Need help solving trouble with my first DWC grow

[Kal1424]

I have 2 plants growing in a DWC system. This is my first time ever growing in this medium. The plants were doing great at first, but now I see some signs that are making me concerned. Has anyone seen this problem and anyone have any advice. BTW, I just set them to flowering last night.

I am using Sensi grow and Bloom. I also have used Voodoo juice in the earlier part of the grown and just used it for the first nuts of flowering.

my current readings: PPM: 880 PH: 6.3 Temp: 73

 

[Kal1424]

better pic

 

[BuddroGreen]

5.7 -5.8 pH, 1/3 less nutes with LED.

 

[Kal1424]

less nutes than what I am currently running? my nutes are at 880 right now and the which is 1/3 of what Advanced Nutrients recommends with their calculator.

So you're suggesting that I try my nuts around 580-600ppm?

 

[Doozy]

Your ph can be anywhere from 5.6 to 6.2, most advise 5.8 but infact a shift is a good thing, either up or down. In veg, if you're doing things right, your PH should be rising slightly every day.

To get a better indication of your problem i would suggest you post a picture with the lights off, using a flash or just normal light, there's very little that can be gauged from your pic other than the fact that you're using LEDs.

 

[BuddroGreen]

less nutes than what I am currently running? my nutes are at 880 right now and the which is 1/3 of what Advanced Nutrients recommends with their calculator.

So you're suggesting that I try my nuts around 580-600ppm?

The bottle directions are maximum levels in perfect growing conditions. They want you to use more nutrients, so they can sell you more. I use Advanced Nutrients myself pH Perfect GMB (Grow, Micro, Bloom) and use half of the bottle directions, I'm in fourth week of flower and looking awesome, I also use Floralicious Plus, Flora Nectar, Flora Bloom and my ppm's are at 600-625 with all those supplements added.

Just FYI, most LED growers supplement Cal-Mag, that could be your leaf issue or pH fluctuation hard to tell with LED on the leaf.

 

[Kal1424]

here are some pictures with better lighting. In the mean time, I have lowered the PH to 5.8 and the PPMs at 820.

I dont use RO water... just filtered water, which is why I am running about 220 more than you it seems. if I am going to make this work, then it has to be this water as I will not keep investing and hauling RO water. I did add some Calmeg in my last reservoir change. I guess I may have to experiment with different nutes to see which work best for me, but my PH has been between 6.3-6.8 most of the time since I started this DWC thing.

 

[BuddroGreen]

here are some pictures with better lighting. In the mean time, I have lowered the PH to 5.8 and the PPMs at 820.

I dont use RO water... just filtered water, which is why I am running about 220 more than you it seems. if I am going to make this work, then it has to be this water as I will not keep investing and hauling RO water. I did add some Calmeg in my last reservoir change. I guess I may have to experiment with different nutes to see which work best for me, but my PH has been between 6.3-6.8 most of the time since I started this DWC thing.

The ppm's I gave you are for a plant in tap water with a starting ppm of 198...I looked at my feeding records and I was wrong on total ppm of 625, it's was 670 on a (.5) Hanna scale...or approx 500 ppm nutrients & supplements. Anyone can run a lower ppm and still grow nice dank flowers, it's all about finding the sweet spot between ppm & water usage, the bottle tells you one thing and the plants tell you what they like, not every strain will like the same ppm.

LED's make the plant use more Cal-Mag, I would supplement Cal-Mag @ 1 ml/ gallon and keep that pH at 5.7 - 5.8...once you get your root pH in check since it's been all out of whack, it should make keeping it stable much easier instead of the higher fluctuations.

 

[Kal1424]

The ppm's I gave you are for a plant in tap water with a starting ppm of 198...I looked at my feeding records and I was wrong on total ppm of 625, it's was 670 on a (.5) Hanna scale...or approx 500 ppm nutrients & supplements. Anyone can run a lower ppm and still grow nice dank flowers, it's all about finding the sweet spot between ppm & water usage, the bottle tells you one thing and the plants tell you what they like, not every strain will like the same ppm.

LED's make the plant use more Cal-Mag, I would supplement Cal-Mag @ 1 ml/ gallon and keep that pH at 5.7 - 5.8...once you get your root pH in check since it's been all out of whack, it should make keeping it stable much easier instead of the higher fluctuations.

but adding Cal-mag would increase the PPM... so should I do that now or should I wait till I do a rez change next week and decrease the nutes even more and add more cal-mag? my last rez change which was Tuesday, I added .5ml/1GL of water of Cal Mag.

 

[BuddroGreen]

Cal-Mag adds about 28-30 ppm/ ml. If you've already added cal-mag @ .5 ml/ gallon, stay with that, the leaves in the pictures will not get better in the necrosis (brown spots) so keep an eye on remaining plant.

The first pictures look like a little nute burn on a few leaf edges, that's why I mentioned pulling back on the ppm a little, but if that's not the case then you can continue using your ppm level....I just try to find a level that is all they need without pushing them much, saves on nutrients.

 

[Kal1424]

Cal-Mag adds about 28-30 ppm/ ml. If you've already added cal-mag @ .5 ml/ gallon, stay with that, the leaves in the pictures will not get better in the necrosis (brown spots) so keep an eye on remaining plant.

The first pictures look like a little nute burn on a few leaf edges, that's why I mentioned pulling back on the ppm a little, but if that's not the case then you can continue using your ppm level....I just try to find a level that is all they need without pushing them much, saves on nutrients.

I'll keep an eye out and will for sure take it easy on the nutes. I was planning on going 1/2 strength next Rez change. I think I will skip that and keep to the 3rd of the recipe that the manufacturer recommends. Most of us newbies probably think more nuts means faster and better growing plants. lol But I understand better now.