Hydro Grow Problems

[bustedluck]

Strain - Girl Scout Cookies
# of Plants - 2
Grow Type - Hydro
Grow Stage - Early Veg
Setup - DWC
Light - 800 Watt LED
Nutrients - General Hydronponics
Medium - Rapid Rooter and Clay Pebbles
PH - 5.7
RH - 47%
Room Temperature -77
Solution Temperature - 65 to 69
Room Square Footage - 4x4
Pests - None Known

Problem: I have small yellow spots on the bottom leaves. Almost looks like burns. The bottom leaves are also curling up. Any thoughts on what this is and what I should do?

It kind of looks like septoria but it seems really early for that. The big plant is only 2 weeks old since transplant and the smaller one is only 1 week old.

My other thought is that it looked kinda like an early Phosphorus Deficiency especially since the leaves are twisting. That could be the case because up until yesterday I was still feeding at 1/4 nuts because this is my first grow and I read somewhere that you should feed 1/4 nuts until three weeks, but this thing really grew fast so maybe I waited too long?

Thanks!

 

[013]

Hey BustedLuck,

Welcome to 420, let’s jump right in. I’m soil guy so not much help on dwc but lets get more info for hydro crew

cute chicks, so congrats on that…

How often do you feed?
Which GH nutes?
Do you have a cal-mag product?
Are you using enzyme like hydroguard or Z9…?
What do roots look like? white, off white, brown?
Do the roots on the big chick touch the res water?
When was last res change?
Is there an air gap between botttom of net pot & water level?
Does the res have a foul odor?

I noticed the rapid rooters are visible…. weed roots do not like exposure to light…..

for now I’d prolly back off light… either dial wattage down or raise fixture a few clicks.

 

[bustedluck]

Thanks, @013.

How often do you feed? (I empty the reservoir and replace with new nutrient solution once a week.)
Which GH nutes? (I got a series that has FloraMicro FloraGrow FloraBloom. Up until yesterday, I was only using 1/4 nutes since they were seedlings but maybe I should have increased sooner based on size. Yesterday I replaced the solution with what the instructions say to use for vegetative state.)
Do you have a cal-mag product? (First i have heard of this TBH but no not at the moment.)
Are you using enzyme like hydroguard or Z9…? (Yes using hydrogaurd in the amounts instructed on the back of the bottle.)
What do roots look like? white, off white, brown? (Roots are white.)
Do the roots on the big chick touch the res water? (Yes, roots are going down into the water in the resivior.)
When was last res change? (Yesterday for the big one but the small one I haven't changed yet since it's only 1 week old and I was advised it might be safer to just top off for the first two weeks since seedlings may not do well with a full change.)
Is there an air gap between botttom of net pot & water level? (No. I am using a Under Current solo and the instructions say to fill to the planters base. The pot looks kinda like this one and the rapid rooter is placed on that center piece and the water goes up to just up to the top of that center piece so that its barely touching the rapid rooter bottom.)
Does the res have a foul odor? (No.)

 

[bustedluck]

Thanks, @013.

How often do you feed? (I empty the reservoir and replace with new nutrient solution once a week.)
Which GH nutes? (I got a series that has FloraMicro FloraGrow FloraBloom. Up until yesterday, I was only using 1/4 nutes since they were seedlings but maybe I should have increased sooner based on size. Yesterday I replaced the solution with what the instructions say to use for vegetative state.)
Do you have a cal-mag product? (First i have heard of this TBH but no not at the moment.)
Are you using enzyme like hydroguard or Z9…? (Yes using hydrogaurd in the amounts instructed on the back of the bottle.)
What do roots look like? white, off white, brown? (Roots are white.)
Do the roots on the big chick touch the res water? (Yes, roots are going down into the water in the resivior.)
When was last res change? (Yesterday for the big one but the small one I haven't changed yet since it's only 1 week old and I was advised it might be safer to just top off for the first two weeks since seedlings may not do well with a full change.)
Is there an air gap between botttom of net pot & water level? (No. I am using a Under Current solo and the instructions say to fill to the planters base. The pot looks kinda like this one and the rapid rooter is placed on that center piece and the water goes up to just up to the top of that center piece so that its barely touching the rapid rooter bottom.)
Does the res have a foul odor? (No.)

I feel like I should add that the rapid rooter surface is basically dry. I think that's OK though maybe?

 

[Rexer]

Hi @bustedluck

You should look into getting a cal mag, your plant is starting to look like she's wanting more. It's a tough one, maybe @West Hippie could take a look.

Just curious- have you experienced some ph fluctuations? Or have you kept it 5.7- 6.5?

Oh, and GH makes a cal-mag that's pretty good (I use it, and I've seen many others use it)

 

[bustedluck]

Thanks, @Rexer! So, in other words, it does look like a nutrient deficiency? That would make sense. I think it's probably because I fed it at 1/4 nutrients for too long. When do growers usually progress beyond 1/4 (AKA when is it no longer considered a seedling?).

Let's say that was the issue is that I fed it at 1/4 nutes for too long, and I just upped it to full nutrients yesterday. Sould I expect the leaves that look like this to recover? And about how long would you suspect that to take? I can also always up the nutes a little more to what the GH bottle says is "aggressive growth", currently at the middle of the road level. I'll definitely get a cal-mag product too, just didn't realize they existed. Thanks again!

 

[West Hippie]

Need to cover the pucks as 013 referred to . Dry is okay also . The pucks have algae on them robbing the needed nutrients . Can we have a pic of the roots ?

 

[bustedluck]

Thanks @West Hippie! Here are pics of the roots. I will cover the pucks but should I somehow treat the algea first? One person mentioned using Hygrozyme, does that make sense? Would it be something I use with hydrogaurd or does it replace it? Thanks!

 

[bustedluck]

The pictures kinda make the roots look off-white but honestly, in person they look white.

 

[West Hippie]

Thanks @West Hippie! Here are pics of the roots. I will cover the pucks but should I somehow treat the algea first? One person mentioned using Hygrozyme, does that make sense? Would it be something I use with hydrogaurd or does it replace it? Thanks!

Roots look great, if you have hydroguard or z9 in the reservoir already flush the puck and media with it then put something like cardboard to get the light off

 

[bustedluck]

@West Hippie, Sorry, I feel bad for asking dumb questions as I have never grown anything before but I REALLY appreciate your help! When you say flush, do you just mean to run some over it? Can I do this while it's in the reservoir or do I need to remove it and do it outside the reservoir then put it back in?

How much hydrogaurd we talkin ?

 

[West Hippie]

@West Hippie, Sorry, I feel bad for asking dumb questions as I have never grown anything before but I REALLY appreciate your help! When you say flush, do you just mean to run some over it? Can I do this while it's in the reservoir or do I need to remove it and do it outside the reservoir then put it back in?

How much hydrogaurd we talkin ?

Fell out sorry for the late reply. Never any dumb questions. Yes if you have the Z9 and /or hydroguard in the reservoir flush it straight through the basket to the reservoir . I run 2 mL a gallon (4 liters) I didn’t see any problems with the roots. Mainly cover your media from the light .

 

[Rexer]

Thanks, @Rexer! So, in other words, it does look like a nutrient deficiency? That would make sense. I think it's probably because I fed it at 1/4 nutrients for too long. When do growers usually progress beyond 1/4 (AKA when is it no longer considered a seedling?).

It might be something she grows out of. West Hippie has way more experience

Let's say that was the issue is that I fed it at 1/4 nutes for too long, and I just upped it to full nutrients yesterday. Sould I expect the leaves that look like this to recover?

damaged leaves do not recover. What you want to do is always look to see if its gotten worse, and keep an eye on new growth...if it doesn't worsen, and new growth is good...then that's usually a sign that things are clearing up.

And about how long would you suspect that to take? I can also always up the nutes a little more to what the GH bottle says is "aggressive growth", currently at the middle of the road level. I'll definitely get a cal-mag product too, just didn't realize they existed. Thanks again!

Are you using an TDS meter? It should give you your reading in either EC or PPM.

Cross reference your PH, EC, and water levels against this guide (see below).

before you bump/raise the EC (or PPM), can you let us know what your current EC/PPM is?

 

[013]

way to go bustedluck….. you gave a crap ton of details in initial message then followed up with even more answers. Yep, we are detail oriented and all the little deets add up to failure or buds.

Heck I can’t spell hydro but have 420% confidence Rexer & West Hippie will get you squared away

 

[bustedluck]

@West Hippie, @Rexer, I was not using a TDS meter but I am going to get one right away and start!

I ran hydro guard over the pucks and clay pebbles and then I covered the pucks with cardboard that I cut out.Will send pics in a bit.

Note that things definitely look worse today (but I JUST covered the pucks and flushed them since I wasn't sure how much to use)...

 

[013]

damaged leaves do not heal themselves once a fix has been implemented…. but look to new growth for sign of recovery or spreading…. hopefully it will be recovery

 

[bustedluck]

@013 , @West Hippie, @Rexer, OK so here are some pics of how I covered the pucks. Hope that is close to what you had in mind.

BTW, I noticed today something new . I see one or two very tiny white specks on a couple of leaves. And also a black bit of resin-looking stuff on one.

Is the white stuff mildew and the black resin or something? Man I don't get it I have a fan going constantly and the humidity is always under 50%. I did have a small humidifier running because it's in my basement where it's very dry (35% on average). Did I somehow give this plant mildew? It's tiny IRL but afraid it's gonna spread and maybe I need to do something to treat it? Attached pics of the spot too.

 

[bustedluck]

PPM is 585 and I am not sure if this other value is the EC or not because I have never used one of these units but it says it measures EC and the only modes are for PPM, Temp, and this other value.

Anyway, the other value says 1457 US/CM. Is that what were looking for?

BTW, I got some cal-mag and added that too...

 

[West Hippie]

Looking much better, ppm is what you want . Sorry for the late reply . I’m hoping the white spots aren’t spider mites ! If so do you have neem oil ?

 

[Rexer]

PPM is 585 and I am not sure if this other value is the EC or not because I have never used one of these units but it says it measures EC and the only modes are for PPM, Temp, and this other value.

Anyway, the other value says 1457 US/CM. Is that what were looking for?

BTW, I got some cal-mag and added that too...

Hey bustedluck

PPM and EC are just two different units of measurement. EC being the more metric version (that's my understanding). I'm of the preference of using PPM, but its just a preference.


I have one thing that can help. First is looking into something called VPD (vapor pressure deficit). Getting that dialed in can go a long ways for plant development. While that doesn't solve your current raised question- it will help you in the long run. I'll attach a chart for it.

The picture with the sap on it, any chance of it being something that was spilled on it?

Can you let us know which Cal mag you got? And it's NPK?

I agree that the white spots made me think to spider mites right away- you need to examine the backside with strong magnification to see them. I've pretty much no experience with them, but West and 013 are among the 1st I'd reach out to.