Million dollar question to save baby plants: Rust/fungi, pH issue, nutrient issue, or light issue? Thanks in advance!

[dhemmingway]

Hi - This is my 2nd grow, i'm in week 3 after germination, and I am encountering some issues on the first fan leaves that sprouted. Strain is OG Kush.

- Light is vipraspectra 300W LED and two T12 flourescent tubes 6K lumens
- Soil started as Fox Farms Happy Frog now a mix of FFHF and FF Ocean Forest
- I transplanted at 2.5 weeks because I was worried about root boundness being the issue!

Some clues as to what might be going on:

- I started the LED light about 10" away (perhaps too close for LED?) Now its about 20"

- My water PH has changed since last grow and I made the error of not testing it until week 2. Water PH was at about 5. I brought it up to 7 and now about 6.3 over the last week or so. Run off is testing around 6.5.

- Humidity was unmonitored and reached 100% and very wet for a couple hours on different occasions. Error with an old timer it was hooked up to. I read that OG kush is susceptible to mold/rust fungus and I'm wondering if this is it. I have 2 Cali Kush plants in the same grow tent that look fine. I checked with a jewler's loop and did not see any mold. Just brittle, brown rusted leaves

- The growth has been pretty darn slow. 3 weeks old and only measuring about 5 inches tall and 3 - 5 inches wide.

I sprayed with Neem oil just in case and I also watered with Epsom salt to help with possible PH/nute lockout

So does anyone have a clue if this is nutes, fungus, pests, PH, or light burn? Thank you so much for any advice!

 

[3fingerdSean]

Did you say what your feeding them? They look a little too green to me. Possible nitro tox. Generally nitro tox will cause stretching but sometimes it will stunt the plants too. The scorching can also be a sign of nitro tox also. Good you got everything else straightened out.

 

[fanleaf]

Pictures under normal lighting would help. You have way too much going on. Go slow, 1 step at a time and keep things simple. I'm not sure adding Epsom salts to the water to stop any pH lockout was beneficial at all. That could very well screw you over by providing too much Magnesium. Too much of 1 nutrient will actually lockout 1-2 others. Nutrients need to be balanced between each other. Your plants are way too small to be adding anything at this point. You will be just salting up the soil which will hurt you later. You do not have nutrient lockout! If anything you have a touch of nutrient burn. They should have stayed in smaller pots for a while yet too. Those are quite big for them and will make watering correctly for a new grower almost impossible. Good water only for quite a while, stop adding Epsom salts to your water. What is your water source? Your trying to kill them with love.

 

[3fingerdSean]

If it was a mag problem it would be a deficiency that occurred while the ph was too acidic which would cause necrotic blotches on the older leaves. Mag tox is rare unless severely over dosed because the other cations like Ca & K keep it in check. The right amount of Epsom is 1.2 grams per gallon and must have at least a 3 to 1 calcium ratio. 3 parts calcium to 1 part mag.

 

[dhemmingway]

Thanks guys. I'm not feeding any nutes right now because the FF ocean forest is only about 1 week old and plants are only 3 weeks.

I transplanted because I was worried the issue was them possibly being rootbound - growth was def stunted. They've grown since, but 1 of the 3 looks sickly and is not growing much.

Water source is a mix of mostly filtered "Zero" water (5ish PH) mixed with some city water (8 PH) to create 6.5ish PH. I leave city water out to let any chlorine evaporate. I've only give about 1 teaspoon of epsom total, but I will stop.

 

[fanleaf]

If it was a mag problem it would be a deficiency that occurred while the ph was too acidic which would cause necrotic blotches on the older leaves. Mag tox is rare unless severely over dosed because the other cations like Ca & K keep it in check. The right amount of Epsom is 1.2 grams per gallon and must have at least a 3 to 1 calcium ratio. 3 parts calcium to 1 part mag.

3:1 is way too close for the ratio. 5:1 to 8:1 calcium to mag is much more like it.

 

[3fingerdSean]

I said at least

 

[fanleaf]

Thanks guys. I'm not feeding any nutes right now because the FF ocean forest is only about 1 week old and plants are only 3 weeks.

I transplanted because I was worried the issue was them possibly being rootbound - growth was def stunted. They've grown since, but 1 of the 3 looks sickly and is not growing much.

Water source is a mix of mostly filtered "Zero" water (5ish PH) mixed with some city water (8 PH) to create 6.5ish PH. I leave city water out to let any chlorine evaporate. I've only give about 1 teaspoon of epsom total, but I will stop.

Make sure your city uses Chlorine and not Chloramine. Chloramine wont evaporate. Your city water will have Calcium and Magnesium it it too. How much is the question. You can look at your city's water report to find out. I understand you wanted to transplant them to stop them from becoming root bound but I can tell you they were not root bound. Once they start getting root bound you start to get what looks like deficiencies on the Leafs because the plants are not happy. And if you wanted to transplant them you should put them in a pot somewhere in between what they came out of and the gigantic pots that they're in now.

 

[fanleaf]

I said at least

You sure did. I agree too. I would just go a bit heavier on the Calcium side myself.

 

[3fingerdSean]

If the value is less than 2, plants will find it difficult to take up potassium. The soil structure may also degrade due to dispersion. You can have a good run at 3:1 Yeah 1 teaspoon is like 4.2 grams so that's a 4x overdose.

 

[3fingerdSean]

I think a half teaspoon of vitamin c powder per gal will remove chloramine

 

[dhemmingway]

so are you guys saying I should be adding calcium because I added epsom? You are both speaking in terms a bit over my head, TBH

 

[dhemmingway]

no Chloramine, just chlorine

 

[fanleaf]

I think a half teaspoon of vitamin c powder per gal will remove chloramine

Will that actually remove it? Or just break the bond and leave ammonia and chlorine seperate and the chlorine can then evaporate off with some added benefits of antioxidants left in the water from the ascorbic acid?

 

[3fingerdSean]

Yes you need minimum 3 times the calcium to mag. More as he said is better & you cant toxify with calcium. And some chlorine is good and necessary for plants.

 

[dhemmingway]

any suggestions on what specific product to use in order to accomplish this? Something I can buy online or at the store?

 

[3fingerdSean]

1000 mg of Vitamin C . . . remove chloramine completely in a medium size bathtub without significantly depressing pH. Most cal-mag products have the ratios correct.

 

[dhemmingway]

3fingerdsean - is this chloramine/vitamin c debate really helpful to the post I originated?

 

[3fingerdSean]

The medical industry, which uses Vitamin-C de-chlorination as the standard for critical applications such as dialysis, where the introduction of chlorinated water or toxic chemicals would be catastrophic. If its trusted at this level I would say it does.

 

[fanleaf]

3fingerdsean - is this chloramine/vitamin c debate really helpful to the post I originated?

It sure is!