: Started outdoor in dirt/pearlite, transplanted to system 2 weeks old

Growing Medium: Expanded clay

Growing Style: Recirculating

Watering/Feeding Frequency: fed 15 mins every hour to start, now 2 hrs between 15 min feeds.

Nutrient Strength (PPM/EC): All over the place, started on bout 0.8-1.0 was up to 1.8-1.9 at one stage, plants hating it, E.C kept rising, so I flushed. At this stage at 1.0, I am maintaining this for a bit.

PH Levels:

Temperature/Humidity Levels: temp levels good, no hotter than 28 at plant level directly below light. aAways shows "Lo" as humid %.

Air Flow/Fans etc.: 2 exhaust fans, 1 in at ground level another exhausting top corner.

Lighting Type (CFL/HPS/MH etc.): HPS Lucagrow

Total Wattage: 1x 600watt

Growth Stage: 6th node extended 7th,8th ect. bunched up at tip

Plants Age: 5 weeks?

Cannabis Strain: ?

 

Hope that helps well everything was going well first week or so, recovered from transplant although a few leaves were splashed with nutrient & burnt.

I think I made the classic mistake and overdone them on nutes as every node has exhibited tip burn so far.

I also didnt know to rinse the clay with ph adlusted water to begin, PH would climb up to 8 every 12-24hrs for first 10-14 days.

 

Am using Nulife 2 part nutrient, I think it buffers to bout 6.3 when first added, so I'm always adding phosphoric acid to bring it down, not sure thats a good thing.

 

Well the problems are many despite the obvious ph/E.C fluctuations, and the girls are now showing me visually.

Purpling of main stem/leaf stems has spread to all plants in system, banding/necrosis is getting worse. Also despite new growth coming through overnight some has this dull, copperish look to it, also light green. Leaf margins on 2/3rds of them pointed up, appear like they are not getting enough water despite 2 hourly drinks.

Some plants have yellowish spotted bits through the leaves, which also distort the leaves.

 

New growth is coming through although a bit yellow& dull, some has that copperish look to it, nutrient level at 1.0 EC at the moment. I dont think I should be feeding them anymore than this yet as they seem so sensitive..

 

Not sure what I should be doing at this stage rinsing again, upping nutes or just maintaining ph 5.3-6.0 and E.C of what it is at the moment?(1.0)

I know I have probably locked out many nutes for the majority of these girls lives due to overfeeding nutes/ PH fluctuations, just dont know the best course of action to get them looking nice if possible before I bud them, or if I should even bother?

 

Help, suggestion advice appreciated.

[Naycha]

Hi and welcome to OS. The larger plants don't look that bad to me, I've recovered much poorer looking plants. I would give them a good flushing out, keep the ec where it is, and try to keep the pH between 5.5-6.0. Also I would increase the frequency of your feeding, at least 15min every hour or even 15 on 30 off. It is pretty hard to overwater clay, and the smaller plants may be suffering because of their shallow root system drying out too quickly. I would suggest adding an airstone to your res if you don't already have one in there. Low humidity and a lot of air movement can also dry your plants out, if you can get a humidity meter that tells you the exact humidity and if it is really low you might want to increase it.

 

Naycha

Edited August 11, 2011 by Naycha

[Bueller]

Hello Naycha cheers for the reply.

been lost in that room doing nothing really but staring and providing a bit of co2, they are beautiful despite the sickness.

As per suggestion might give them a flush, bit concerned though last time I flushed they took a bit to recover from the droop. The PH will be a battle as my nutes like to buffer to bout 6.3, then rises as plants feed/drink.

Am always adding phosphoric to bring it down, 6-8 drops required before to bring it down after topping off with water to bring E.C down.

Was thinking bout increasing feedings as you're correct those little guys look the worst, although some of the biggest also are quite ugly. They are being fed aerated nutrient, heated to 22. Strange though I must have knocked air puump and nute tank went bout 20 hrs without aeration, as a result plants drooped and looked underwatered!

At what stage do you think I should start upping the nutrient level again, should I give it a week or up in .1 levels every few days, as I was doing before?

 

Ha thought I has every thing sussed just a case of too much theory not enough practice!

 

As for humidity well the thermometer provides accurate humidity readings also, one of those $50 jobs found at any hydro store.

Humidity so low because of max air movement I suppose, been dry here lately no rain also.

Might put open container of water near intake fan, hopefully raise humid. levels a bit, dont want to outlay $ on humidifiers if I dont have to...

 

Here's a few more pics to give better overall view of their degradation, been two days since those first pics.

Anymore suggestions for recovery options welcome, was thinking foliar feed at .2-.3 before lights out.

Wise at this stage or just let them recover through nutrient management, PH control and let them do their thing?

[Bueller]

Well had a look and adjusted things this morn and they look worse.

Despite promising new growth and improvement in appearance yesterday they are looking more droopy, the new growth looks papery, lacking waxiness and lustre.

Purpling of the leaf stems which had stopped has now started again, Leaves on the best looking ones are now bronzed/shriveled.

 

Only thing I did yesterday was change feeding schedule to once every hour, keep PH in check.

E.C remains at 1.0 though I been adding water and its not dropping.

I didnt flush though so maybe I should this evening.

 

Would like to try to get them healthy before I knock lights back, appreciate if anyone can shed some light on what might be going on, and suggest best course of action to get 'em healthy before 12/12.

 

Cheers, Bueller

[everest]

you fucked up bro , i'd pull plants put in soil\perlite mix in 18 hours sun lite .. and you may just save your babe's ...

 

an read some more about hydro

 

ev

[Bueller]

Yes I know but calling my fuck up isn't entirely helpful, some advice to go with the scorn would have been better.

 

But you said it pretty much slayed my babies, they still shriveling.

 

Don't know what went wrong, high nutes too early, PH fluctuation and low humidity is my guess.

 

Don't really want to pull them outdoors.

 

Am gonna try another flush for longer, if they come good might remove the ugliest sluts and keep the ones that got a bit of look about them still.

 

If I can achieve this I'll just veg whats left longer, want to try and get something out of that room and I'll learn what not to do next time.

 

Cheers, Bueller

[Naycha]

You would be better off just planting new seeds if you have them. Even if you want to keep growing the other plants, just plant one new seed in hydro and see how quickly it overtakes the damaged plants.

[Bueller]

G'day naycha, planting new beans is an option, unsure how I'd go about it though, dirt/pearlite to hydro doesn't seem to be working for me, maybe try straight perlite or rookwool cubes to raise seeds..

 

As for the current grow, been on flush for 24 hrs now on straight water, showing signs of improvement.

E.C rose from nothing to .2, PH rose from 5.5 -6.7.

 

I think 6-7 are still ok, if I get things under control they might be worth saving, a can tip them back to fill light space, veg longer and get something decent late September...?

Would like thoughts on this as I don't want to start from seed again, will waste too much time and effort.

 

Anyway here's a few more more pics, feedback welcomed, unsure of where to go nutrient wise from here..

 

Cheers

[Bueller]

Hey Ozstoners, could do with some sound advice if anyone's interested in helping this struggling grow.

Unsure at what strengths I sholud be applying nutrients after a 24 hr flush.

 

I flushed on Saturday, added nutrient to E.C .4 last night, checked this arvo and it hadn't moved, plants look ok, leaf margins still curling up on some, purpling seems to have stopped on most, necrosis has mainly stopped its march up the plant.

Biggest few are developing pre-flowers, still too small to see what sex they are.

 

My goal is to get them to some state of health worthy of blooming before I knock them back, want to try to do this in 2 weeks.

Is this achievable, if so whats best way I'd go about this?

 

Was going to try and up E.C a point every 3 days, watch plants to see if they handling increases, going to start foliar feeding at .2-.4

 

Reckon this might work?

 

Advice appreciated, Bueller.