A little help please?

[Yeatster]

I really wish I could help you. This is way out of my comfort zone though. @Heavily Medicated may, or may not have been correct in diagnostics but if that's ruled out, I'm sure he has some possibilities, also.

I'm still gonna sit back and learn.

 

[PapaEmeritus]

I really wish I could help you. This is way out of my comfort zone though. @Heavily Medicated may, or may not have been correct in diagnostics but if that's ruled out, I'm sure he has some possibilities, also.

I'm still gonna sit back and learn.

No worries my friend, we'll definitely be learning together!

 

[Renaissance Redneck]

Alright, so...still having some issues. @Waira , @Renaissance Redneck , @Yeatster - any further ideas/advice? As mentioned I've been using the drops-and-vial PH test method so far with decent success, but if I need to upgrade to a pen I will. Just not trying to break the bank in the process. For clarity - pic [HASHTAG]#4[/HASHTAG] is the original leaf that had the issue. Not a new one that has it that bad. All the others are newly affected ones I noticed last night/this morning.
View attachment 720665 View attachment 720666 View attachment 720667 View attachment 720668 View attachment 720669

I'm in agreement with both Waira and HM on this. The damage on your margins and possibly the tips looks a lot like your going through some wild P fluctuations.
You may want to search for a deal on the Oakton Eco2 tester. Usually you can find them for about $50. Mine has been going strong for over 3 years now
I started with the soil kits, arrrg! I never could get a decent reading. The interveinal necrosis and stippling really looks like pest damage to me. I'm sure you have already, but I would check once more, especially on the underside of the leaves. You can even take a damp tissue and wipe the underside of a couple of leaves and look for any unwelcome guests.
If you wipe, though, only use one tissue per plant to avoid spreading anything around.
I'll take another look tonight, when my screen is bigger than a postage stamp

 

[PapaEmeritus]

I'm in agreement with both Waira and HM on this. The damage on your margins and possibly the tips looks a lot like your going through some wild P fluctuations.
You may want to search for a deal on the Oakton Eco2 tester. Usually you can find them for about $50. Mine has been going strong for over 3 years now
I started with the soil kits, arrrg! I never could get a decent reading. The interveinal necrosis and stippling really looks like pest damage to me. I'm sure you have already, but I would check once more, especially on the underside of the leaves. You can even take a damp tissue and wipe the underside of a couple of leaves and look for any unwelcome guests.
If you wipe, though, only use one tissue per plant to avoid spreading anything around.
I'll take another look tonight, when my screen is bigger than a postage stamp

Thanks Redneck.

So, follow-up question: the past two times I've made up my nutes, I've noticed a few specks of what looks to be silicate crystals sort of floating on top of/in the water when I pour from my main jug to my watering container. I always make sure to add the silicate first to 1-2 quarts of the water, then add the rest of the nutes to the remaining water, and then I mix the two. I know that adding silicate to nute mixes can sometimes cause binding/lockout issues - is it possible that's what's happening here? Aside from getting a better PH meter, should I drop the silicate for awhile and see how it does?

Re: pests - just went up and swabbed under a few leaves w/a damp paper towel and took a hella close look all over her for any critters or signs of critters. Nada. If there are insects bothering her, they're not any that I can see/feel. And she's the only plant I have going in that tent right now, so if it is bugs I have no idea where they're coming from.

 

[Renaissance Redneck]

Thanks Redneck.

So, follow-up question: the past two times I've made up my nutes, I've noticed a few specks of what looks to be silicate crystals sort of floating on top of/in the water when I pour from my main jug to my watering container. I always make sure to add the silicate first to 1-2 quarts of the water, then add the rest of the nutes to the remaining water, and then I mix the two. I know that adding silicate to nute mixes can sometimes cause binding/lockout issues - is it possible that's what's happening here? Aside from getting a better PH meter, should I drop the silicate for awhile and see how it does?

Re: pests - just went up and swabbed under a few leaves w/a damp paper towel and took a hella close look all over her for any critters or signs of critters. Nada. If there are insects bothering her, they're not any that I can see/feel. And she's the only plant I have going in that tent right now, so if it is bugs I have no idea where they're coming from.

What silica product are you using and at what rate? It can definitely alter PH, and affect uptake. My buddy uses potassium silica, in fairly small doses, and advised me to never mix it with your base nute mix. I don't do hydro, so I'm not sure of all the why's
I do know that below a pH of 7 or so, silicates fall out of solution. I think that's his rationale for the smaller doses.
No critters is good!

 

[PapaEmeritus]

What silica product are you using and at what rate? It can definitely alter PH, and affect uptake. My buddy uses potassium silica, in fairly small doses, and advised me to never mix it with your base nute mix. I don't do hydro, so I'm not sure of all the why's
I do know that below a pH of 7 or so, silicates fall out of solution. I think that's his rationale for the smaller doses.
No critters is good!

I'm using Armor Si from GH @ .5ml/gallon. My tent temps run a bit high (especially if I have both lights on, which I don't at the moment) and I heard that silica was cheap insurance against things like heat, etc. But my plant seems to be happy aside from this latest hiccup so maybe I'll ditch the silica for awhile, depending on what you & the rest of the infirmary crew think.

 

[Renaissance Redneck]

I'm using Armor Si from GH @ .5ml/gallon. My tent temps run a bit high (especially if I have both lights on, which I don't at the moment) and I heard that silica was cheap insurance against things like heat, etc. But my plant seems to be happy aside from this latest hiccup so maybe I'll ditch the silica for awhile, depending on what you & the rest of the infirmary crew think.

Again, I'm no hydro guy. You're feeding it at a light rate so that shouldn't be an issue. But reading the label, I would stop using it until you get a better meter. I suspect that it's throwing your PH too high.
My buddy mixes his silica, adjusts it down, then adds it to the reservoir.
Then he does the same with his nutes. Two separate processes.
I'm not sure if that's common or not, but he grows some monsters.

 

[Heavily Medicated]

I use GH Si at a rate of 1 ml/L from start to finish and have never ran into troubles with precipitate. I add my Si as my first sup right into the base nutes. Like I said I have never troubles. I use RO water and AN Jungle Juice nutes.

 

[PapaEmeritus]

Again, I'm no hydro guy. You're feeding it at a light rate so that shouldn't be an issue. But reading the label, I would stop using it until you get a better meter. I suspect that it's throwing your PH too high.
My buddy mixes his silica, adjusts it down, then adds it to the reservoir.
Then he does the same with his nutes. Two separate processes.
I'm not sure if that's common or not, but he grows some monsters.

Yeah, I've heard that people do it that way a fair bit.

So I mean, by process of elimination if it's not burn from spilled water and the lights, and it's not pests, it's gotta be some kinda nutrient or PH issue. And if anything's throwing it off it's gonna be the silica, so...done with til I can figure out what's going on. Gonna mix up a new batch of nutes tomorrow, and I ordered an Oakton PH meter. I think the method I have for checking/adjusting PH right now is probably doing a decent job, but it's not a terrible idea to have an actual PH meter handy. Just tough paying the equivalent of a week's worth of groceries on it when you're on a fixed income, lol.

I use GH Si at a rate of 1 ml/L from start to finish and have never ran into troubles with precipitate. I add my Si as my first sup right into the base nutes. Like I said I have never troubles. I use RO water and AN Jungle Juice nutes.

Good to know. I still think I'm gonna hold off for the time being, at least til I get an actual PH meter. I have seen what looks to me like some precipitate so maybe it's my mixing technique. I appreciate the help so far, y'all. I can't wait til she starts to flower...

 

[PapaEmeritus]

Alright, so this morning I went to water the plant at lights on and noticed more floaty particulate material in the water, so ditched it. I had already given the plant 2 cups of it though. I mixed up new nutes (without any Si) and fed a quart and a half to in an attempt to flush as much of the messed up nutes left in the reservoir. The new batch of nutes was made with regular tap water so it does have some chlorine in it, but it's the best I can do at the moment.

I flat-out can't afford a PH meter and the necessary calibration/storage solutions right now, unfortunately so the tester drops will have to do. Any further advice on how to proceed from here?