PH spotting? Need an experienced eye

[BakedApple]

The third pic to me would look like bug damage. Might be leftover from your battles.

I used to use Pro-Mix BX (no source for HP in my area) until I started making my own Faux-Mix®. The cost on Pro-Mix had gotten too pricey for me at $50 a bale. My plants haven't noticed a difference between the two and I cut my costs in half.

I use Mega Crop's 1 part dry fertilizer and my DIY Silica supplement dubbed Faux-Tekt® (similar to your Silica Blast, but again, at about 1/3 less cost).

Rock on! I just checked out your DIY Silica. Seems super simple so i'm def making that! Another user posted a DIY cal-mag from eggshells that is simple too that i plan on using once I run out.

Would you say it was thrip damage? Idk why i thought it was frikkin PH. I suppose it could be old damage that is finally drying up and showing through. It was just timed around when i dumped those un-ph-corrected bits of water on my plants so i was suspecting PH but good to hear I don't really need to worry about it anymore.

My Current pen doesn't read TDS so I will buy one that does that way i can start checking that. I'll also have to spin myself up on TDS and learning that.

I may check into Megacrop as I see quite a few people here use this nutrient. Seems very affordable and effective.

Thanks for your help man. Same with @Emilya @Buds Buddy @013 ; all your input has been greatly appreciated.

Glad i didn't procrastinate on this issue. Sounds like I would eventually end up in a worse spot if i hadn't.

 

[Emilya Green]

I am glad that @farside05 jumped in with his practical experience in running this stuff, and his confirmation that nute mix pH shouldn't have to be adjusted back upwards toward the upper end of the hydro range... the buffers in the HP will do it for you. Depending on where your water starts out, when you mix the nutes in, you should be pretty close to what I was recommending above and be somewhere in the mid to upper 5's, expecting a strong upward drift. It seems like a good system... it just is completely different than trying to grow in soil.

 

[farside05]

Rock on! I just checked out your DIY Silica. Seems super simple so i'm def making that! Another user posted a DIY cal-mag from eggshells that is simple too that i plan on using once I run out.

Would you say it was thrip damage? Idk why i thought it was frikkin PH. I suppose it could be old damage that is finally drying up and showing through. It was just timed around when i dumped those un-ph-corrected bits of water on my plants so i was suspecting PH but good to hear I don't really need to worry about it anymore.

My Current pen doesn't read TDS so I will buy one that does that way i can start checking that. I'll also have to spin myself up on TDS and learning that.

I may check into Megacrop as I see quite a few people here use this nutrient. Seems very affordable and effective.

Thanks for your help man. Same with @Emilya @Buds Buddy @013 ; all your input has been greatly appreciated.

Glad i didn't procrastinate on this issue. Sounds like I would eventually end up in a worse spot if i hadn't.

I would say it was your Thrip issue.

If you go the Mega Crop route, you shouldn't need to bother with the Cal-Mag, it already has enough. I used to add it then quit a couple runs ago and haven't seen an issue. One less thing to buy and add, saves time and money.

PPM/TDS meters can be handy but aren't really a necessity. Mines collecting dust along with the pH meter. To rinse your Pro-Mix you could probably just do 3-4 gallons of tap followed by a gallon of feed and be pretty close. Then on future grows, do that when you flip to flower, then again about mid-flower as preventative maintenance. From late grow through the finish, your standard watering should be 2 gallons of water each for a 5 gallon pot size. That should give you a small amount of runoff, probably a quart or two.

 

[BakedApple]

I would say it was your Thrip issue.

If you go the Mega Crop route, you shouldn't need to bother with the Cal-Mag, it already has enough. I used to add it then quit a couple runs ago and haven't seen an issue. One less thing to buy and add, saves time and money.

PPM/TDS meters can be handy but aren't really a necessity. Mines collecting dust along with the pH meter. To rinse your Pro-Mix you could probably just do 3-4 gallons of tap followed by a gallon of feed and be pretty close. Then on future grows, do that when you flip to flower, then again about mid-flower as preventative maintenance. From late grow through the finish, your standard watering should be 2 gallons of water each for a 5 gallon pot size. That should give you a small amount of runoff, probably a quart or two.

Should I expect any stress from the mass amount of water or will they be alright so long as I make sure to give them a dose of nutrients after the flush?

 

[farside05]

Should I expect any stress from the mass amount of water or will they be alright so long as I make sure to give them a dose of nutrients after the flush?

It's a fabric pot correct? If so, the excess water will drain out just fine. I water one, then let it sit in the tub for about 15 min for it to drain. By the time it goes back in the tent, it shouldn't be dripping that much into your saucer. They probably won't need watered again for 5-7 days with the lower temps in your basement (similar to my grow space over winter). Where I see a lot of people go wrong is flushing and not coming back in with that last gallon with nutes in it. Then they go from one extreme to another, a medium with too many or imbalanced nutes in it, to a medium with nothing in it. It would be like a person being on a 2 day diet if non stop candy bars, then fasting for a week straight before changing to a balanced diet.

 

[Buds Buddy]

Just checked my Cal-Mag. It's the botanicare brand. 2-0-0. Comes with +Iron as well.

My Silica doesn't list it's NPK Value. Honestly I don't even quite know what it does but I was recommended to use it.

Are there any other supplements that I should add that would have a dramatic difference to my yield other than light? I'm trying to keep things simple for my first grow. Also cheap but I don't want to be too cheap.

I was debating some Blackstrap Molasses.

If you want to go cheap buy Mega Crop All Purpose Plant Food. $25 worth will grow 20 plants start to finish & nothing else is needed. I add Cal Mag & Terpinator during flower to increase Terpene production but that's not even necessary.
I've used these products on my last 4 - 5 grows with great results.

 

[Buds Buddy]

Well @BakedApple , you have a few of the best giving you advice so you should be able to get things on track & have a nice grow experience. Hope you get a great yield !

 

[BakedApple]

Well @BakedApple , you have a few of the best giving you advice so you should be able to get things on track & have a nice grow experience. Hope you get a great yield !

Thanks Buds! Last night I was impatient and went ahead and flushed them. I hope I ran enough through them to flush out whatever was messing them up. Then I followed farsides advice and added a gal of nutrient rich water to each plant. OF course it promptly pissed it out, but hoping it leaves a bit in the mix to keep them from going into shock.

It sucks my plants waited until they are well into flower to start experiencing this nutrient issue. The whole rest of the grow, other than slightly low nitrogen, the plants have been doing fantastic. I was careful to follow all advice I've seen on these forums and started off quite light on the nutes.

I will check on them tonight to see if they are looking any different. If anything I'm hoping they are unchanged vs looking worse.

 

[Buds Buddy]

Thanks Buds! Last night I was impatient and went ahead and flushed them. I hope I ran enough through them to flush out whatever was messing them up. Then I followed farsides advice and added a gal of nutrient rich water to each plant. OF course it promptly pissed it out, but hoping it leaves a bit in the mix to keep them from going into shock.

It sucks my plants waited until they are well into flower to start experiencing this nutrient issue. The whole rest of the grow, other than slightly low nitrogen, the plants have been doing fantastic. I was careful to follow all advice I've seen on these forums and started off quite light on the nutes.

I will check on them tonight to see if they are looking any different. If anything I'm hoping they are unchanged vs looking worse.

They may look sad & droopy for a couple days after a flush. It's normal. They perk right back up in 3 - 4 days though.
These plants aren't as delicate as you may think (Auto Flowers more delicate). I've purposely tried to Hermie a plant & did not succeed. High Heat, Broke Branches, Drought for days, etc. didn't phase it. You can pretty much punch them, kick them & chop their heads off & they keep on going. TIMEX has nothing on these babies.

 

[Buds Buddy]

lol .... I got a Hermie today. Not from trying though. It was seed out of dispensary weed so it most likely came from a Hermie plant to begin with. I am curious about the pollen from a Hermie plant .... will that pollen carry on the Hermie Trait or is it good for breeding ? I already chopped & tossed the plant; but would like to know in case I get another one. I have 6 plants from these seeds going ... 5 now so it may happen again. Didn't expect that to happen considering she was already making bud & 4 weeks into flower. Didn't watch it close enough, but I will the other 5.