may 23 flower day 1.jpg (38.05 KiB) Viewed 2818 times
Good Day all,
I'm a new member of this forum and looking for a little advice on my grow. (third attempt, using bag seed and this is the best grow so far) A Solar Storm 400 is due any day now, which I'll be using to replace or add too the two 400 HID lights currently in use. After reading about the California lightworks products, I wanted to try one during the last couple of weeks of flowering, and too reduce to amount of heat in the grow area. My problem is that I think my plants are about to die and I'm not sure if it is a nutrient, heat, watering issue or all of them. (I've been doing a lot reading, maybe too much.) And I have a $1000.00 LED on the way.
Details: Grow area: Furnace/AC room - Space available 5.5' x 5.5' Lights: Two 400 HID - Bulbs in use: HPS Plants # 2 - Flowering for one month, height appx 3 feet Growing media: 5 gallon pots, Scotts top soil mixed with perlite and a little Bone meal. Nutrients: Orchid Plus, 20-14-13 for veg and Green Light Super Bloom, 12-55-6 for flowering.
Up to three/two weeks ago everything seemed to be fine then one of the plants started showing signs of nitrogen toxicity, now the second plant looks like it's having the same problem. I increased the super bloom to 3qrt strength last week for one feeding. I flushed both over the past three days.
question: Should I cut the plants now or let them continue?
Ambient temps? Humidity? How much space are the plants taking up right now?
The plant in the picture looks OK to me but the nutrients that you're using doesn't seem to have enough K, imho. You may want to consider switching to something else.
Since the plants are already 3' tall, I'd add the SS400 or wait and use it next time but I wouldn't replace the HID lights because you'd lose penetration power and about 70 watts.
SME
Disclaimer: I still use HID and I'm NOT an LED expert. All of my LED knowledge is from other parties or research so I can't say from first hand experience one way or another. I also run a medical grow consulting business in SoCal.
Thanks for the reply, that pic was taken last month after 5 weeks of veg. These show what the plants look like now after a month of flowering. (Plants taken outside to avoid the yellowish lighting) I hope you can see the issues I think I have/caused. Pics 6 and 7 show each plant. Ambient temps: With the door open the room is 78 - 82 with the lights on. The past two weeks I had to have to door closed. Humidity: Around 55 - 58 How much room? They take up all the space I have available. I may have to take down one HID due to space above the plants, I'll see when the SS400 arrives some time tomorrow.
I'm planning on new grow room - 8' by 8' for the next attempt with all the bells and whistles. I'm new to the area so I only know of Home Depot and Lowes for supplies.
What is your pH? Do you feed every time you water or do you alternate? Tap/well water or RO water? If tap/well what is the ppm/pH of your water? Do you have AC for that room? Did you mix your soil + amendments very well?
I do see signs of over-watering so let them dry out a bit more between watering/feedings.
I'd still consider switching nutrients, you can order almost anything online.
Disclaimer: I still use HID and I'm NOT an LED expert. All of my LED knowledge is from other parties or research so I can't say from first hand experience one way or another. I also run a medical grow consulting business in SoCal.
PH levels are unknown, my meter has gone missing. (we're still unpacking) I'll have to get another one. Three weeks ago it was tap water for two weeks while I was away that I let sit for 24 hours before using. I had someone water the plants every two days. Last week (June 16) I used 2/3rd strength Super bloom every other watering. Once I saw the leaves turning down and after doing some reading, I stopped the super bloom and used water only. Three days ago I decided to try flushing.
As you can tell, I'm not very good at this, but I keep trying.
Strange thing, since I took the photos this morning, both plants now have brown spots. I'm going to get you another photo. the Super Bloom was recommended for flowering, and I'd hate to have to replace it now. It's a large container....
I did mix the soil well, from other photos I've seem, I might not have put enough perlite in.
I think I just screwed up with the flushing. Dark cycle just started. Hopefully they will survive the night.
You should definitely invest in pH and nutrient (either EC or PPM) meters. Do you know what's in your tap water?
Let them dry out a bit before watering/feeding. You can lift the pots and feel how heavy they are.
Superbloom was designed for different kinds of flowers, you could be missing other needed nutrients. You can still use it around the house, so it won't go to waste, but you might look at something different for those plants. I'd make sure the pH is correct first though because several of the pictures could indicate that you're having pH lockout issues.
Perlite will help with drainage if they're holding too much moisture...
Disclaimer: I still use HID and I'm NOT an LED expert. All of my LED knowledge is from other parties or research so I can't say from first hand experience one way or another. I also run a medical grow consulting business in SoCal.
OK, thanks for your help. While I may not be able to get whats needed in the time that I have right now,(I'm may have to leave next week), I'll get better nutes and soil for the next grow. Do you think transplanting them into fresh soil mix can bring them back? If they don't show any improvement in the next week with plain water, I'm thinking harvest sooner rather than later and hope the curing process makes up for the damage.
Where I'm from, just having these types of things is considered drug equipment, so I'm wary of buying online and having them shipped to my address. As I said in the 1st post, this is the best grow yet. Two females, no seeds and best tops that I've grown (I've seen better). I really would hate for them to die before the hairs turn color. I'll try and find a hydro shop and get some cash from the wife in the morning.
Could you provide a list of what I should be looking for? or is there a list on this site?
Thinking back now, each previous attempt failed at this stage, maybe the superbloom is the problem.....I thought it was the seeds or pot size. I'll also rethink the new grow room and adding a portable AC. Temps can get up to over 100 in the summer. Problem is, I'm only growing bag seed, and the costs are adding up.
I wouldn't harvest too early but they are your plants. You are still early enough that they should recover from any transplant shock but it's not recommended to stress them during flower. If you do transplant put them in bigger containers so they rootballs don't get too stressed and pack the newer mix around whatever they hold onto. The worst thing that could happen is they die or turn hermaphroditic. Since it's bagseed you'd really only be losing the power cost and a little nutrient cost.
Sorry, but in the USA they cannot arrest you for owning/buying grow equipment because you could be growing perfectly legal crops like veggies or orchids. They have to catch you growing something illegal and just buying the equipment isn't enough to get a search warrant so they'd need other reasons to believe that you're growing illegal crops like smell, an open window so they can see them, plants left in the backyard so a neighbor sees them, a fire where they find them or somebody that gets some from you and then tells somebody. Etc...
We don't have any lists here and there are so many options that it'd be hard to maintain one. I'd avoid the cheapest brands but often the most expensive brands can be avoided too. Ask at your local/online hydro shops for recommendations. I'd avoid Advanced Nutrients because they're expensive and more hype than help, imho. You might want to try GH FloraNova Bloom to get you through this flower cycle and if you like it you can try it again next time. You could get cheap Hanna pH and PPM meters. I'm not sure what else you'd want/need to get.
Temp control is obviously important and if you don't run AC you could skip growing during the summer. Try to get a dual hose portable or a mini-split unit so you don't pump odors out for neighbors to smell. Genetics is also important but people can grow decent plants from bagseed since how they're grown is just as important than the genetics and in some cases more important.
Disclaimer: I still use HID and I'm NOT an LED expert. All of my LED knowledge is from other parties or research so I can't say from first hand experience one way or another. I also run a medical grow consulting business in SoCal.
Hello SME, I went out and got a PH tester, plus PH UP/Down and Pure Blend Pro bloom today. Tested the soil and tap water as suggested. Soil came in at 7.5 and the tap water (after sitting for 24 hours) 7.0 as per the chart. I'll be attempting the PH down on one plant.
question: Should I wait another day to allow the plant to dry out more from the flushing? The PH down is in crystal form so I thought I'd add some to the water. I'll use bottled water this time and test it before watering the plant.
How long ago did you flush? Does the pot still feel heavy or does it feel fairly light?
Crystallized pH down? Like for a pool? What's it made out of? There should be a label.
Bottled tap/spring/distilled/RO?
Disclaimer: I still use HID and I'm NOT an LED expert. All of my LED knowledge is from other parties or research so I can't say from first hand experience one way or another. I also run a medical grow consulting business in SoCal.