Two plants, same strain, different issues? *UPDATE and VICTORY LAP*

[bigwallysobchak]

Problem: Clawing on one plant, light green/yellow leaves on the other

Medium/grow method: 3gal smart pots OF and 30% perlite

Feed: and supplements used: Near end of veg had fed a couple times with 1/4 strength AN Sensi Grow, 1/2 Cal Mag Xtra, and 1/2 Rhino Skin. I thought this might've been too much N so I fed next two waterings with just water.

2 days ago fed each 800mL pH 6.5 RO water with 1/2 strength Sensi Bloom (didn't check water pH after nutes). I know some say don't sweat pH w/ Sensi, some say still need to pH. Basically watering every 48hrs seems like when they are thirsty again.

water source: RO

Strain/age: RQS Royal Dwarf D33

light used: 6 days ago added qb 288 120 watt 3000k, 18" above canopy, on 80% = 25k lux; light cycle initially 24/0, 7 days went to 20/4, now 18/6
(previously used 7-1 bulb splitter and 14w LED bulbs w/ no diffusers)

Climate: day time ~78 deg F 60% rH; night 73 deg 72% rH (temps fluctuated with the new light, on 100% power 80-85 deg F a few days ago so backed off light)

Additional info: 2x2x4' tent. 2 fans, 1 small tower aimed at the wall, 1 6" clip fan about 10" above canopy aimed flat/horizontal. This is my first grow. I had previously started well then had some overwatering issues 2 weeks ago, then in making sure was dry some underwatering issues. I have a Flower Carbon Filter and a 120mm 54cfm fan to exhaust, but am debating if it's strong enough to deal with temps.

Not sure why the images have rotated... here are better res and upright:

Any help/insight is very much appreciated.

 

[BBoomer]

Im new to growing, but your first picture looks to be N toxicity.

 

[bigwallysobchak]

Thanks. I thought so too, but it doesn't have that characteristic "dark green" look. And odd or not, the other plant has been given the exact same everything and isn't showing the same clawing. I thought maybe wind, but neither fan is aimed directly at it. There's only a slight rustling caused by then and I have the small tower one on a timer so it's not constant.

 

[Beerhunter CDN]

I think you might have a couple of things going on there so I’d wait for a more experienced grower to chime in @namvet25 @Mañ'O'Green @Waira

You may not be watering enough volume when you do water which could lead to a buildup of nutes in the soil. You’ll need to find a way to measure your pH in the soil regardless of the pH perfect nutes. As I understand it, the pH perfect line works in solution but not necessarily in the medium as the feed is introduced to different variables that can affect pH.

 

[bigwallysobchak]

That's a great point and I appreciate the insight. Is finding the pH of the soil best done through runoff?

I've been hesitant to water more in an effort to not OVER water, but I do think I could water more and potentially hold off watering again until they need it, even if it breaks what has been a 48hr watering schedule.

I'll only complicate the issue/s when I leave on holiday next week for 7 days. It is what it is, but I plan on watering fairly heavily the day I leave, and using the Blumat watering things while I'm gone to stave off them drying out TOO much. I figure this will also be a way of having more water available if they need it.

 

[Arthur]

Soil pH is determined thru a slurry test. Equal parts soil to water (soil from about midway from plant too edge, about an inch to two down, you want soil from the root zone), give it 15 minutes, test pH and ppm.
But...
Am betting your issues are . The OF is too hot for autos as it is. The HF is better, but I gave up on about a year ago, found that the soil pH slid down into the 5s about 7 to 8 weeks in. Probably due to peat breakdown, but... there are better options.

 

[bigwallysobchak]

Soil pH is determined thru a slurry test...
...
I gave up on about a year ago... there are better options.

Thank you for that. When I initially did research and got things going, OF was mentioned quite a few times and was available at a nursery near me. In hindsight... I would've gone with something lighter.

I still have a good amount, so for my next grow as to not be wasteful I might try "washing" it a bit and then letting it mostly dry out before planting the seedlings. Maybe add something like dolomite lime to buffer the soil and increase the pH so as to avoid it dropping so low late in the game.

 

[Beerhunter CDN]

You could probably cut it with a more inert soil mix but it might just be worth not fighting the variables of your soil. We spend time training, watching, measuring, and watering for months to get the most of our plants. Do you really want to put the time and effort into your plants for problems and smaller yields? If it were me, I would save your OF for vegetables and try something a little more stable for your next grow. To me, each grow medium has its pros and cons. Soil can be very easy and high producing if you get the right soil mix however that may be. Or you could try coco coir which I think is more labour intensive but has maybe less variables and more control by the grower. Just my thoughts with the limited experience of a new grower. There are a ton of very successful examples of every grow medium out there on this site, it’s really just your preference.

Best of luck in straightening this out, @Arthur has some good advice here. I’ll be curious to see what you find and how you sort it out so please keep us posted.

 

[Arthur]

Got room for tomatoes? Good use for the . Or blend it with others to get it used up. Coco is more labor intensive, am watering and feeding every day, but... it is very much more controllable. Only nutes there are what I put in, so getting feeds dialed is a much easier. But not very forgiving when it comes to drying out.. but on the other end of that... real hard to overwater.

 

[bigwallysobchak]

You could probably cut it with a more inert soil mix but it might just be worth not fighting the variables of your soil.
...
Best of luck in straightening this out, @Arthur has some good advice here. I’ll be curious to see what you find and how you sort it out so please keep us posted.

You are definitely right there. As a new grower (and generally someone who scrutinizes cost vs benefit), there is probably great worth to a decreased level of stress when things aren't going well (which, let's be honest, there is) and cost to minutes/hours of diagnosing and correcting. I am not committed to OF, nor was the cost so high that I feel committed due to the minor "investment."

Soil does appeal to me though, especially since it feels less foreign than coco and has the added benefit of being able to go a few days without attention. I will do some more research as this grow draws to a close and the new is on the horizon. I will definitely post on how the grow progresses, hopefully not in here though
Thanks again.