First 400w HPS grow, can't pin down issues need help

[Optimus PrimeBud]

Hello everyone , it has been a while since I have last been on here. I have completed many successful grows in the past few years using only a CFL set up. I have finally stepped it up and got a large hood and digital 400w ballest which is dimable down to 250w. and I am using a standard 400w bulb nothing special.

Anyway I will list below the nutrients I am using and again list the lights I am using, for further assistance in determining the problem.

Lighting: 400w bulb (have been using 250w for veg) switched to full 400w TODAY
Nutrients: using FF Big Bloom every other watering.
PH: should be around 6-6.5 but have a hunch it may be to high
Soil: FF Ocean Forest (fungas gnats are present!)

Pest Problem: Fungas Gnats
Strains: CBD Crew Nordle and AK-49


Here are a few pics so that you can help me figure out what is happening and hopefully get back on the right track before its to late! Thanks in advance for those who chime in!

AK-49 Pics: (leaves yellowing around edges and curling up)

CBD Crew/ NORDLE: (browning around edges of leaves and tips, showing yellowing and curling. Leaves toward the bottom seem to be ok, it mostly affects from the middle up. This one has the most issues and is worrying me.

 

[ansa]

1/2 the nutrients u are using for a week because that looks like nute burn.
make sure u haven't got the quantities wrong.
cant tell how high your light is.. don't let it be too close.

 

[JJ Bones]

How long have they been in the ocean forest? I don't see big bloom causing nute burn as it's completely organic and really isn't strong at all.

Also what is the temperature now that you went up to 400w?

 

[trichomes]

I did not see the "fungus gnats", what I see, looks a lot like sunburn

 

[CA215]

I'm going to say soil issue, and possibly the nutes being added to the water.. IMO I would flush these girls pronto.

How are you testing your pH? Try to keep the number as consistent as possible.

 

[fatty]

I agree with CA125 get them flushed I think you've started on the nutes to soon and got salt build up also ph should be about 6.8 and dont go bellow 6.5 you can see a massive mag def in your plant due to the lockout which allways in my experience comes first .flush them with atleast double the pot size of water and the last litre put quater strength nutes and a bit of root stim if you have it at ph 6.8 this will give the plant something to help it while it dries ready for its next watering then use half strength nutes and go nutes water nutes water and so on .
That's my advice hope it helps and keep us posted

 

[Optimus PrimeBud]

They Have been on the Ocean Forest since day . The Temp ranges a lot, its been around 80 for the most past and never below 73 that ive seen. I did move the light up a good but it was only maybe 6inches away before and I moved to to 18 inches now

 

[Optimus PrimeBud]

I'm going to say soil issue, and possibly the nutes being added to the water.. IMO I would flush these girls pronto.

How are you testing your pH? Try to keep the number as consistent as possible.

I am going to flush them this weekend and also see if this helps. I am using a test tube kit and color chart (i know its not the best method) so my PH may be off. I am aiming for 6.2-6.5 at highest, but I could be off. It seems harder to balance once the nutes have been added, the color is harder to tell at that point. Is there a better way to PH balance when adding in nutes?

 

[Optimus PrimeBud]

I agree with CA125 get them flushed I think you've started on the nutes to soon and got salt build up also ph should be about 6.8 and dont go bellow 6.5 you can see a massive mag def in your plant due to the lockout which allways in my experience comes first .flush them with atleast double the pot size of water and the last litre put quater strength nutes and a bit of root stim if you have it at ph 6.8 this will give the plant something to help it while it dries ready for its next watering then use half strength nutes and go nutes water nutes water and so on .
That's my advice hope it helps and keep us posted

Good suggestion! So my PH being 6.2-6.5 is to low for soil?

 

[fatty]

Good suggestion! So my PH being 6.2-6.5 is to low for soil?

Yes way to low aim for 6.8 mix nutes the day before use that will give them chance to stabilize

 

[CA215]

I've always pH'd to 6.5 but that's just me. I was using those pool test stips and could never get a definite answer, I ended up buying a pH meter a couple days later. They best way i know when mixing nutes, is I pH my water to 7.0-7.1, from there I will add my nutrients and it will bump it down to 6.4-6.5, if it gets too low I'll add a little unsulph mollasses to raise it up abit as I don't have any pH up.

 

[fatty]

I've always pH'd to 6.5 but that's just me. I was using those pool test stips and could never get a definite answer, I ended up buying a pH meter a couple days later. They best way i know when mixing nutes, is I pH my water to 7.0-7.1, from there I will add my nutrients and it will bump it down to 6.4-6.5, if it gets too low I'll add a little unsulph mollasses to raise it up abit as I don't have any pH up.

Good move with the mollasses it's much better to use something the benefits rather than ph up I use bio wetter if I need to but havnt for a long time in my experience 6.5 is ok but but don't give you much leeway for if say you got a bit of salt build up which you may not know about where as if your phing at 6.8 which is top end of good when them salts dissolve in your feed it won't drop out of scale like say you water at 6.5 and the salts dissolve ph will be to low .

 

[CA215]

Good move with the mollasses it's much better to use something the benefits rather than ph up I use bio wetter if I need to but havnt for a long time in my experience 6.5 is ok but but don't give you much leeway for if say you got a bit of salt build up which you may not know about where as if your phing at 6.8 which is top end of good when them salts dissolve in your feed it won't drop out of scale like say you water at 6.5 and the salts dissolve ph will be to low .

That makes sense, I think I will start raising my pH .1's every week, see how my girls react, sure couldn't hurt!
Just got done watering my girls at 6.6, they sure do look happy after watering