I need a hand here if you guys could?

[Kinz]

This is a double post, i recently posted one in "australia"
here's what i wrote

So I've recently started growing and I'm jumping about 5 weeks in. I'm having some problems. And I need a hand with it.
I'm using a mars hydro 300w with 1 7w exhaust fan. The lighting schedule is 18/6hr on an automated timer with approx 70cm spacing. The 7w fan is on 24hrs
I accidentally popped 9 seeds, I became impatient due to not sprouting.

Anyways, to the point;
I have some problems with the plants. The stems are thick ( which aren't a problem) but it seems the leafs aren't even budging. The bottom leaves seem to be growing really fast, but none on the top either that or it looks burning. So I wanna try confirm itI'm using a perlite peatmoss mix. I've asked the forums "roll it up" and they told me I was underwatering. But I watered 3 minutes later with a bit of nutes and it started being healthy again. ( was being put down for being arrogant, apparently )
My watering schedule is around 450ml every 3-4 days with a makeshift run off system (hosepipe and Gatorade bottle) classic Aussie techniques.
So I've come down to ask the Aussies for help. Strains are white lsd and aurora indica.

 

[happyNhigh]

Re: New grower problems.

Hey bud! Sounds like you might have the situation sorted. As you said after you watered they came good. With perlite its good to give them the lift test when watering. Wait till the pot is real light to lift and water when needed. I wouldnt follow a schedule till you have it down pat. Also whats all that soil/medium i see over your leaves? Might help to give them a foilar spray with plain ph'd water to wash the crap off.. also make sure your watering with the correct ph level set..

Peace
HappyNhigh

 

[Richard Richardson]

There is too little air exchange, so they cannot transpire enough. Transpiration - Wikipedia

You need an oscillating fan in there for air movement and also a more powerful exhaust fan!

Also, Photo Gallery Guide - How to Resize, Upload & Post Photos

 

[Guy Cavallero]

Exactly. I was going to sk if you have anything for air movement? Need some information on your setup please. Soil type, watering and nute schedule etc. They do also look underwatered, how are you checking? Start with that.

 

[Kinz]

Re: New grower problems.

Picture 2 has upper leafing problems, is it possible to try and analyse/fix it?
I don't know what happened, i'm trying to do some research, and my closest option is light burn. Because it's affecting the top leaves only.

 

[Kinz]

Exactly. I was going to sk if you have anything for air movement? Need some information on your setup please. Soil type, watering and nute schedule etc. They do also look underwatered, how are you checking? Start with that.

The fuckers at "ROLLITUP" keep saying it's overwatered over and over. But I realised it was underwatered as I added water mix with nutes.Air movement, I'm using a small fan, a desktop sized one from those towers, I'm using 1 of em. Soil type is perlite peatmoss mix, I'm using a powerfeed npk mix. Usually 5grams/bucket every 6-8 months (I'm adding in as I go and I'm doing around .9 grams a month to ensure a smooth flow. Sometimes I mix it in a water which I then PH test to be around, 5-6ph. I use 200ml-450ml of water every 3-4days (starting from yesterday). And for the fan, which one do you guys suggest? I'll try and buy one

 

[Guy Cavallero]

I use a 12 inch fan locked into the top of my tent that does not oscillate. It gets air movement from the top and shoots it back down to the bottom where I have two of my passive vents open to help get some cool air in and some warm air out. I use a 6 inch to 4 inch reducer on my Can fan with a charcoal filter to remove any hot air from the top. Correct me if I'm wrong but are you mixing a giant batch of nutrients in advance? I have no idea why they were saying that you were over-watering when you say that you water every 3 to 4 days and your soil looks dry as a bone.

 

[Guy Cavallero]

If you're growing in soil then your pH I believe is low for a mix where your nutrients have already been added. I believe your pH should be between 6.5 and 6.8 if you have your nutrients in already.

 

[Kinz]

Guy, you have an email I can personally contact you at? You seem to be heaps helpful than the people at the other forums. And I'll buy a fan? 12 inch you say? I'm basically using my closet. Which is the size of a medium sized grow tent. I have a desktop PC fan, but it sounds like a jet. I'm planning on getting maybe a 12 inch if possible as well. Just gotta do my research

 

[Guy Cavallero]

I'd rather not do the email thing bud. You should definitely be looking at some sort of a way to remove warm air to outside your grow space and the only way to do that without smell is to get a can fan with a controllable fan dimmer period you can hook the dimmer up in line so that you can still just plug your phone into the wall. That will allow you to operate the fan at 25% 50% 75% or 100% even though I find the 100% to be noisy as well. 50% and lower you never even hear it running. But you do need a charcoal filter for that to help get rid of smell as the plant matures. You definitely just need some more air movement as was originally brought up. How are you testing for whether or not your plants need water?

 

[Guy Cavallero]

Also just bear with me, it's the beginning of our work day here in Canada.

 

[Kinz]

I'd rather not do the email thing bud. You should definitely be looking at some sort of a way to remove warm air to outside your grow space and the only way to do that without smell is to get a can fan with a controllable fan dimmer period you can hook the dimmer up in line so that you can still just plug your phone into the wall. That will allow you to operate the fan at 25% 50% 75% or 100% even though I find the 100% to be noisy as well. 50% and lower you never even hear it running. But you do need a charcoal filter for that to help get rid of smell as the plant matures. You definitely just need some more air movement as was originally brought up. How are you testing for whether or not your plants need water?

Is it possible for you to bring me up a shopping list? You don't have to, if you don't have the time. I'm also using a my finger with the first inch. If it feels dry, like powdery ish, I put 200ml of water in, like a circle around the drip line of the plant, and sometimes around the leafs too. But I only use pure water for the leafs (which I spray once a week) and I use a nutrient mix (sometimes the NPK, sometimes the Run Off water).

 

[vespertine]

I believe peat moss is considered "soiless" so your ph & water schedule will be very different from soil growing. Maybe youre not watering enough? I know in coco you water everyday & i believe they're similar. I have no experience there, but if you search peat moss you should be able to find some journals to see what works for people.

 

[Kinz]

Peatmoss is basically like fluff. It dries out really quick. I had a prototype plant in which I accidentally shocked (damaged a fair bit of roots because I was stupid) 2 days later, I notice that it's almost dug through the bottom. I was pretty amazed. And that's when I started using peatmoss with the similar watering as the control/prototype.

 

[vespertine]

Yeah, I don't know a thing about growing in peat moss, sorry~ can't help you there. But this is the fan I got & I'm very happy with it. My closet is 5x8x8 & it works really well. Good luck with your plants!

 

[improvise]

top layer of soil drys out and the rest will still hold enough water. Also over-watering forces out all the beneficial air and plant becomes water logged. I think the best way to test if plant needs water is to lift up container and feel the weight. Hope this helps regards

 

[Guy Cavallero]

is peat moss good or bad?

 

[kamiljayah]

Could it be a possibility of excess nutrients? Nitrogen toxicity?

 

[Guy Cavallero]

I believe peat moss is considered "soiless" so your ph & water schedule will be very different from soil growing. Maybe youre not watering enough? I know in coco you water everyday & i believe they're similar. I have no experience there, but if you search peat moss you should be able to find some journals to see what works for people.

Thanks for the heads up Vesp. ...never thought of that.

 

[Richard Richardson]

FWIW, No-one really grows in "soil" unless they are growing outside in the earth.

I'm also using a my finger with the first inch. If it feels dry, like powdery ish, I put 200ml of water in, like a circle around the drip line of the plant, and sometimes around the leafs too. But I only use pure water for the leafs (which I spray once a week) and I use a nutrient mix (sometimes the NPK, sometimes the Run Off water).

Watering should be thorough (a lot) each time with at least a little run-off. The moving air from a fan helps the plant to take this water up from the roots into the leaves and it comes out of the leaves through tiny holes as water vapour.

If the water vapour that comes out is blown away quickly, more water vapour comes out and that process draws water upwards from the roots and should dry out the peat within days.

If you don't move the air, the water vapour does not get blown away and it condenses to water on the holes, blocking them up. Then the leaves cannot expel enough water and they cannot draw as much water from the roots, so the peat stays wet for longer and the roots suffocate due to stagnant water/lack of oxygen.

Be generous with your water, but stingy with your time. Plants like to get really wet roots and then to be left alone.

Don't spray your leaves unless you can control your environment & sticking your finger into the peat is not accurate.

I try to "tip" the pot gently with one finger, if it is too heavy to tip, there is enough water in the peat.

If I can tip the pot a little, the peat is too light & needs water.