First Grow In Over 20 Years! Northern Lights Under 600W LED

[Homer Simpson]

In the makings!!

Looking great Homer! Good looking out Shed!

Can’t wait to see some harvest photos your girls are doing great and I’m glad you caught the pH problem sooner than later

Thanks, Dutchman. I am looking forward to harvesting too and seeing what my yields are like. I really enjoyed reading everyone's posts today. I joined this site to learn how to grow and never imagined I would meet such a not just helpful but nice and kind group of great people. I appreciate everyone who has posted in my journal especially the posts that aren't even about growing, lol.

 

[InTheShed]

We can go off on tangents sometimes!

 

[Pennywise]

Lol careful what you wish for!

 

[Homer Simpson]

Since I am getting so close to harvest time I figured I should find a way to take some better quality up close pictures to check out my trichromes so today I attached an arm to an old tripod I had laying around that I could attach my phone to steady it because with the magnification I am using I couldn’t hold it still enough to get a sharp picture. There is a picture of the old tripod with my phone mounting arm on it.

And here are some of the results.

To a much lesser degree than before I got my pH zeroed in I am still having some calcium problems. I looked online and it definitely does look like the leaves are showing signs of calcium deficiency even though I am using full dosages of Mega Crop nutes and Calmag additive keeping my pH between 6.0 and 6.2 pH. I was reading a low pH locks out calcium so I was considering keeping my pH around 6.4 and add another 50% dosage to my Cal mag and see if that helps? Here are some pics of the leaves in the early stages and later stages going brown.

 

[Homer Simpson]

We can go off on tangents sometimes!

Tangents are usually the most interesting....

Lol careful what you wish for!

Yes, I guess now I have no one to blame but myself....

 

[InTheShed]

Sweet design and beautiful trichome pics! It obviously works.

Low pH will definitely cause calcium deficiencies but once you sort out the pH it can take a few days for the plant to show the correction, so don't swing the pendulum too far the other way.

Keep track and see if you are seeing new spots before bumping the calmag.

 

[Homer Simpson]

Sweet design and beautiful trichome pics! It obviously works.

Low pH will definitely cause calcium deficiencies but once you sort out the pH it can take a few days for the plant to show the correction, so don't swing the pendulum too far the other way.

Keep track and see if you are seeing new spots before bumping the calmag.

Thanks for the pic comment!!

I actually got my new pH meter on Dec 28 so it has been correct for about 2 weeks and I am getting calcium deficiency signs just recently on a second plant. As you say I don’t want to swing too far so maybe I will try and keep my pH closer to 6.4 and maybe just up my Calmag about 10%-20% more. Thanks for the input Shed.

 

[MrSauga]

Here's a bit of info that may help you Homer with MC.
I'm not seeing any nute burn on the tips and to me the green looks consistent throughout the leaf. What I mean is, not looking at the def you have right now, the tips of the plant (about up to one inch) will start to show a much darker green once you get close to overfeeding. The tips themselves will finally turn brown as a final reminder if you don't make an adjustment by your next feeding. MegaCrop is heavier in N and it will be your guide to feeding. If the greens are light, increase by 10%. If too dark, decrease by 10%. MegaCrop is very forgiving so don't be shy and add a little more. A little tip burn will let you know where you are at then come back 10%.
The Calmag is needed ( I use Calmag+ which inc N) from flower on with MC, in soil mixes such as FFOF. I use, and it varies, 1 to 1 1/2 tsp per 4L, their light dose. If the plant starts showing signs of def, more likely magnesium than calcium, then increase right away to full dose. Mix your Calmag first then MC then up/down as needed.

 

[MrSauga]

Another simple thing that may get overlooked in our climate Homer, is the water temp. Our city water runs colder this time of year. These plants love to absorb food best around 70F. My water comes from outside, really cold (rain water) depending on outside temp and I warm it up to 70-72. Just something to think about.

 

[Dutchman1990]

Nice pics Homer! The new tripod stand clearly helped a lot with the closeups and the Trichome closeups looks great!

Still not ready though your getting there! Keep it up!

 

[Homer Simpson]

Here's a bit of info that may help you Homer with MC.
I'm not seeing any nute burn on the tips and to me the green looks consistent throughout the leaf. What I mean is, not looking at the def you have right now, the tips of the plant (about up to one inch) will start to show a much darker green once you get close to overfeeding. The tips themselves will finally turn brown as a final reminder if you don't make an adjustment by your next feeding. MegaCrop is heavier in N and it will be your guide to feeding. If the greens are light, increase by 10%. If too dark, decrease by 10%. MegaCrop is very forgiving so don't be shy and add a little more. A little tip burn will let you know where you are at then come back 10%.
The Calmag is needed ( I use Calmag+ which inc N) from flower on with MC, in soil mixes such as FFOF. I use, and it varies, 1 to 1 1/2 tsp per 4L, their light dose. If the plant starts showing signs of def, more likely magnesium than calcium, then increase right away to full dose. Mix your Calmag first then MC then up/down as needed.

You are right that I don’t have any tip burn probably because I just have been giving the maximum dosage of MC that is recommended. I know you said to increase it before 10% until I got tip burn but I wanted to play it safe first time and just use the recommended amount so maybe that is my problem. I will take your advice and try increasing my MC by 10% at a time and see if that helps while keeping my Calmag at the maximum where I have it. I think I will also try keeping my pH in the 6.4 level.

I appreciate the suggestion about water temperature but I do let my tap water sit for 48 hours to let the chlorine dissipate so it usually is room temperature. Thanks again.

Nice pics Homer! The new tripod stand clearly helped a lot with the closeups and the Trichome closeups looks great!

Still not ready though your getting there! Keep it up!

Hey Dutchman. I really appreciate the analysis of my Trichomes because I am not really sure how far along they are but with my better pictures I actually can see that some seem a lot more cloudy than others and very few are Amber but being the first time I am really not sure so I appreciate your opinion. I know peak THC is when they are mostly cloudy and there is more CBN when they turn Amber but I have real trouble telling how cloudy they are.

 

[MrSauga]

No Homer, that is not the problem. The increase in the MC wont fix the problem either, it's only to maximize the amount of food you can be giving your plant during flower. You want those buds big, fat, and hard.
My pH is never below 6.3 and never higher than 6.5. I would agree with everyone the issue lays there. You can't adjust anything until you have you pH right. So, no the lack of MC shouldn't have shown Ca def, but the pH being so low would have. You Calmag doses seem right to me...if anything you would be seeing signs of mag def if Calmag was too low before seeing Ca def.

 

[Homer Simpson]

No Homer, that is not the problem. The increase in the MC wont fix the problem either, it's only to maximize the amount of food you can be giving your plant during flower. You want those buds big, fat, and hard.
My pH is never below 6.3 and never higher than 6.5. I would agree with everyone the issue lays there. You can't adjust anything until you have you pH right. So, no the lack of MC shouldn't have shown Ca def, but the pH being so low would have. You Calmag doses seem right to me...if anything you would be seeing signs of mag def if Calmag was too low before seeing Ca def.

Yes, I did misunderstand your post and thought that not using enough MC was causing my brown leaf problem. I was trying to keep my pH between 6 and 6.2 but if you think my problem is I should be in the range of 6.3 to 6.5 pH I am definitely willing to give that a try because I do keep reading that low pH is the problem with these deficiencies I just thought I was in the right range.

And yes if that does solve my problem with brown leaves then I will try to up my MC 10% at a time till I get leaf burn for bigger fatter buds. Thanks for getting that finally through my thick skull, LOL.

 

[MrSauga]

lol, sorry Homer I was not trying to make you feel like you had a thick skull!

If soil... what is in your mix? Coco Substrate, Earthworm Castings, Perlite

You have a hybrid of stuff going on so it's hard to find the right pH until you play with it. It's the only reason why I think it may have to go up a bit. On the other hand it may have to go down towards a hydro type setup.

 

[Homer Simpson]

lol, sorry Homer I was not trying to make you feel like you had a thick skull!

You have a hybrid of stuff going on so it's hard to find the right pH until you play with it. It's the only reason why I think it may have to go up a bit. On the other hand it may have to go down towards a hydro type setup.

No problem buddy; you didn’t make me feel like I have a thick skull I only feel that way because I have a thick skull, LOL.

I get the feeling the pH has to go up because with my old inaccurate meter I was definitely lowering the pH too much and although it is improved it seems to have the same problem to a lesser degree since I raised my pH so I would think I have to raise it a little more. And also from what I have read all these deficiencies are usually from a pH that is too low not too high.

 

[InTheShed]

You should calibrate your pH meter as they can drift significantly over time! And the sweet spot for Ca in soil starts above 6.3.

 

[Homer Simpson]

You should calibrate your pH meter as they can drift significantly over time! And the sweet spot for Ca in soil starts above 6.3.

Thanks for the tips Shed and I do check the calibration on my meter everytime I use it as I do have test solution because others have pointed out my shoddy previous pH approach so I think I am pretty spot on finally.

I am in coco with worm castings and perlite so I don't know if that is considered soil but I have been keeping my pH in the 6.0 to 6.2 range which seems to have helped but not solved the problem so I am going to take your advice and up my ph to over 6.3 and up my Calmag 10% to 20%. Thanks again Shed.

 

[Dutchman1990]

Hey homer did you end up changing the wire ties on your quadline?

I know shed had mentioned using romex wire instead of the bare box wire you were using

 

[Homer Simpson]

Hey homer did you end up changing the wire ties on your quadline?

I know shed had mentioned using romex wire instead of the bare box wire you were using

I am ashamed to admit I did not and I am still using the bare wire. I appreciate all the great advice I get out here and try and use it but I have a personality disorder in that I hate spending money when I don't have to, lol.... I did monitor the stems that my wire was touching and I couldn't see any damage so I don't see the point in buying something I don't really need. Besides with all the supercropping I have done with my now flowering plants these stems seem pretty darn resilient so I just can't see a bare wire being a big problem. I may be totally wrong but for now being a cheapskate hasn't hurt my stems.

 

[Dutchman1990]

I am ashamed to admit I did not and I am still using the bare wire. I appreciate all the great advice I get out here and try and use it but I have a personality disorder in that I hate spending money when I don't have to, lol.... I did monitor the stems that my wire was touching and I couldn't see any damage so I don't see the point in buying something I don't really need. Besides with all the supercropping I have done with my now flowering plants these stems seem pretty darn resilient so I just can't see a bare wire being a big problem. I may be totally wrong but for now being a cheapskate hasn't hurt my stems.

Advice is only advice you do what you will with it! I know .... I’m stubborn as well haha!(so my fiancé says) but I I’m glad things are going well though! Any questions don’t hesitate to ask it’s what’s we’re all here for