The Mystery Of All Mysteries.

Hello all. I want to first say that many people here are very kind, and I would have never made it as far as I have if it wasn't for the constant/consistent help of this website, and it's fabulous members. (shout out to Jozikins, Mr. StickyScissors, and MegaYield420)

That being said.. myself and others have been researching possible probabilities for the sudden drop-off in plant health in my garden. I am growing indoors, using a bubbleponics system for veg, and hempy buckets for flower. Right now I am growing out my mothers, (this is my 1st grow), in the bubbleponics, and then will put them into Hempy Buckets. One of my mothers (the best) is already in one.

I have yellowing lower leafs, with brown spots and withering to the max on the Hempy. I transplanted her three days ago into the Hempy, using white marble (substitute for vermiculite) and pea-gravel (sub for perlite). I washed all the gravel and rocks off before putting them in the bucket, and then flushed three or four times over the past 48 hrs to ensure that there isn't anything too harmful left over in there.
I also gave her some 500ppm food, then flushed that out after 12 hrs of letting her have it.

The problems are not just with my prize mother, however. The bubbleponics unit is also being visited by the shit-fairy. My plants in there, (60 days old - ALL in VEG, never under flower), are showing yellowing lower leaves as well, and brown spots, and tip burn... with curling and curving of the leaf tips on newer growth.

I had my bubble-ponics on 350ppm, with 3-4 mL of CAL MAG, since many people have suggested cal/mag deficiency, and iron def.. (cal mag has chelated iron in it)
I know that this is a low ppm for day 60 and 11in of growth.. but since they showed signs of nute burn I backed off.

In retaliation to whatever is hurting my plants, I thought I'd call in the troops, just to make sure that it wasn't a bug problem - So I released about 100 ladybugs into my little 5x6x8 - 4 plant (now) operation. I hope they don't mind my 24/7 veg lights.. but they don't seem to at the moment. It is kind of funny actually, they stick their heads straight down into the new leaves coming out of the node and just chill..face-to-plant, when they aren't scurrying around on my plants.

Another HUGE thing that weirds me out is the pH fluctuations.. Why the fuck is my pH coming up from 4.9 to 6.3 in under 12 hours. What the fuck is this? - I am using store bought..reverse osmosis..carbon filtered water... (5 gal jugs by PrimoWater)

Needless to say I am rather upset. I have put hundreds of hours and hundreds of dollars into this tiny little op, and things were going so well.

I have a small reservoir size of 5 gal, and only fill it to about 3 1/2 gal, but the pH still shouldn't change this much.. even with my plants getting as large as they are; right?

Anyway, thank you all for your time, and if you have any suggestions please please post em up. Thanks =TGH

For more info, see my grow thread: https://www.rollitup.org/general-marijuana-growing/437974-my-1st-bubbleponics-16.html

Fix the ph problem and the trace element def will also be fixed. Stop using that rip off bought water shit, use tap water ph'd to 6.5 after adding nutes every time you water. Get a good ph meter(get ph up and ph down) and calibrate reg.

Wudup hornet?? Thanks for the shout out bro. Im on my mission to properly diagnose your ladies bro. Dont worry we will get to the bottom of this. I like to do extensive research and get down to the nitty gritty. First off, I want to start by saying that reverse osmosis filtering will remove the flouride in your water and all other kinds molecules and ions. Reverse osmosis filters have different stages of filtering carbon, sediment, and a membrane. Im not gonna get so deep into this right now I copied a brief explanation below for you guys. Carbon filters are made for chlorine, taste and more but im just briefly explaining myself, also copied some info about carbon filtration. I can give you guys the links if you like or you can google it yourselves. Sorry guys but what you are saying is not accurate. I'm not trying to sound like a dick or act like I know more than anybody or I'm the shit, I just make sure I know what I'm talking about before I say anything.

I use the same water you use on your girls and its all good kid. You dont have to worry about chlorine or flourides. Water comes at 20ppm and high 7ph, its great. My question is when you say your ppm is 350, is this your base PPM + the Calmag you should have already put in before your nutes? I notice your yellowing is beggining at the bottom. Its weird I dont want to come to a conclusion but when you see yellowing at the bottom first thing that comes to your head is Nitrogen thats why I ask. Maybe a Nitrogen lock out for some reason Im not sure yet. I believe you said you were feeding them GH 3 part Lucas Formula correct? Sorry I'm going to read your thread to get some more info, it just saves us some time. What are your res temp?

One more thing, I like that you went and got some lady bugs thats a good start. Foliage does kind of look like it was attacked. But ladybugs will not eat all insects/pests. You have your Mantis, predator mites etc... that are used for different insects. Lady bugs kick aphid ass. Im going to look up on the leaf damage I see there as well to be able to diagnose this and target it quickly.

I look forward to your reply so we can fix this little problem. I dont think you should worry too much.




Reverse osmosis will generally remove any molecular compounds smaller in size than water molecules. Such compounds include salt, manganese, iron, fluoride, lead, and calcium (Binnie et al, 2002). Reverse osmosis is extremely efficient at stripping minerals from water, and it is highly valued as a water purification process in the printing industry, in which mineral-free water must be used.


Carbon filtering is a method of filtering that uses a piece of activated carbon to remove contaminants and impurities, utilizing chemical adsorption.
Each piece of carbon is designed to provide a large section of surface area, in order to allow contaminants the most possible exposure to the filter media. One pound (454g) of activated carbon contains a surface area of approximately 100 acres.
This carbon is generally activated with a positive charge and is designed to attract negatively charged water contaminants. Carbon filtering is commonly used for water purification, but is also used in air purifiers.
Carbon filters are most effective at removing chlorine, sediment, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from water. They are not effective at removing minerals, salts, and dissolved inorganic compounds.
Typical particle sizes that can be removed by carbon filters range from 0.5 to 50 micrometres. The particle size will be used as part of the filter description. The efficacy of a carbon filter is also based upon the flow rate regulation. When the water is allowed to flow through the filter at a slower rate, the contaminants are exposed to the filter media for a longer amount of time.

Also you DO NOT want to take your PH in hydro to 6.5 this is also not correct. The ideal PH for hydro/bubbleponics is 6.0 do your research on this as well.

Thnks MEGA~ ! I am not using the lucas, but AM using the Tri-Pack Flora -micro /bloom /gro
I use their recirculating doses for the bubbleponics, and the drain to waste for my hempy.

BUZ and KALI - thanks for trying to help guys, but yall're totally off there. I keep my pH from 4.6-6.2 ( I try to keep it between 5.0-6.2, but these fluctuations are killing me) Also I have a nutradip Tri-Meter.. constantly on, so i know my res temp, ppm, and pH at all times.

I calibrated it using both 4.0 and 7.1 solutions for pH.. can't remember which I did last, but it was calibrated less than a month ago.
Also used 1000ppm sodium solution for calibration, and I figured the temp was correct, so haven't messed with it.

Res Temp 70 at night, 77 at mid-day - ppm 0-50, I have them on all water right now until problem is diagnosed - pH 5.0-5.8

The store bought is at 20-50ppm BEFORE i do anything. It also has all chlorine/fluoride removed (you're right of course, Mega) - I think maybe that the filtering process may have softened my water too substantially.. or that it completely removed the buffering capacity of it, which is why only a little pH down takes it to 4.5-5.0 and it then rises so quicky.. but IDK> I have been reading some ICmag articles trying to figure it out.

the 350ppm was me feeding them lightly, since one of my plants of a different strain (JackHammer) seems to HATE nutes, while my Killing Fields initally LOVED nutes.

I also was thinking maybe a nitrogen def (I hope thats all) but my hempy mother's leaves not only turned yellow, they fuckin turned brown and shriveled up and died really fast too; within the past 24 hrs (the lower ones).. scary

I got this little chart that helps me understand lockouts.. (It is for soil though, unfortunately) but I keep the water in this range so idk. It might be nitro after all. I will dose Megan realllyyyy good today.. but am letting her dry out for awhile since I quite possibly have been over watering her with all these flushes...

Thanks again Mega - TGH

ok it appears your overdoesing your plants with to much calcium flush growing medium with a mild fert flush 3 times your volume
check your run off ph and make input water ph 6.0 add a teaspoon of epsom salt
with high EC plant will take up more avaliable S which blocks uptake of other nutrients

I don't know how they are getting too much calcium.. I have them on all pure water for the moment. Even the bubble-ponics unit is just water for the moment - but good idea on checkin the run off for my Hempy, I should definitely have done that... I am trying to decide if I should wait until I feed Megan later (since I am scared I might be over watering her) or go ahead and flush some water through there now..

thanks Dr. Fever - will wait for further advice before taking action

what your actually having is a sulfer toxitity from having to much Calcium available to the plant causing the tips to burn it also makes you believe you have a nitrogen defiency dude dont wait long check runoff ph and flush flush flush with 6.0 goin in with mild ferts added as well

and thank me later

How do your roots look TGH? 4.6 is too low bro even 5.0 thats pretty acidic man. I would try and keep it around 5.8 - 6.0 How many ppms of calmag are you giving your plants? Are your stems turning purple or maybe the leaf viens? N-P-K will lock out with acidic water 5.0 and below.

Potassium (K) - Mobile



Spotting Potassium Deficiency


Older leaves, first tips and margins, then whole leaves turn dark yellow and die. Stems become weak and often brittle. Plants become susceptible to disease. K is usually present in soil, but locked in by high salinity. Internal temperature of foliage climbs, causing protein cells to burn and degrade. Excessive evaporation from leaf edges causes burning.

• Healthy dark green foliage.
• Leaves loose luster, weak scrawny branches.
• Leaf margins turn rusty brown, curl up and dry.
• Older leaves yellow and develop rust colored blotches.
• Leaves curl up, rotting develops and old leaves drop.
• Flowering retarded and greatly diminished.

TGH I dont know what think but this looks alot like what is happening to your plants brother. I believe your PH is too low and cause your some nutrients to lock up, making the ones that are available toxic. Let me know what you think. Do you agree this looks damn near the same thing thats happening to your girls. Again I do not make this up here it is in writing.

It seems to me that your plants have a potassium and nitrogen def. Flush your plants with a good N-P-K at a very low rate make sure your PH is 6.0. I think what we need to work on is stabalizing your PH my friend that shit is going on a roller coaster ride. Your plants are getting shocked with the constant change and inconsistency of PH level. You need to adress this quickly. Go ahead and check the runoff of your hempy buckets for me and let me know whats up.

I am so fuckin pissed right now. I just wrote a page and it got fuckin deleted. FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK.

Now that I have finished with that, ahem.

I flushed my Hemp bucket again, and the runoff was at 7+, jesus. So I used like 5 gal of store bought filtered, pH'd way the fuck down, and finally have it down to around 6.2. I cannot see her roots anymore because shes in the bucket, but she had the strongest roots out of any of them, which is why I transplanted her initially. It is also why I thought maybe I was over-watering her. If I was, I was overwaterin her with terrible pH'd water. Now that it is down, maybe she will look a little better.. but she better pick it up fast because now a few of her middle leaves have started to droop and look kind of shitty. (I will post pics after this post)

The BP unit has good roots. The roots on the weakest plant have just started to do really well, now that there is regular water in there, and I am checking the pH like once an hour - which I shouldn't have to do, and will need to fix in the long run. anywayz- the roots look alright, and the stems are purple, but Killing Fields is a purple strain. The stems on my one JackHammer are not purple, and none of them look stiff and rigid, but rather droopy.

I think Megan was suffering from a combination of many nutrient lockouts in the hempy the past 3 or 4 days, because of the high pH. that being said, she was exhibiting signs of leaf yellowing and necrosis before I pulled her out of the BP unit... so there is something going on both places, or was. I was thinking about feeding Megan in a few hours since the pH is finally where it needs to be for the first time in days.. What do yall think?

The BP unit I also was thinking about feeding.. but they seem to not be minding the reg water, so I can definitely hold out on that for a little longer.
the most helpful clue might be in the other strain, since all strains react differently to different things. I know that the JackHammer cannot handle as many nutes as the KF3 can, and has SOME different symptoms, and some similar. The Jack has some lower yellow leaves with beginning of browning going on, but has what looks like a spider mite or aphid infestation on the top developing leaves (little white blotches/discoloration/and dryness of the leaves) the tips are also curved. The other plants, KF3's exhibit no blotchiness like the jackhammer, just the yellowing, tip burn, and curvy tips (resembling nute burn - but was also read that some insects can do this damage) I myself, haven't seen any little flying bugs since the ladies got in. I don't know what those little black flying things were, but whatever they were, I haven't seen them anymore.

Those black flying bugs could of been fungus gnats.

Thats what I read, or Root Aphids..(evil little shits) commonly mistaken for Fungus Gnats. But my lady bugs seem to have cleared them out.

I also ordered some Gnatrol as a preventative measure yesterday, should be here soon.

I do not think that the problems were caused by gnats or root aphids, they would not have colonized this quickly (takes three weeks) and raising the water level sends the adults flying out crazy.. when I raised the water level yesterday I waited around to see if anything came crawling or flying upwards.. but nothin

I think it must have to do with the pH, but not ruling the bugs out. Plus the bugs couldnt kill my plants as fast as whatever is

are you using a silica?

No, just Cal-Mag (just sent you the PM) at 1mL a gal before they started looking shitty. The past 3 days nothing but pH'd water.

Update pics..
looks like I've been feeding her Windex. Poor girls, its makin me sick.

I am going to the store to get some more water immediately, I am out of filtered. In a few hours I will dose her heavy with some foods now that her pH isn't fuckin wacky.

Be prayin for me or sending good vibes or whatever your deal is!

chop of all leaves that look sick this might be a plant virus

Ok - so I just dosed Megan (Hempy Bucket) with some 800ppm - 7.5mL Micro, 7.5mL Gro, 4mL Bloom - 1mL SuperThrive, 2mL Cal-Mag Plus

Also just gave the BP some juice - 250ppm - 5ml micro, 5 ml gro, 2ml bloom, 3 ml Cal-mag, no Superthrive.

We will see what happens! I'll check on them tomorrow morning and hopefully we will have some slightly happier ladies. If not, I will transplant to soil tomorrow.

Thank you everyone for your continued support - yall are the reason this website kicks ass (wouldn't be shit without nice peeps like yall) and a huge reason that growing (even the problems that come with it) are fun.