Grow Mediums Hi all this is my first AF grow.

[sabreman61]

Hey Sabre.

Those plants are no where near ready yet. I'd say they've at least 3-4 weeks left, maybe even 5.

Secondly dude you gotta get some better pictures sorted out cus it's hard to see what's going on with those plants.

To reiterate what Derek is saying, from what I can see they look like they've got some major problems. I'll try to help you out, but I gotta have you help me.

Please tell me exactly what EC and pH you are feeding them at and exactly how much of each nutrient you're feeding them.

The plants are definitely starting to go downhill. It's always easiest to grow them during veg, to keep up the excellent health during flowering is damn near impossible, but they are not as healthy as you want them to be right now. Definitely some calcium deficiency or lockout going on. That could be from lack of Calcium, incorrect pH or lockout from actually too much nutrients, even too much, or the wrong type, of calcium!

It looks like you were experiencing a calcium type problem and you did something to fix it and now it seems to be worse. So really we need all the information in order to help you.

Also I want to know about your tap water. What EC and pH is it.

"How Cal-Mag Deficiencies Occur
The most common cause of calcium and magnesium deficiencies is lockout. When there is too much cal-mag already in the untreated source water being used as the base to the nutrient formula it can cause the good cal-mag in the plant food to become unavailable. Think about it this way - the cal-mag in your tap water has a large molecular structure and is very immobile in that form. These molecules try to go through your roots and up into the plant where they can be used. The molecules are too large to be absorbed efficiently and end up accumulating on the outside of the roots. This causes a road block that can lock out the good forms of cal-mag you are trying to feed them. Other key components of the nutrient formula can also be locked out and the problems escalate until your plants appear to be stunted and yellow and growth crawls to a halt.

There are ways to mitigate this problem. Fulvic and humic acid, as well as living beneficial biology, can help break down the relatively immobile cal-mag in your tap water and allow it to become more available to the plants. This process takes time and is not guaranteed to free up all the cal-mag in an efficient manner. The whole idea behind hydroponics is to minimize your time and maximize your harvests. There is no time to wait around for the cal-mag to be made available. What the plants need is cal-mag that they can readily absorb and use immediately.

Another way to acquire deficiencies is by not adding enough cal-mag to your nutrient formula when using purified water. Reverse Osmosis gives you the purest water possible and so you have to add the correct amount of cal-mag to ensure you have the proper feed solution. The best way to start your nutrient formula is to begin with purified water, add 50 to 250ppm cal-mag, and then add your additional macro- and micronutrients. The amount of cal-mag you add depends on the variety of plants, what stage in their life they are in, and the media you are using."

EDIT : Actually dude, please READ this entire article! It's extremely infromative and basically contains all the information or suggestions I would give you in order to fix your problem. As it could be dude to your tap water and what you've been feeding them. I got myself a water filter and some good quality cal/mag and the right kind of nutrients and I don't get cal/mag problems any more ever.

http://www.cannabisknowledge.nl/showthread.php?3241-Calcium-and-Magnesium-Beyond-the-Obvious

My latest pic is only 1 plant. The other 3 are doing fine. Ok About my Tap Water. I have a filter on it and when I PH before nutes its between 6.5 and 7. I am using DynaGro Bloom Nutes now. I switched about 10 days ago to the Bloom Nutes. I added between 3 and 4ml-gal of CalMag 10 days ago and it cleared up the rest of them 10x better that this one. After I add nutes I PH again to around 5.5 to 6 and I check it 3x a week with no change ever in my PH. I keep my rez temps between 60 and 64 degrees. The roots look awesome! I am adding 8ml per gallon of the bloom nutes. They recommend 10 but I am using less as instructed. My room as a fan going 24-7 the room temps are between 70 and 80 degrees. I had a feeling it had a few weeks left but like I said, this is the only plant with buds on it. The other 3 are just starting to bud now. I know those ones are gonna be at least 4-5 more weeks. I am only asking about the one plant. I know it is indica dominant cause by how fast it budded. Just want to do this right. Thank you all for your help.

 

[Happy Horticulturist]

Everything you mentioned there sounds good. The pH of your water is good. The fact you have a filter is good. The fact you have a filter probably means you may need to use Cal/Mag right from the beginning all the way through the grow, but you have cal/mag now. The fact the other plants are adjusting well and improving after adding the cal/mag and this one plant isn't is good, is a good sign. Sometimes you have one plant that's just a munter, or it has different nutrient needs than the others. She could be a whore for the old cal/mag but if you give her what she wants the rest could suffer.

Everything you mentions sounds good like I said. I don't know your nutes, no experience with them myself so can't really help you too much on specific feeding amounts for those nutes.

Do you have an EC meter? The best one is the BlueLabs Truncheon. They're expensive but omg are they just flipping excellent. They last 5 years and they're bullet proof and SO EASY to use and accurate as heck!
These things are the BUSINESS, everyone who grows should have one. They are expensive but if you plan on growing for a year or two or three or more, you really need one.
https://www.getbluelab.com/products/type/meters/truncheon-nutrient-meter.aspx

If you can have the background EC of your water (the EC of your water before nutrients are added) and also the EC of the water after nutrients are added that would be great.

So the only other advice I can give you is record everything. Then next grow make small changes and see which way was better. The old way or the new way.

 

[sabreman61]

Everything you mentioned there sounds good. The pH of your water is good. The fact you have a filter is good. The fact you have a filter probably means you may need to use Cal/Mag right from the beginning all the way through the grow, but you have cal/mag now. The fact the other plants are adjusting well and improving after adding the cal/mag and this one plant isn't is good, is a good sign. Sometimes you have one plant that's just a munter, or it has different nutrient needs than the others. She could be a whore for the old cal/mag but if you give her what she wants the rest could suffer.

Everything you mentions sounds good like I said. I don't know your nutes, no experience with them myself so can't really help you too much on specific feeding amounts for those nutes.

Do you have an EC meter? The best one is the BlueLabs Truncheon. They're expensive but omg are they just flipping excellent. They last 5 years and they're bullet proof and SO EASY to use and accurate as heck!
These things are the BUSINESS, everyone who grows should have one. They are expensive but if you plan on growing for a year or two or three or more, you really need one.
https://www.getbluelab.com/products/type/meters/truncheon-nutrient-meter.aspx

If you can have the background EC of your water (the EC of your water before nutrients are added) and also the EC of the water after nutrients are added that would be great.

So the only other advice I can give you is record everything. Then next grow make small changes and see which way was better. The old way or the new way.

I am a pure noob at this and doing pretty good. I do not have a EC meter. I use the General Hydroponics PH up and down and I use the 3 drop solution that comes with it to test my PH. After this grow I am gonna spend a few more bucks my next grow (cause I'll have a few extra bucks) on some upgraded equipment. I want to get a EC/PH Digital meter. Maybe build a cooler for my rez for next summer. My Grow room is in my attic in some cubbys and I live in upstate NY. I use a small heater to keep my room temps between 70 and 80 when I have to. In a few more weeks I will have to keep it on all the time LOL but my rez temps will stay at 60 without the 2 liter shuffle LOL. Thank you so much for your help and advice. Like my signature says the more I know the better the grow!. I am keeping this thread updated daily and new pics weekly.
Like I said he one furthest along that had sweet citrus smelling buds on it has the worst of the Cal Def. It might just stay stunted. I will keep her in there and let her grow!

Thanks again
:Sharing One:

 

[sabreman61]

Ok I clipped a little piece enough for a hit and OMG! I caught a buzz. Had to test it and It is my first grow so I am not touching it for at least 10 more days then another test. I know I did cause the street weed I have hasn't gotten me a nice head uppity high like I have now after that one hit. I am the type who likes more of a sativa high cause I have Bi Polar and the uppity buzz helps big time with the depression. So I guess my next question is that If I like that buzz better than a couch-lock buzz and these are indica what should I do. Should I pick them a week earlier so I can get the buzz I want. I do have Jock Horror's going but they are at least 5 weeks from being done. I guess my question is how to get more of a sativa high off a indica plant.

 

[Goeymoto]

Hello saberman61 by no means am I a pro like the other guys here. From my experience growing in the past few years I have learned that the trick is the color of tricombs . You'll need a mini microscope or I loop at least 40x. Check your tricombs more milky tricombs rather than more Amber .
More Amber tricombs produce more of a couch lock.
I like 70% milky and 30% Amber .

 

[sabreman61]

Hello saberman61 by no means am I a pro like the other guys here. From my experience growing in the past few years I have learned that the trick is the color of tricombs . You'll need a mini microscope or I loop at least 40x. Check your tricombs more milky tricombs rather than more Amber .
More Amber tricombs produce more of a couch lock.
I like 70% milky and 30% Amber .

I got a 60x from amazon for 3 bucks. Should be here in a few days. That is what I heard about the tricombs.
Thank you

 

[Goeymoto]

Perfect good luck!

 

[Goeymoto]

I love me some sativa too

 

[sabreman61]

OK Rez change today and on straight bloom nutes now with a little CalMag. Tho one plant just won't recover from its Cal Def. The other 3 are fine now. I guess the other 3 are Hogs!!! I have to grow next time on a bigger space. I have a 4 bushes but when I take them out to check the roots or to do a rez change there are bare spots cause I know I am growing them too close together. Will have new pics soon. The tallest one is 38" so far!

 

[sabreman61]

New Pics!

Ok so the one is separated from the other 3 and I am trying to recover it from a calcium deficiency. The other one that was affected by the C.D. you can see it but it cleared right up.