Take a Look at my poor plants please.

Jimbob Hempplants

Active Member
So I'm nine days in on my very first grow, and I'm at a loss to figure out what might be going on with my plants.
I germinated these "The Doctor" strain seeds at the end of December, and the first plant sprouted from rockwool on the first day of the new year, so I'm 9 days in, I guess.

The system is a DIY - DWC tub with a couple of air stones and a dual port air pump, and I'm using Fox Farm products with these plants. The light is a 400 watt HPS running at 50%. I've been checking the PH daily and adjusting as needed about every couple of days to keep it as close to 6.3 as possible. Today it checks at 6.0 with the PPM reading @ 257. I've just been using distilled white vinegar to adjust the PH down. intro.JPG
As you can see from the pic, the plants on the right side of the photo are looking pretty icky. The first set of leaves started showing brown spots two days after the first reservoir change on the 5th, and it is getting worse. My guess is maybe too much? I started the plants at 1/4 strength for the first week, but upped it to half strength of the Big Bloom and Grow Big, so it is one tsp/gal of Big Bloom and 1/2 tsp/gal of grow big. I'm also noticing the underside of the leaves turning dark, almost purple or blackish. DSCF0692.JPG
I'd really hate to have to start over on these plants, and I'd like to see if I can reverse the damage if I can, but I'm guessing at the problem. I'm hoping that some of you pros will see the pics and just know what I did to muck this up. :) The roots are looking good on all the plants, but Plant 2 (bottom right of pic) has the best.DSCF0693.JPG
I'm just not sure where to go from here. I'll include a few more pics in hopes that someone can give me some advice on these plants. I have 5 more seeds in case the worst happens, but as I said, I'd like to salvage these.
Oddly, Plant four (top left) looks OK other than the "watermelon" looking leaves. No brown spots, but this is the runt of the bunch.
DSCF0699.JPG
DSCF0689.JPG
DSCF0697.JPG I'm thinking maybe just run water and the big bloom for a few days and see what happens, but any advice is really appreciated. I've read a lot on the subject before I started, but now that I'm actually growing, I'm afraid I'm going to kill my plants. :)
 

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
What are you using to check PH? I would double check with another device or chemical test.

What is your water source?
 

Alienwidow

Well-Known Member
are you using nutrients designed for hydroponic use? like synthetic? or are they black and stinky like organic nutrients?
 

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
I see what looks like residue from spraying the plants with water with nutes. Don't spray them at all, except once more with lights off with pure luke warm water.
 

Terry385

Well-Known Member
you have organics in your water with light leaks you my friend have the start of root rot
 

Jimbob Hempplants

Active Member
What are you using to check PH? I would double check with another device or chemical test.

What is your water source?
Thanks for the replies, guys. I've been using a digital meter to check PH. I calibrated it last week, and when I stick it in a shot glass of 7.0 test solution, it reads 7.0. The water source is tap water, unfiltered. The PPM reading on the tap water is 52 before any nutes are added. I haven't ever sprayed these plants. Not once. :) I'll pick up a chemical test kit on the way home from work this evening and check it again.

@ Alienwidow: The nutes are the hydroponic ones from fox farm. I double-checked, although I think the Big Bloom can be used either way.
 

Jimbob Hempplants

Active Member
you have organics in your water with light leaks you my friend have the start of root rot
My biggest fear! I thought it might be root rot, then dismissed it because the roots aren't discolored or snotty looking, LOL BUT, I am not arguing with your diagnosis. I'll get some hydrogen peroxide and clean everything this weekend and see if I can get rid of it. Thanks.
 

Terry385

Well-Known Member
My biggest fear! I thought it might be root rot, then dismissed it because the roots aren't discolored or snotty looking, LOL BUT, I am not arguing with your diagnosis. I'll get some hydrogen peroxide and clean everything this weekend and see if I can get rid of it. Thanks.
root will turn brown you can save all of them also if it's real bad transplant them to soil look at pic's in my journal click the b next to my avatar
 

Alexander Supertramp

Well-Known Member
Your nutrients lack two very important things, Calcium and Magnesium. Also do you have a water softener? Too much sodium will block Cal and Mag. Your plants look to be lacking both. I would check the chlorine level also. Excess chlorine can cause leaf bronzing.
 

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
50 PPM tap water is pretty pure, might want to check the PPM meter too. I've never seen tap water near that pure. You must have a filter system beyond just a water softener to be getting that low of a PPM?
 

Jimbob Hempplants

Active Member
Thanks for the tips, guys! I appreciate all of your comments. @ Alexander Supertramp: Got it. Pick up some Cal/Mag. :)
@nomofatum: I don't remember what brand PPM/EC meter I have, but it came highly recommended and they claim that it is factory calibrated. I thought 52 was a little low too, so I re-checked the water straight out of the tap again this morning before I left for work and sure enough, it read 49 this time. As far as I know, there is no filtration system at our place. We rent though, so I will ask the landlord about it. If I were to guess, I'd say that there is none. This is Alaska, and the city I live in does not add chlorine to the water. Also, our water comes from a natural reservoir. I could grow in melted water right off of a glacier here if I wanted to. :P My guess is that the meter is fine, but I will check with the cooperative extension lady and see what she says. :)

Thanks again for all the replies! @Terry385, I looked at your pics. I will be employing the "paper plate tek" on my system tonight when I get home. My plan of attack so far is just to dump the nutrient solution out, clean the tub with soap and hydrogen peroxide real good and then I'm not sure whether I should mix nutes with the fresh water or just go with hydrogen peroxide mixed with plain water for a few days. Of course, I also plan to cover the hydroton and any places that light might leak in. I'll research it some more today as I get some time. I'm thinking maybe I should have just went with soil in the first place until I had some clones to play with, but I am determined to be successful with hydroponics. If these end up dying, I'll start the others in soil and play with hydroponics with some of the clones.
 
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Terry385

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the tips, guys! I appreciate all of your comments. @ Alexander Supertramp: Got it. Pick up some Cal/Mag. :)
@nomofatum: I don't remember what brand PPM/EC meter I have, but it came highly recommended and they claim that it is factory calibrated. I thought 52 was a little low too, so I re-checked the water straight out of the tap again this morning before I left for work and sure enough, it read 49 this time. As far as I know, there is no filtration system at our place. We rent though, so I will ask the landlord about it. If I were to guess, I'd say that there is none. This is Alaska, and the city I live in does not add chlorine to the water. Also, our water comes from a natural reservoir. I could grow in melted water right off of a glacier here if I wanted to. :P My guess is that the meter is fine, but I will check with the cooperative extension lady and see what she says. :)

Thanks again for all the replies! @Terry385, I looked at your pics. I will be employing the "paper plate tek" on my system tonight when I get home. My plan of attack so far is just to dump the nutrient solution out, clean the tub with soap and hydrogen peroxide real good and then I'm not sure whether I should mix nutes with the fresh water or just go with hydrogen peroxide mixed with plain water for a few days. Of course, I also plan to cover the hydroton and any places that light might leak in. I'll research it some more today as I get some time. I'm thinking maybe I should have just went with soil in the first place until I had some clones to play with, but I am determined to be successful with hydroponics. If these end up dying, I'll start the others in soil and play with hydroponics with some of the clones.
i was on a mission also 8 months took me to get things right
 

ODanksta

Well-Known Member
50 PPM tap water is pretty pure, might want to check the PPM meter too. I've never seen tap water near that pure. You must have a filter system beyond just a water softener to be getting that low of a PPM?
Tap water in the city next to mine is 90ppms, mine is 400 :(
 

Jimbob Hempplants

Active Member
i was on a mission also 8 months took me to get things right
Haha! At least I had enough sense to save half my seeds for the worst case scenario. I'm not giving up on these plants though until they're either dead or harvested! :P Time, I have. Those seeds ain't cheap though! Soon enough, I should be able to get clones and seeds here locally, but as it is right now, I'm at the mercy of online seed vendors.
 

hellmutt bones

Well-Known Member
Thats tipical nute burn they look kinda young to even have nutes.
Also u dont have to foliar spraythem it looks very familiar to the spraying them.
also make sure theres no light leaks.
just give them water or 1/3 the nutes.
but its no big deal just dilute ur rez
 

Jimbob Hempplants

Active Member
Thats tipical nute burn they look kinda young to even have nutes.
Also u dont have to foliar spraythem it looks very familiar to the spraying them.
also make sure theres no light leaks.
just give them water or 1/3 the nutes.
but its no big deal just dilute ur rez
I'm getting a kick out of your avatar! :D That's hilarious! At any rate, thanks for the input. I haven't sprayed these plants at all. Ever. I have, however, probably pushed them too far too soon with the nutes. I was thinking that they were looking burned, too. I didn't know if I was light/wind burning them or what. According to all the replies I've gotten so far, I have several problems to address. Thanks again for your reply. :)
 

hellmutt bones

Well-Known Member
Yeha
I'm getting a kick out of your avatar! :D That's hilarious! At any rate, thanks for the input. I haven't sprayed these plants at all. Ever. I have, however, probably pushed them too far too soon with the nutes. I was thinking that they were looking burned, too. I didn't know if I was light/wind burning them or what. According to all the replies I've gotten so far, I have several problems to address. Thanks again for your reply. :)
Thats me as a baby
 

Terry385

Well-Known Member
Haha! At least I had enough sense to save half my seeds for the worst case scenario. I'm not giving up on these plants though until they're either dead or harvested! :P Time, I have. Those seeds ain't cheap though! Soon enough, I should be able to get clones and seeds here locally, but as it is right now, I'm at the mercy of online seed vendors.
when i started got clones off craigslist and cloned them :bigjoint:
 

Jimbob Hempplants

Active Member
when i started got clones off craigslist and cloned them :bigjoint:
I never thought of craigslist. We just voted to legalize here, and the law goes into effect next month, but I feel safe enough growing small. As it was, the state constitution protected us from being busted as long as we were growing less than 25 plants. I have no need to grow that many. I'm just growing for myself. For the most part, people here are very tight-lipped about their grows or sources regardless of the lax rules. I'll definitely check craigslist though. I'd like to get some good clones. The seeds I have are "The Doctor" from Greenhouse seeds. They're supposed to be medical grade, but I thought they looked like pretty puny seeds. :P
 

Terry385

Well-Known Member
I never thought of craigslist. We just voted to legalize here, and the law goes into effect next month, but I feel safe enough growing small. As it was, the state constitution protected us from being busted as long as we were growing less than 25 plants. I have no need to grow that many. I'm just growing for myself. For the most part, people here are very tight-lipped about their grows or sources regardless of the lax rules. I'll definitely check craigslist though. I'd like to get some good clones. The seeds I have are "The Doctor" from Greenhouse seeds. They're supposed to be medical grade, but I thought they looked like pretty puny seeds. :P
don't know what part of Alaska but it's starting there http://juneau.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=clones&sort=rel
 
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