Need advice on sick plant

[malakaldayook]

I'm having problems with Pineapple Haze. I sprouted two of them and got them going in DWC buckets. The first one was stunted and crunchy from the very beginning and I ended up composting it. The second got some growth but has had constant problems. Currently she is about four weeks into veg and I am at a loss as to what I am doing wrong. First, my setup:

• 5 gallon DWC: water level at bottom of basket (13.2 liter level maintained)
• PH balanced daily between 5.8 and 6.2
• Water temperature average 73F, generally 1.5 degree deviation up or down
• General Hydroponics nutrients for a 13.2 liter reservoir level at 32/30/14 with 18ml Calmag (PPM approximately 1300). This is the strength that I generally use for week 3-4 of veg.
• Reservoir water and nutes changed every 10 days
• Roots look healthy
• Good bubble disbursement for the roots
• Confirmed pests are not the problem
• Good airflow between canopy and lights
• T5 lights on an 18/6 cycle: Distance from lights approximately 10 inches

I have used this strategy for numerous DWC buckets with near perfect results; never a problem until now. I have grown three other strains without problems but for some reason, Pineapple Haze is extremely sensitive to something that I am doing. I have read the troubleshooting forums and can't determine whether this is a reaction to nutrient toxicity or nutrient deficiency. The leaves have yellow and coppery splotches and end up clenching up like a fist. Young leaves at first look good but eventually follow the fate of the older leaves. I have included pictures of the plant and a leaf that I removed.

I should also mention that I planted a third Pineapple Haze in soil to be used as a mother. After an initial flush to 100PPM, my nutrient regiment has been similar ratios to the DWC mix but weaker; about 800 PPM. This one is doing beautifully, which suggests that my problem has to do with the DWC strategy. Please help?

 

[Croatsan]

Hi malakaldayook

She's a heavy feeder, alright, but 1300ppm in week 3? At that time I was @400. Now I'm at week 6, still below 500ppm.

Are you using RO or tap water? If latter and you're adding Cal-Mag, you might have Calcium overdose which, in turn, locks out Magnesium. So you end up with Mg defficiency.

Everything else seems fine. I wouldn't be changing the res every 10 days but there's no harm if you do.

Best.

 

[malakaldayook]

Hi malakaldayook

She's a heavy feeder, alright, but 1300ppm in week 3? At that time I was @400. Now I'm at week 6, still below 500ppm.

Are you using RO or tap water? If latter and you're adding Cal-Mag, you might have Calcium overdose which, in turn, locks out Magnesium. So you end up with Mg defficiency.

Everything else seems fine. I wouldn't be changing the res every 10 days but there's no harm if you do.

Best.

Thanks for the quick response! I am using RO water, which is the reason for supplementing with Calmag. I do maintain a fairly heavy PPM but that was based on the response from my other strains, which seemed to love it. Still, I tend to suspect that this particular strain is a little more sensitive to that level of nutes than usual. I just wanted to make sure that backing down on the PPMs wasn't going to cause more harm if the problem turned out to be a deficiency, which from your observation is less likely.

I'll put her on a diet and report back.

Thanks!

// M

 

[Croatsan]

Yeah, do that, I'm curious how it's gonna turn out.

I would do a full res change to start afresh and dial back the nutes to half strength (650-700ppm). From what I read on the Interwebs, Pineaple Haze is a heavy feeder but still... 1300ppm is a lot in the first month, especially considering that you're using RO and therefore have no extra ppm in your water to begin with.

 

[Jimmycricket]

I would make sure your ph meter isnt broken. That plant looks like typical PH issue plant.

 

[malakaldayook]

Happiness!

I changed the water and reduced the nutrient strength to about 850ppm (down from 1300): GH 15ml grow, 18ml micro, 9ml bloom, 5ml rapidstart, 2ml floralicious, 9ml CalMag for a 3.5 gallon reservoir. Maybe still a little high but I didn't want to scale back too much and risk starving her. PH was not the problem - although I primarily use an electronic PH tester, I always fall back to the chemical PH indicator drops in I have doubts. Four days after the new water: nice, new, green leaves!

Thanks, Croatsan!

Yeah, do that, I'm curious how it's gonna turn out.

I would do a full res change to start afresh and dial back the nutes to half strength (650-700ppm). From what I read on the Interwebs, Pineaple Haze is a heavy feeder but still... 1300ppm is a lot in the first month, especially considering that you're using RO and therefore have no extra ppm in your water to begin with.

 

[Croatsan]

You're welcome. Glad it all worked out for you. Now, next time when you top the res, do it with plain pH'd water couple of times before you add more nutes. She won't starve. Don't worry.