Help with plant issues - PLEASE

[rgdwar1]

Hello everyone and thanks for viewing my question (and hopefully provide me with some expert advice) as I am starting to worry.

Ok, Let's start at the beginning. I purchased, from a friend, a BC Norther Lights Producer Grow Box. On Oct. 25th another friend gave me four clones, 2- Wonder Woman and 2-Bubblicious, Fully rooted in soil. I have been just watering them with PHd tap water every few days and sat them under my two 400W Mh bulbs inside the box. Also the intake and exhaust fans remained on. The plants were on a schedule of 18/6.

After some lengthy research and advice from my local grow store, On Wed. November 9th, I transplanted the four girlies to the hydro systems 3" net pots with a single layer of Hydoton then backfilled the hydroton around the stem for support.

I rinsed the Hydroton thouroughly before using it.

I mixed up 1/2 strength nutes and 10 Gallons of PHd tap water and added this to the res.

Nutes I am using are Advanced, Hobbyist level except for vooDoo Juice (Couldnt afford it right now):

Grow A & B
B-52
H202

It has now been 4 days and my girlies are looking all wilty (Not sure if thats a word...lol) and some leaves are turning yellow, some are green with small yellow splotches, yet they appear to have a bit of new growth. I dont want to kill them please help this noob have a successful first crop?

Stats by day:
Initial fill: 980ppm (CF)
Ph: 5.5

11/10:
840 ppm
Ph: 6.2 (added enough Ph Down to read 5.6)

11/11:
840 ppm
Ph: 6.2 (again added enough Ph Down to reach 5.5)

11/12:
840 ppm
Ph: 6.1 (same with Ph Down to 5.6) (WTH!)

11/13:
840 ppm
Ph: 6.3 (Again added Ph down to 5.5)

Using a Hanna PPM/TDS stick and a BlueLab Truncheon for PPM
Also have 4- High output air stones for aeration and no Co2 (have everything ready just dont know when to start using it)

 

[cowell]

ph sweet spot is 5.8 for hydro.

You were growing in soil.. and now in hydro... how did you get rid of the dirt?
That's what the problem is... You fucked with the roots system when you washed the dirt away. You can get transplant shock by doing alot less than that.
Not saying they won't recover. Just give it some time, and don't rush the nutes - give it a chance to recover.

 

[lime73]

last pic shows roots crammed into bottom of pot?

from soil to hydro??? I would have just continued with growing in soil.

Transplant shock for sure!

 

[rgdwar1]

I didn't completely get rid of the dirt... made up two gallons of phd water and gently fingered the soil off under water. I had read somewhere to try and get most off, but if you couldnt, it was ok. Probably would have really damaged the roots if I had continued to try to get all off. Should I clip off the yellowed leaves? Tonight I sprayed a light spray of water Phd to 5.6. Is there anything I can do to promote recovery?

 

[rgdwar1]

last pic shows roots crammed into bottom of pot?

from soil to hydro??? I would have just continued with growing in soil.

Transplant shock for sure!

I didnt cram them in... gently put the roots in so they would eventually stretch back to the bottom and out the net pots. Is there a way I could have done this differently? Besides your original reply of just continuing with the soil grow. Is there anything I can do now?

 

[cowell]

wow... guess I'll just fuck off then. Sorry for helping. If you washed the dirt off your roots.. even not completely.. you fucked with them.
That's what's wrong. Your ph is off too. Lime will help you - he's good like that

I'll rep you Bud.

 

[cowell]

ahh.. you repped me first you're the best!

 

[lime73]

I didnt cram them in... gently put the roots in so they would eventually stretch back to the bottom and out the net pots. Is there a way I could have done this differently? Besides your original reply of just continuing with the soil grow. Is there anything I can do now?

I was just making an observation...they are in shock and will take time to recover.

And I just don't like to hear that the guy at the "STORE" gave me "great advise" ( usually where shit will go wrong)... There advise is not always in YOUR best interest...they are trying to get you to purchase as much as possible.... so that you just spend, spend, spend!

 

[lime73]

wow... guess I'll just fuck off then. Sorry for helping. If you washed the dirt off your roots.. even not completely.. you fucked with them.
That's what's wrong. Your ph is off too. Lime will help you - he's good like that

I'll rep you Bud.

yes ph is off

 

[rgdwar1]

I apologize to both of you. I read back and can see how i looked like a douche. I promise you, it wasn't meant that way. I appreciate any and all information/help you can provide. I realize now I should have just finished as a soil grow. Guess hindsight really is 20/20. What can I do now? How can I help these plants survive?

 

[cowell]

I apologize to both of you. I read back and can see how i looked like a douche. I promise you, it wasn't meant that way. I appreciate any and all information/help you can provide. I realize now I should have just finished as a soil grow. Guess hindsight really is 20/20. What can I do now? How can I help these plants survive?

It's all good buddy, wife's been gone to visit her mom for a week.. I just need to get laid likely...

Just give it time and it'll recover. Go easy on the nutes, and make sure you dont' lower the ph so low.. will aviod future lockout issues.
Lime knows what he's talking about too.. I'm just beating him to the post is all.

Like I said.. just need my old lady back home and we can all go back to shiney happy growing

 

[lime73]

I apologize to both of you. I read back and can see how i looked like a douche. I promise you, it wasn't meant that way. I appreciate any and all information/help you can provide. I realize now I should have just finished as a soil grow. Guess hindsight really is 20/20. What can I do now? How can I help these plants survive?

No Worries....All's good from my end.

I understand your frustration and you are just looking for help, and you will find it here, I'm sure...just be patient and they will chime in to help.

 

[rgdwar1]

It's all good buddy, wife's been gone to visit her mom for a week.. I just need to get laid likely...

Just give it time and it'll recover. Go easy on the nutes, and make sure you dont' lower the ph so low.. will aviod future lockout issues.
Lime knows what he's talking about too.. I'm just beating him to the post is all.

Like I said.. just need my old lady back home and we can all go back to shiney happy growing

Wife is away for a week? Damn... thats a vaca for me...lol

so two things, you say dont lower the ph so low...is a good target then the 5.8?

and when you say go easy on the nutes... Not sure I completely understand. I'm using a Drip system with a 12.5 gallon res so the nutes are already in there and feeds twice a day for 5 mins. Should I res change and only use 1/4 strength instead of the 1/2 strength thats in there now? today will be the 5th day using this res of nutes.

Thanks again to the both of you and anyone else that chimes in.

 

[matthebrute]

im no hydro expert but this is what i would do.

1: hydro PH is ideal around 5.8-6.2 (i read that in hydro forums look it up but im pretty sure thats accurate) anything over or under is B A D. figure out why your PH is fluxuating so much (wish i could help but like i said im no hydro grower)

2: dump the nutes down to like 1/10th strength. this will allow 2 things. 1 the PH will not flux so much and 2 it will give the plants a break and let them focus on root development. ill say it again im no expert but i am willing to bet you shocked your plants removing them like OP said and now they are "root bound" you should probally drop the roots down through the slots in the basket so they are reaching down into the rezz not all bunched up in between them hydroton pellets. again im no expert this just seems to make sense to me, those roots want to "reach" for the water but they are so bunched up and crowded for room they cant to anything and i fear root rot will set in if left like that for too long, get them roots dropped down through the slots in the basket, maintain your PH to a solid 5.8-5.9 (i hear those are the best ranges for hydro) and dump the nutes to a verry verry verry low dosage, just enough to give them what they need to grow.

also you said you were running 2 400w MH ? again no pro but this may be too much light for them at this moment try only using 1 light for a bit, first off the light induces photosynthesis wich promots vegatative growth, you want them plants to re develope a healthy root system first. might even be worth a try to cut the leaves as if you were cloning to help promote that root growth.

anyways like i said im no expert only giving my 2¢ for what its worth. before doing anything i say i would do a little research first to make sure it is the right decision for you.

hope i could help ya
Matt

Edit: also its hard to tell but it looks like your plants are showing some preflowers? if this is true and you have them on 18/6 they are undergoing the stress of reversing thier life cycle wich is something they were not intended to do, just another factor to put into play if they are even showing preflowers. like i said its really hard to tell from the picture.

 

[MrMeanGreen]

I think your problem is a bit simpler than most seem to be diagnosing. I may be wrong but I bet its your plants near the air inlet fan. That looks like fan (cold) burn to me my friend. Have all your sick plants had a spell in the site in front of your inlet fan???

 

[rgdwar1]

im no hydro expert but this is what i would do.

1: hydro PH is ideal around 5.8-6.2 (i read that in hydro forums look it up but im pretty sure thats accurate) anything over or under is B A D. figure out why your PH is fluxuating so much (wish i could help but like i said im no hydro grower)

I am aiming for 5.8 now. Checked this morning and Ph was 6.2, added Ph Down to 5.9

2: dump the nutes down to like 1/10th strength. this will allow 2 things. 1 the PH will not flux so much and 2 it will give the plants a break and let them focus on root development. ill say it again im no expert but i am willing to bet you shocked your plants removing them like OP said and now they are "root bound" you should probally drop the roots down through the slots in the basket so they are reaching down into the rezz not all bunched up in between them hydroton pellets. again im no expert this just seems to make sense to me, those roots want to "reach" for the water but they are so bunched up and crowded for room they cant to anything and i fear root rot will set in if left like that for too long, get them roots dropped down through the slots in the basket, maintain your PH to a solid 5.8-5.9 (i hear those are the best ranges for hydro) and dump the nutes to a verry verry verry low dosage, just enough to give them what they need to grow.

Two questions: 1. My system uses a res for water/nutes. Today is day 5 of this mix, with topping off daily of just phd water. Should I just do a res change and reduce the nutes to 25%? Will this help? 2. The thing I am worried about is putting the girls through more stress. Would messing with the roots again to get them through the slots do more damage than good at this point? What about taking out all of the Hydroton then draping the roots around the bottom then back filling with Hydroton? Right now I have 1 layer of hydroton then the roots laid back and forth like an "S" shape.

also you said you were running 2 400w MH ? again no pro but this may be too much light for them at this moment try only using 1 light for a bit, first off the light induces photosynthesis wich promots vegatative growth, you want them plants to re develope a healthy root system first. might even be worth a try to cut the leaves as if you were cloning to help promote that root growth.

With the BCNL Producer box, I only have the option of both on or both off. I can remove the one bulb on the right side if this will help the plants. It appears those leaves are dying off...should I prune them off? will this let the plant concentrate on roots and new growth?



anyways like i said im no expert only giving my 2¢ for what its worth. before doing anything i say i would do a little research first to make sure it is the right decision for you.

I definitely appreciate your 2 cents!

hope i could help ya
Matt

Edit: also its hard to tell but it looks like your plants are showing some preflowers? if this is true and you have them on 18/6 they are undergoing the stress of reversing thier life cycle wich is something they were not intended to do, just another factor to put into play if they are even showing preflowers. like i said its really hard to tell from the picture.

Pre-flowers? Does this mean I've gone too long in veg? Also, I thought that by using MH bulbs and 18/6, the plants couldnt flower and are held in an indefinitine veg state

 

[rgdwar1]

I think your problem is a bit simpler than most seem to be diagnosing. I may be wrong but I bet its your plants near the air inlet fan. That looks like fan (cold) burn to me my friend. Have all your sick plants had a spell in the site in front of your inlet fan???

I thought the same thing, but then I remembered I relocated the cups from the right side of the box to the left to try to provide them with more air flow. Should I move them back to the right side away from the incoming air flow?

 

[jg106256]

Cut the bottom out of your black cup to let the roots get down to the water. It'll work. I have a bloombox and transplanted a soily to hydro.
Also, maybe do an H2O2 flush of pH balanced water once you get the hole cut.