first timer...5 bagseeds...5 different problems...18 days old 4' bulb t5

strengthngrowth

Well-Known Member
1 gallon hempys 4/1 perlite/verm... 18 days old...juss fed last night 4/10/15 pictures were 6 hours later,but had problems before starting nutes...ph 5.5-6.2... the one with loop the loop stem happened in the rapid rooter,by the time I noticed it was too late....but also one of the two biggest of the bunch....gave nutes at 1/4 strength 51 ppm's... as my distilled water was 001 ppm...any advise from the mj gods????
 

silusbotwin

Well-Known Member
I personally pH all my soil-destined nutes at 6.3-6.5 and I never have any imperfections at all.

As for your issues, don't worry, they will be ok and grow into nice beautiful plants. Keep in mind that virtually none of the foliage that you see now, will survive long enough to see the flower stage. My advice is pH your food at 6.3 and everything will go away.
 

strengthngrowth

Well-Known Member
I personally pH all my soil-destined nutes at 6.3-6.5 and I never have any imperfections at all.

QUOTE]
I grow in soilless,,,but thanx for the support...I hope they do grow well,,, especially before I plant these herbies seeds...mostly autos which will grow in mother/veg room with a couple photos...
 

silusbotwin

Well-Known Member
I use both Sunshine #4 and Pro Mix and I still do everything at 6.3 - 6.5

For about a year straight after switching from organic soil to using S#4 and PM I was having all kinds of weird problems and I tweaked everything except pH which I kept at 5.5 the whole time, which made perfect and undeniable sense to me that 5.5 was what it should be using soilless. Finally after playing with ppm strength for 3 or 4 crops trying all different strains I decided to try out nute pH at 6.3 (advised by Bryce who is the owner of Heavy16 and really knows his stuff). Turns out taking his advice was just what i needed because the first crop I ran at 6.3 turned out absolutely perfect and ever since then the last few years since switching to 6.3 - 6.5 I haven’t had any problems whatsoever and I've been able to jack my ppm strength up to 1800 -2000 ppm on a 500 scale.

Just sharing my experiences here. I admit I do not know enough about plant nutrition to back it up with science. This is just what worked for me. pH was literally the only thing I changed since my weird problems disappeared.
 

strengthngrowth

Well-Known Member
well upon further investigation it seems to be a cal and mag deficiency...and upon further investigation distilled water has neither cal or mag,,, just good ol hydrogen and oxygen...mixed with my ph being so low...I will correct next watering and report back... but the one that the stem looped in the rapid rooter...anybody ever seen such a thing???will it be a problem???
 

gardengardian7

Well-Known Member
That's the problem. That doesnt provide essential nutes verses an already ph'd soil mix. That explains the slowed growth. You need to transplant into a healthier soil mix. And you can top dress with the perlite. You also want to strategize and get yout gardening supplies and soil mixes stocked up. You dont want to have these problem when comes time to flower. But thats the problem your just groweing in vermicule and perlite. Those are amendments that you add to your soil mixes to enhance them somewhat. You need a pre power soil and a power soil that is ph'd ready. Becausr when you try to add different things that the plants need at once, it stresses the whole grow session.
 

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
well upon further investigation it seems to be a cal and mag deficiency...and upon further investigation distilled water has neither cal or mag,,, just good ol hydrogen and oxygen...mixed with my ph being so low...I will correct next watering and report back... but the one that the stem looped in the rapid rooter...anybody ever seen such a thing???will it be a problem???
This is why I avoid RO, most nutes expect the calcium from your tap/well water. No point in filtering out useful stuff IMHO. The loop should be buried once it gets bigger.
 

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
That's the problem. That doesnt provide essential nutes verses an already ph'd soil mix. That explains the slowed growth. You need to transplant into a healthier soil mix. And you can top dress with the perlite. You also want to strategize and get yout gardening supplies and soil mixes stocked up. You dont want to have these problem when comes time to flower. But thats the problem your just groweing in vermicule and perlite. Those are amendments that you add to your soil mixes to enhance them somewhat. You need a pre power soil and a power soil that is ph'd ready. Becausr when you try to add different things that the plants need at once, it stresses the whole grow session.
Not true, just means he should treat it as hydro/soiless, aka you must feed everything in a proper balance, you can't expect the soil/medium to make up for inadequacies in your nutes.
 

strengthngrowth

Well-Known Member
nomo...u never let me down...I am growing hempy,so I treat it as hydro...I just thought distilled water would be best...newb mistake...and thanks for the tip on burying stem...lol it only makes since....next watering feeding will be with tap,,,will order cal/mag tomorrow...thanks again....
 

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
nomo...u never let me down...I am growing hempy,so I treat it as hydro...I just thought distilled water would be best...newb mistake...and thanks for the tip on burying stem...lol it only makes since....next watering feeding will be with tap,,,will order cal/mag tomorrow...thanks again....
I hate cal mag, drives me nuts. I have diatomaceous earth (33% silica, 18% calcium, used on medium surface to prevent insects), calcium nitrate, and magnesium sulfate (epsom salt). I also use sulfuric acid for PH down during flower (adds sulfur for tric development) vs nitric acid (nitrogen for veg) during veg.

I would recommend you skip Cal/Mag products and instead get epsom salt and diatomaceous earth and you can expand into the others if you wish.
 

strengthngrowth

Well-Known Member
on the diatomaceous earth...where do you purchase there are so many kinds....and as far as Epsom salt...u mean like Epsom salt you soak in for swelling???if so I would like to know more
 

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
on the diatomaceous earth...where do you purchase there are so many kinds....and as far as Epsom salt...u mean like Epsom salt you soak in for swelling???if so I would like to know more
yes, same stuff used for soaking feet or whatever. It' just Magnesium Sulfate (magnesium and sulfur, both very needed and useful to your plants), you will notice there may be both fertilizer directions and foot soaking directions on the same package. And it's dirt cheap too.

I got my DE at Menards (probably at Home Depot/Lowes too) in the garden section. it's sold for use as an insecticide for organic gardens.

http://www.menards.com/main/p-2708666-c-14245.htm

I dust the top of soil, soiless, or hydro to prevent fungus gnats with a bonus of providing the plants with silica and calcium.
 

strengthngrowth

Well-Known Member
my luck on the link...not for sale in Arkansas...there isn't shit for sale in Arkansas....but I found Epsom salt at walmart...multipurpose... thanks nomo you always will be looked up to in my eyes...even if I become famous,,, then u will have a celebrity that looks up to U...thanks
 

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
Just FYI any DE will work. There are really just two kinds, food grade and non-food grade, either should work fine for your plants. Most DE is food grade anyway even if it's not label as such.
 
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