PLEASE HELP!!! Root rot during flower....should I transplant????

[Autoflower Noob]

Many thanks for all the info. Waira!!!

• Ok, I will not transplant the plant.

• Yes, my water is very hard and has EC of 0.3

• When I adjust my water with citric acid to 5.8 then the runoff still comes out at 8.0

I definitely have draining issues because my soil is very compact, so now I try not to water until there is much runoff because it deprives the roots from oxygen and the plant is constantly drooping even when the soil dries. Because the roots are damaged it takes the plant over a week just to use up some of the water in the pot and I’m afraid that a flush will drown the plant completely and the roots will start to rot. But I feel like I have to take the risk and try the flush anyway even if the plant is extremely weak.

So as I understood from your advice the aim of the flush is mainly to wash off the excess biobizz nuts from the soil. I know for sure that using citric acid for water PH will not lower the PH of my soil below 8 because this is what I’ve been trying the whole time. Nevertheless, should I use citric acid to adjust the water to 6.5 for the flush or what PH would you advise for flushing?

 

[Autoflower Noob]

I forgot to mention: I started using epsom salt one and a half weeks ago (1 teaspoon/litter of water)

Can too much Epsom salt cause nutrient lockout and yellowing of the leaves?

Basically, the plants began to deteriorate one and a half weeks ago…this was exactly after I started to bring my PH water down to 5.5 in order to lower the PH of my soil. But unfortunately the citric acid does not keep the PH of the water stable.

 

[tjstarks10]

Pretty sure he suggested if you flush to go to the store and get RO or distilled water. At least that's what I would do. Good luck man its all a part of the process of learning what the plants are telling you.

 

[Autoflower Noob]

Thanks tjstarks10, I just thought that I also need to adjust the PH of the RO or distilled water before the flush.

 

[Waira]

...well, it's not the nutrients that are causing the high alkalinity,.. they are usually acidic, and Biobizz is very mild stuff,... frankly, I puzzled by the run-off coming out at 8,.. - it bugs me, since most limes used in soils won't raise thing above 7.0,...what soil brand is it? And did you try that run-off testing method I linked you too? The EC of your water isn't that bad...In USA, 1.0EC= 500ppm, in Europe it's 640... so at 0.3 it's hard, but not badly so,... the flush with low ppm water is meant to help dissolve more stuff, particularly whatever is causing such high alkalinity,... you'll find that such water, RO/DI (distilled) is prone to wild pH swings from small inputs, because all the buffering minerals are removed... so when you adjust it with even weak acids like citric, a small amount will lower it lots, but in fact, there's not that much counter effect to it because there's not much there to begin with,... this is partly why the pH is stubborn about dropping in the soil,... I hear you on the smothering,... next round, use a different soil for sure, and if it's a heavy blend, adding perlite or pumice will help lighten it up,... most quality brands though won't be that heavy,....
that doseage of epsoms is okay for treating a defc., for a couple rounds only,... after that, if you want to use it as a regular supplement, 1/4 tsp/L is okay. otherwise, yes, you might build up the saltiness in the soil...epsoms are MgSO4 after all,... You're in a bit of a pickle bro', sucky I know! Unhappy roots, combines with off pH, smothering,... heavy soil,... try that flush with low ppm water and 6.0 pH, be sure to include a mild nute dose in last pour,...(1/2 str. is fine with Biobizz),...

 

[Autoflower Noob]

Hey waira thanks for getting back to me bro I really didn’t think you were going to answer anymore so I acted according to your first post as follows:

1. Bought some distilled water and flushed the pots with 2 times their volume (without adjusting the PH with citric acid…I thought there is no point because it can’t hold the PH stable anyway..what a useless product this lemon kick is )
2. The last pour I gave ¼ dose of Biobizz with a PH of 6.6 and the runoff was 7.2 (So there is definitely some improvement because previously by using the run-off method you linked to me it turns out that the PH of my soil is 9,5 WTF. Water going in was 6.3 and run-off was 7.9

I also calibrated my EC device and it turns out that my water is even harder at 0.4 So for my next grow I will definitely use only distilled water for watering…the one that I bought has a PH of 7.3… I probably will have to add Epsom salt and calcium for every watering because the distilled water is stripped of all the minerals.

I bought the Organic tomato soil because I have read in another forum that it is best for growing organic cannabis, but I didn’t add any perlite to it because I was not able to find any, hence the smothering. I don’t know the brand of my soil anymore, but it was very expensive Organic soil for tomatoes with an indicated PH of 5.8 so I don’t know how it is possible that my run-off is 8. The only explanation that I can think of is that it’s because of my crazy tap water which has a PH of 8.5 and EC of 0.4

Thank you so much for all the good advice waira I will use your wisdom in my next grow and will still try to make the most out of this failed grow, which started so nice but ended up with handicapped plants that will not yield shit, but in the end it all comes down to gaining experience