Seeking A Sympathetic Guru! I'm 4 Years As A Medical User & New Grower

[warezaholic]

PS

I'm nearly complete with the grow room. Saturday I removed the 48 inch florescent grow lights and installed a 1000 Watt LED lamp on vegetative mode, (currently and I may need info on the following) 12 or so inches above both plants 8 weeks and the other 4 days above ground. Also now with proper chemicals, I'm dedicated to controlling the PH and nutrients.

The water temp is 75.5° and the room temp is 72 to 78°, and with a vaporizer type humidifier the RH is 40 to 60 °/°... my last seed is up and running 4 weeks behind the other.

 

[warezaholic]

I'm finally up and running and I'm trying out a new fertilizer that's advertised as a "all in one" (just different strengths) by General Hydroponics called "FloraNova Bloom" As well as their PH Down formula. Im currently running dual air lines rated for 150 gallon aquarium each.

Water, room, RH conditions are being monitored and controlled.

I manufactured a home made floating water level indicator (fishing tackle) and a SMALL siphon for water testing, so now I don't have to disturb the plant except for complete water changes.

Question-

For co2 I'm making my own DIY automatic infusion device for under $25.

I just need to figure out when the plants really need the co2; and how much. I suppose that'll be left to trial & error and some scientific investigation.

 

[warezaholic]

Is this thread still active? I have another issue coming at me.

 

[Carcass]

It is now
What's up?

 

[warezaholic]

Thank you.

I am like a vigilant new dad and today I found 5 or 6 REALLY TINY white specks on several fan leaves. I googled and read about mites. I can't believe how bad my luck has been with this plant. Right now I am unable to buy ladybugs so I simply carefully trimmed off the just the affected parts of the leaf.

Even with my jewelers loop, I couldn't see any bugs.

I also read that the substrate (the rockwool OR maybe the clay pellets can be the origin of the bugs (if I actually have any). My phone's camera couldn't see the tiny specks...

 

[Carcass]

If you saw actual spider mites,seems to me they'd be moving?
Or you could at least tell for sure that they were mites,especially with a loupe.
Spider mites don't lay just one egg,they lay a cluster of 20 or so,so a single white dot wouldn't be eggs,
at least not spider mite eggs.

 

[warezaholic]

I looked with my 10x loop and could only see most of the tiny white specks are causing holes through and through. My vision ain't what you would call perfect and my plant (as been mentioned) has been stunted by a very hard start and now it's short (6/8 inch) is getting bushy and too hard to be able to safely get a look underneath the leaves. The tiny bits I trimmed off were only about 1 to 4 millimeters removed from the affected areas.

If I can't find out what up, will I need to destroy this plant AND will my newest seedling (a week old) be at risk too?

Anything I can do?

 

[Carcass]

No,you don't need to destroy them-if it is a pest,there will be a solution to it.
I'd work on getting a positive identification on the pest first,then you'll know what can be done to fix the problem.

 

[warezaholic]

I'll make an effort to closely examine the plant in a couple days when my 6 inch baskets arrive. I'll gently rehome it and take a few minutes looking it over with my double loop and super HD camera app.

PS

Do you make house calls?‍

 

[warezaholic]

I read that spider mites can easily be drowned.! They have a 3 day reproductive cycle.

Can the plant (excluding the rockwool cube) be submerged upside down for short periods?

I wonder, if I should figure out how, while rehomeing the plant (carefully) then just turn her upside down in low PH water for about ten minutes, and repeat 2 times over 6 days. This should rid all offspring.

 

[Carcass]

I don't think a dunk would hurt the plant much,but before you do that,you need to make sure you're dealing with spidermites.
Little white dots could also be other things,like powdwey mildew, in which case dunking would probably make the problem worse.

 

[warezaholic]

Of course I intend to be sure. I am an occasional watch repair hobbyist and have several excellent magnifying tools all brought before my double lasik. (but I feel Much better now!) LOL

I'll be sure to check in over here when I've done my best to see what this really is.
But as small as it seems these pests are, I fall short of having an actual microscope.

 

[warezaholic]

Sorry, I've been forgetting the thumbs up...

 

[warezaholic]

?Leaves are curling upwards? Why's that

 

[Carcass]

I'm not a hydro guy,so I don't just want to guess.
Hopefully someone who is will chime in with a definite answer for you.

A pic or 2 would help out,if you could post a few.

 

[warezaholic]

Sorry but if this plant ever flowers, it'll become a new miracle strain.

 

[warezaholic]

The plant is a nice green and it's the lights making it look purple

 

[Pbass]

Hiya @warezaholic I know nothing about nothing but she looks pretty cute and happy to me! I'd like to see those dots if you ever get a up close pic slap em up would you?

I am like a vigilant new dad and today I found 5 or 6 REALLY TINY white specks on

This reminds me of me right now, and it also reminds me of me 23 years ago when I was a new dad for some other really crazy thing to grow. OMG I fretted about everything. I'm ALSO reminded of me 20 and 17 years ago after being through it a few times OMG I was so much more chill. Which reminds me of @carcass lol!

Thanks all you mothers and fathers with a few babies under your belts

 

[Carcass]

Looks pretty normal-you'll drive yourself nuts worrying about every leaf...sometimes
they grow "funny" till they get a bit bigger.
This is one I've got going right now,topped about 4 days ago-Right now it's growing more like cabbage than cannabis,in 2 weeks it will look like it's "supposed" to look.
She's getting up potted tomorrow(I say "she" in an optimistic way,not feminized,so I'll treat her like a girl till she shows me different)

 

[warezaholic]

I was a little concerned because I turned her on her head an submerged her for 10 minutes in a one gallon solution of low PH water and an ounce of pesticidal soap (flea shampoo) as posted on Google. I thought it may have been harmful but she's recovering ok And I bought a spray on solution specifically for plant pests and mites (BioAdvanced 701290B Insecticide Fungicide and Miticide 3-in-1 Insect, Disease & Mite Control. So tomorrow she gets a new treatment.

This is the best photo I can give with the white pecks just zoom in for a better look.