dead, brown tips to leaves?

[Killuminati7]

It looks nice just opened a bag seems like BB , only a 0.8 ec I think BB is a 1.2

[disco survivor]

*UPDATE*

 

Thank you for all the great replies and advice !

 

It's been 2 weeks now since I adjusted the pH in the growing medium (and a couple of other little tweaks) and the difference is great. No new browning to the leaves, the plants that were suffering the most have started to respond well with a bit of a growth spurt and the leaves are becoming a darker green. Everything looks a hell of a lot healthier and the plants are growing at a more acceptable rate.

 

pH is around 6.5 and I'll try and keep it there. 

 

There are a coup[e of reasons I didn't try heat mats first (cold roots):

1) I can't afford to buy or run them

2) The last image shows a plant I removed from the tent as it didn't look right (thought it might turn hermaphrodite). It's been in an unheated greenhouse for the last month or so and the temps have been as low as 2 degrees C. It hasn't shown any signs of brown leaf tips so I thought I'd try the lowering of the pH first.

 

On a side note, my mate (the commercial grower) tested the water in the dehumidifier (I've been recycling this water and using it to water the plants). The pH of the water sat in the dehumidifier was pH 9.4. Won't be using that water again !

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cajafiesta]

I think your issue is/was a combination of temps and individual nutrient issues. 

 

 

I dont buy into not PHing water in soil.  I think that's horseshit because I've seen it destroy my plants, in front of my face. 

 

PH your input water (AFTER adding nutrients) to somewhere in the mid-low 6s.  Root temps need to be in the mid 70sF ( sorry, I speak Freedom units of measurement.  That's uhhhh...24 or so C).   I don't care a whole ton about the tent temps as long as they're somewhere between mid 60s-mid80s F.  ROOT TEMPS are what I care about.  Somewhere between mid-low 70s to mid 80s Freedom units.  I stick everything at 78F. 

 

 

I'd bet a dollar that your leaf petioles are purple?  Probably getting some purple striations on the stems, too?  

 

I think you've got a Phosphorous and Potassium def situation going on, to my eyes.  It's entirely possible that def is "synthetic" due to to root temps.   

 

 

9.x ph input water will for sure cause problems.  I've gotten alkaline lockout many times as have very competent grower friends. 

 

Root temps corrected, feed some good phosphorous and potassium and ph that input water down into the mid-low 6s after amendments added to it as practice and I'd bet you see much happier plants.   Probably wouldn't hurt to pour the calcium to them while you're at it.  Just watch for the cal causing a mag def.  That will have to be caught quickly and fixed with epsoms salt added into your watering water, cause it will happen if you're have handed enough with the cal amendments. 

 

 

I suggest completely avoiding " multi-function" products like premixed "cal/mag." Control the inputs individually. 

 

Just my two cents....pence...sheckles...shiny pebbles...glass beads.  

 

Whatever 

 

 

e2a:  If my opinion is worth any consideration to you ( it probably shouldnt be I guess hahaha)  take that combination ph/moisture meter thing and throw it directly in the trash can.  I tested like 15 dirrerent pots with one of those and every pot read exactly the same.  

 

If you do it enough, your arm and your finger are a good moisture meter.  Ph the incoming water and you don't really need to be terribly concerned with soil PH.   Just a suggestion.  

 

 

Bad/inaccurate data is far worse than no data, in my mind. 

 

 

Best of luck!

Edited May 5 by Cajafiesta

[Military Grade]

1 hour ago, Cajafiesta said:

 

I dont buy into not PHing water in soil.  I think that's horseshit because I've seen it destroy my plants, in front of my face. 

I've seen opposite, plants are fine until tried pHing, water comes out of the tap around 7.5-8, if I pH it down to 6.5 if fucks things up, tried this a few times same results, a long with most soil growers on here.

Edited May 5 by Military Grade

[Military Grade]

I wonder if our water in the UK tends to be lower pH from the tap than the US, and couple that with pH butters added to our soil bags makes the difference here.

[Cajafiesta]

1 hour ago, Military Grade said:

tried this a few times same results, a long with most soil growers on here

Interesting. Total

opposite for me with my tap water. It’s generally around ph8. Cal

mag ratio is fucked at about 10:1 and ppm is prett low. 
 

my buddy’s well water is about ph9. He and I both get what appears to be alkaline lockout if we don’t ph down before watering. 
 

interesting. 
 

I tend to keep things in smaller pots. As big as it ever gets for me is 3 gal and I tend to see the issues more in small pots, it seems. Perhaps that’s a variable that makes a difference? 

[Military Grade]

A lot of the time I flower in 1.5L pots which is about 0.3gal.

Currently am atm too

 

I thinking it might be your starting water being higher and the soil you use being the difference

What soil do you use?

[Cajafiesta]

1 minute ago, Military Grade said:

What soil do you use?

That’s also very possible. I make my own soil. 
 

1/3 peat, 1/3 Pearlite, 1/3 mixed casting and compost, leaning heavier towards castings. 
 

amended with BAS craft blend or Dr Earth “Homegrown.”  
 

Fed frequently with calcium, alfalfa, kelp various other amendments added into watering water. 
 

im fairly confident the craft blend raises soil PH

[Military Grade]

My BioBizz light soil is pH to 6.2 according to the packaging.

 

I thought home made soil might have been the difference here as it seems more common in the US than over here, that made me think do you guys add pH buffers like commonly used bought soils our side of the pond.

I think we might have cracked the case

 

I've seen backlash on other forums about us on UK420 recommending not to pH your water with soil, but I guess it's a matter of context

[Cajafiesta]

Interesting. I choose to make my own because I know what’s in it and, realistically, mostly cause it’s cheaper that way. 
 

I’ve got something like $20us, all in, in 15 gallons of soil. It’s probably less than then realistically. And that’s using BAS craft blend. It’s frugal, if nothing else. 

[Military Grade]

If i had the extra space and time to do it and store it all I'd probably give making my own a go

 

I am happy with the results i'm getting, it took me a while to get there , so not looking to change anything to radical just yet, but the idea of making my own does sound cool