Spider 432 LED Grow - Green Crack - Blue Dream - Strawberry Sour Diesel

[KingJohnC]

I usually wait until a seedling is 4"-5" tall and has 5 nodes of growth before I begin introducing 1/4 strength nutrients in my soiless mixture. I would wait until your seedling is 4" tall and has 4 nodes of growth before introducing 1/4 strength nutrients. If you do use nutrients before your plant is 4" tall and has 4 nodes of growth I would only start with a 1/6 strength nutrients.

 

[GreenDemon]

Thanks KingJohnC! Will stick to your advice.

No changes for better or worse with the sick Blue Dream plant yet. It appears to be frozen in time!

 

[GreenDemon]

Check plants today and the previously younger and smaller plants have surpassed my sick blue dream plant in size (bottom left in pic). The Blue dream is not improving and appears to have slightly more wilt to it.

Should I try giving it 1/6 nutrients or continue waiting and giving it straight water until its no longer wilted and has new green growth? I'm guessing I should wait and only give straight water but wanted to double check. Thanks!

 

[KingJohnC]

I would only use pH adjusted water for your Blue Dream seedling.

 

[Twilight LED]

How is the everything going? what about your MMJ now? GreenDemon~~

 

[GreenDemon]

Thanks John. Will be sure to leave my Blue Dream alone.

My other two plants are doing well. I did just notice today that the Strawberry Sour Diesel is getting lighter on the ends. I may need to start adding some nutrients to this one and making sure my PH is staying in the 6 range. Not sure what else would cause this

 

[Stinkybud]

What did your spider cost? It says 0 on the website

 

[KingJohnC]

For the current price for the Twilight Groups LED 432 watt Spider COB LED grow light you should contact Twilight LED.

@Twilight LED

 

[GreenDemon]

I started adding maxibloom and cal/mag for a total ppm of 300 on Friday. This really seemed to help. All 3 plants had a nice growth boost over the weekend. I've probably underfeeding them at the moment because I didnt want to burn any plants again.

I've been using my blue light for photo's until the plants get bigger because its easier to see the spotting on the leaves.

The blue dream is recovering from nute burn and is still about half the size of the other two plants.

Strawberry Diesel - looking pretty good

Pineapple Express - showing some signs of deficiency on the new leaves. Will be slowly upping my nutrient dose.

My green crack seed doesn't look like it will be make it. Not sure what happened here.

 

[Twilight LED]

What did your spider cost? It says 0 on the website

Dear stinkybud,Thnaks for your question,since the quantity is not sure,we will send our price list to your e-mail.Thank you.

 

[GreenDemon]

I think I'm now experiencing a cal/mag issue. I'm currently at around 600 ppm using RO water. Temps are high 70's in the tent. Res change once a week.

My Pineapple Express has really went crazy in growth and has least amount of leaf spotting and no drooping.

Strawberry is next in size but the leaves are wilting - leaf spotting - Need more cal/mag?

Blue Dream is the runt - same leaf wilt and spotting. Needs more Cal/mag?

 

[KingJohnC]

Can you please take some photographs of your leaf damage under daylight Florescent bulbs or natural light if possible so I may better see the spotting you are describing?

 

[GreenDemon]

Hi KingJohnC. Thanks for taking a looking and for all your advice. It's been very helpful to me. Here are the new pics.

All plants from the side to see size difference:

Smallest plant - Blue Dream - some drooping leaves - some discoloration may be to leaves getting wet from drip ring

Medium plant - Strawberry Diesel - some drooping

Large plant - Pinapple Express - biggest and no drooping

 

[KingJohnC]

The discoloration on your leaves appears to be nutrient salt buildup from nutrient over spray. I would wipe the leaves off with water and a cloth. The spots on the leaves of your Strawberry Diesel may either be from a calcium deficiency or nutrient over spray. Is there a way to reduce the volume of nutrient mixture pumped through the drip rings?

 

[GreenDemon]

Thanks KingJohn! Will reduce the level of air going to the rings and update in a few days.

 

[Greenthumb J]

Thanks KingJohn! Will reduce the level of air going to the rings and update in a few days.

There should not be air going through your watering rings, only water.

John was suggesting if theres a way to reduce the flow of water through your drip rings.

With DWC, top feed is not necessary tho, hence why its called Deep Water Culture and especially when it seems like you are using mostly hydroton, your nutriuent mixture will literally just run off the clay pebbles. The only nutrient mixture that will be available to your plants until roots hit the water, will be in the starter plug you started the seeds in, and whatever nutrients your roots can intake as the mixture runs over the hydroton.

Soiless mixtures like John uses, or Rockwool grow cubes or blocks are great ways to maintain a high level of nutrient mixture available to your roots in your growing medium.

Your plants are looking great i have to say! Welcome to the world of DWC... please make sure you can maintain good water temperatures, or order some Botanicare's Hydrguard. Hydroguard will help your plant survive in warmer water temperatures without worry of root issues, and also prevent Pythium (root rot)

For me, Hydroguard was an alternative to buying a water chiller ($300+ for a chiller!!) and i haven't had one issue with water temps reaching as high as 28c!!!!

Caught up and along for the ride!

 

[KingJohnC]

Yes, in Deep Water Culture a top feed watering system is only required until the roots establish themselves in the lower submersed reservoir. I was suggesting to reduce the water flowing in the top feed watering system to limit the amount of over spray and salt buildup on the leaves.

 

[Greenthumb J]

I figured thats why you asked... I am no expert on those Hydro halos or hydro hats, but i've seen pictures and they look like very small holes that, if with a strong enough water pump, they could produce some spray that lands on the leaves.


Is the Pineapple Express topped in that last photo? To the best of my knowledge, Pineapple Express was/is an autoflower, no? unless some Photo-period versions were produced that i am not aware of?

 

[Longjohnsilve]

Subbed!

 

[GreenDemon]

Thanks for all the feedback. Certainly open to all suggestions.

The drip rings I'm using are from general hydroponics and use air to pump the water through the rings. I have an industrial pump with a 6 way splitter that feeds the air stones and the drip rings. I reduced the air going to the rings to reduce the force of the outgoing water and splatter.

I think part of the problem was also the PPM creeping up on the 2 smaller plants as the water was used and/or evaporated. I've since reduced the PPM to around 400 and they seem to be doing better. Was up to 600 ppm.

My plan was to only use the drip rings until the roots dropped to the water but so far only the pinapple express has roots that have came out. The other 2 plants are so far behind nothing has emerged from the baskets. Once this happens I will ditch the drip rings.

Today I ordered some Mycorrhizae for root development and some enzyme powder to help protect against slime. I will also look into Hydroguard. Thanks for the tip.

On each DWC bucket I've installed a cooler fan from a mini fridge. I've yet to use them though. Was waiting until I turned off the drip rings. All the overspray had me worried the coolers could catch on fire! haha. Water temps are currently right at 70 degrees. I've read the ideal temp is around 65. I'm assuming this is correct?

For topping, I did both the strawberry and the pineapple. Planning on doing the 4 way lst on all plants. Blue dream hasn't been topped yet due to its small size from my accidental nute burn early on. The pineapple express is G13 and is not supposed to be autoflower. If so I will have a nasty surprise!

This is my first grow so learning a lot as I go. Now I know why others recommend soil for first timers