Help needed: don't know what to do moving forward!

[Coastal Dharma]

Hello everyone! Im very new to growing and this is my second grow ever! So be gentle folks!

I started this grow off with 6 plants (2 Oregan Peach), (2 Granddaddy Purple), (1 charlottes web CBD), and (1 Do-Si-Do) ALL FEM Photo seeds from Crop King seeds.

I started them in small seedling containers in "Fox Farms Ocean Forest" Vegging soil. then transplanted them into 2 Gallon fabric pots once they got bigger(Still into more "Fox Farms Ocean Forest" soil. And then finally i transplanted them into their final 5 Gallon fabric pots with the other 3 gallons worth of soil being Pro-Mix HP.

At first the plants where VERY happy until about a month in to me feeding them nutrients at 50% of the recommended amounts.

They then started showing signs of (i think) Nitrogen toxicity because i didn't do my homework and realize how nutrient rich that fox farms soil was in the beginning and overfed them

Once I realized this I flushed them. and have 3 times since...

Now Im at a point where they just generally dont look like they have bounced back.

My last flush I gave them Carbon filtered water at a PH of 6.4 and the runoff i was getting averaged out at 6.7/650ppm.

Does anyone have any advice on how i should be moving forward?? This has really been a bummer for me as im taking care of my dad who's sick(Cancer) and growing is kind of my only escape/time of peace i have in my life. so PLEASE DONT comment if you're going to be harsh or rude. Im VERY new to growing and am learning every day..

Thank you!

I grow in a 4x5 tent with a 6" IPower 350CFM inline fan with carbon filter, under a Spider Farmer SF-4000. i have an Apera instruments PH meter that i regularly calibrate along with a HM Digital TDS-3 hanbdheld meter tester. i keep my tent at around 25-27 degrees(77-80F)with a RH of 50%-65%.

My plants in general just look very stressed. Im at a loss for what to do moving. forward because by now, I should be into my second week of flower but im afraid to flip from the 18/6 schedule im at now to 12/12 while they're under this stress..

The photos im posting contain photos of the plants in the state that they're currently in. This includes stranger coloration and sick looking leaves. In the photo with the two plants that are circled they're smaller because one(red) is 2 weeks younger than the rest and the othert (Circled in blue) is 3 or 4 weeks younger and is the CBD "Charlottes Web. The one circled in Red is "Granddaddy Purple" and is in just as rough shape as the rest. The once circled in Blue is the only plant out of all of them that is really healthy and showing no signs of stress because by the time i transplanted it i knew not to feed it like i did the rest.

 

[Momma's Kitchen]

Hi at @Coastal Dharma

I don't have experience with FF. But you have done what I would have suggested to rise through. Have you done a slurry test to see where your soils Ph is at?
It will help you find where to feed at. That being said they look hungry.
what's your environment at?
I'll tag a couple friends that may be able to help more it will be ok

I'm sorry to hear about your father. I found it to be my therapy too.

@InTheShed @Backlipslide @Amy Gardner

 

[Coastal Dharma]

Hi at @Coastal Dharma

I don't have experience with FF. But you have done what I would have suggested to rise through. Have you done a slurry test to see where your soils Ph is at?
It will help you find where to feed at. That being said they look hungry.
what's your environment at?
I'll tag a couple friends that may be able to help more it will be ok

I'm sorry to hear about your father. I found it to be my therapy too.

@InTheShed @Backlipslide @Amy Gardner

Thank you I really appreciate that. It is very therapeutic!

My environment like my tent? i keep my tent at around 25-27 degrees(77-80F)with a RH of 50%-65%. 4 small fans circulating air, my tent with a very slight negative pressure to keep temps steady.

 

[InTheShed]

Can you tell us what nutrients you have been using? Did you feed them after you flushed them?

 

[Jerry Tyson]

Hi @Coastal Dharma

Fox Farm Ocean Forest usually only has enough nutrients in it for 30 or so days. Promix is a buffered soilless medium with no nutrients at all.

I 've been using Promix BX with the SF-4000, which is a pretty strong light and requires a decently amount of nutrients to keep up. Depending on your nutrient line, I've found the need for some extra Calcium/Magnesium but be careful of your NPK ratios if you use one that contains N.

Are you full strength on the light and what is your distance currently?

How many days are you from seed?

 

[bluter]

first relax. you can probably bring them back.

a quick guess is underfed and overwatered.
the run off ph won't really inform you. it is your inputs that matter.

have a look at how to watered a potted plant and thank @Emilya

 

[Coastal Dharma]

Thus far ive been using "Green Planets One Pard organic nutrients"(The whole line-up) including their "Ocean magic" which is just liquid Kelp and Cal-Mag.

I havent used(on this crop), but also have Bat guano, Blood Meal, and then a couple Bloom nutrients.

At this point im pretty sure I dont need to flush anymore(probably time to feed). I just am kind of at a loss for what and how much nutrients? Should I just give them a good feeding of late Veg nutrients at ppms of 500-700??

And I definitely agree with overfed but i dont think i overwater them. I let them dry out between waterings pretty thoroughly(especially while ive been trying to fix this issue) and have done lots of reading from a bunch of websites and books. A problem may be that they're stressed from multiple flushes?

They are definitely coming back to health slowly. I just know that if i dont take action with them now im going to run into different problems completely.

Thank you everyone for your comments! Keep em' comin!

 

[Coastal Dharma]

Hi @Coastal Dharma

Fox Farm Ocean Forest usually only has enough nutrients in it for 30 or so days. Promix is a buffered soilless medium with no nutrients at all.

I 've been using Promix BX with the SF-4000, which is a pretty strong light and requires a decently amount of nutrients to keep up. Depending on your nutrient line, I've found the need for some extra Calcium/Magnesium but be careful of your NPK ratios if you use one that contains N.

Are you full strength on the light and what is your distance currently?

How many days are you from seed?

Im at week 12 of veg. i actually just received a new light and installed it. its a mars hydro sf-6500 and im 26" from canopy and at 65% strength to ease them into the light as its a serious upgrade...

 

[Coastal Dharma]

I also received a new light I ordered a couple weeks ago just today and installed it. its a mars hydro sf-6500 and im 26" from canopy and at 65% strength to ease them into the light as its a serious upgrade...

Any thoughts or advice?

 

[InTheShed]

You need to feed your plants immediately after flushing, and in week 12 veg I would be closer to 800-900 TDS when I was measuring that. And that's on top of my tap water numbers.

 

[bluter]

they are definitely hungry. rebalance nutes and move forward.

most growers feed 1/2 the strength of the bottle chart for any given stage. that's a good place to start. mix a feed up at that strength and measure your tds to get a base level. if they continue asking for more you can incrementally increase by a ml/gal or so.

 

[Enr0n]

I just finished a grow with FFOF and in every pic I have seen the soil is dry. I believe you have a problem in your watering and nute schedule. When was the last time you watered them? Are you watering to run off?

Each plant will have an individual preference for water and nutes so pay attention to all of them as individuals.

Transplanting them 2 times has not helped the situation and has cost you a week or two in grow time. If you already had your tent set up then why not go straight into the final container? Less stress and recuperation, no transplants.

 

[bluter]

they are all photos so at least one up pot is pretty much standard.

 

[Jerry Tyson]

Yeah I agree @bluter, for photos I generally sprout in a 4", upsize to a 1 gallon and finish in a 5/10 gallon fabric. Autos are a different story.

I have found with Promix BX in 5 gallon fabrics in a 4x4 tent with similar humidity and temperatures with the SF-4000 I'm watering/feeding every other day. Promix HP should dry out even quicker with the higher amount of perlite so depending, you may need to water more as @Enr0n mentioned. I think most if not everyone here agrees your plants are hungry, especially if you flushed them three times and didn't follow up immediately with nutrients as @InTheShed pointed out.

 

[Momma's Kitchen]

I have used Green Planet prior to MC.

General consensus: feed your babies

 

[Coastal Dharma]

You guys are all awesome!!!! Thank you so much for the replies!

I split them up into two groups of 3's for watering/feedings. Group 1 got water two days ago and is still quite moist. group 2 was watered on the 18th so is up for a watering/feeding today or tomorrow.

My question is: Would you recommend that i also give group 1 a small amount of water with nutrients? Or do i want to avoid that until its ready for a feeding where i will achieve saturation to the point of getting Run-Off?

Also regarding the new light i just set-up..
The mars hydro booklet recommends a hanging height of: Seedling: 24". Veg: 18-24" and flower 12-18". This frustrates me as this is the exact same brochure that comes with any of the mars hydro lights(I feel like for what i paid for the
FC-6500 it should come with its own brochure. BUT! When i researched lighting reviews/forums they all had a general consensus that this specific light should be hung at 24" from the top of canopyv at all stages and you should just adjust the dimmer intensity. Any thoughts?

 

[bluter]

i'd get a feed in them all.

you get used to working with a dimmer. the mfgr has no clue what your personal conditions are, and it changes from grow to grow. they are not gonna leave themselves open to criticism.

i work with both height and dimming in my grows. i start seedlings and clones at 50% or lower and ramp through the first wks as they get established until i'm at 75-90%. then hit 90% solid at the first up pot and it stays there for veg. i maintain 24 - 30 inches in veg / clone / seedling.

i also triple my lighting power from 200w to 600w going from veg to flower. when i first flip them i run about 65 % then ramp to 75 through 90% in a the first wk or two. they'll stay at 90% for the rest. i maintain 18 - 24 inches above canopy in flower. 24 would work for both if you got comfy with the plants and dimmer.

a lot depends on how strong your rigs are. and the space they cover. most would have to max their rigs out. i run roughly double most recommend.

 

[InTheShed]

I'd say get your plants healthy first, and then start to bump the brightness and see how the tops respond. Personally, I prefer an actual lux meter rather than either eyeballing it or going by manufacturer recommendations. I've got a Dr Meter 1330B and it tells me exactly what's what.

Here's a good starting point:

How to Use a Lux Meter to Increase Cannabis Yields - RQS Blog

Among pH testers, loupes, and refractometers, lux meters are a useful tool cannabis growers can harness to ensure optimal plant productivity and health.

www.royalqueenseeds.com

I agree with bluter about getting them fed, and I use the lift method to determine when to water again, rather than wet/moist/dry.

 

[Coastal Dharma]

i'd get a feed in them all.

you get used to working with a dimmer. the mfgr has no clue what your personal conditions are, and it changes from grow to grow. they are not gonna leave themselves open to criticism.

i work with both height and dimming in my grows. i start seedlings and clones at 50% or lower and ramp through the first wks as they get established until i'm at 75-90%. then hit 90% solid at the first up pot and it stays there for veg. i maintain 24 - 30 inches in veg / clone / seedling.

i also triple my lighting power from 200w to 600w going from veg to flower. when i first flip them i run about 65 % then ramp to 75 through 90% in a the first wk or two. they'll stay at 90% for the rest. i maintain 18 - 24 inches above canopy in flower. 24 would work for both if you got comfy with the plants and dimmer.

a lot depends on how strong your rigs are. and the space they cover. most would have to max their rigs out. i run roughly double most recommend.

Thank you so much for such an informative reply!!

Im going to give them all a feed then. Would you still recommend to water/feed to runoff with all of them(Group1 & 2)?

And this light has a 6x6 veg footprint and a 5x5 flower and I have it in a 4x5 tent so i think ill keep it at 24" like you said. Start them at 50% and work my way up as they get used to the light as its A SERIOUS light upgrade from anything I've ever used before

 

[Coastal Dharma]

I'd say get your plants healthy first, and then start to bump the brightness and see how the tops respond. Personally, I prefer an actual lux meter rather than either eyeballing it or going by manufacturer recommendations. I've got a Dr Meter 1330B and it tells me exactly what's what.

Here's a good starting point:

How to Use a Lux Meter to Increase Cannabis Yields - RQS Blog

Among pH testers, loupes, and refractometers, lux meters are a useful tool cannabis growers can harness to ensure optimal plant productivity and health.

www.royalqueenseeds.com

I agree with bluter about getting them fed, and I use the lift method to determine when to water again, rather than wet/moist/dry.

Defnitely. Im going to start @ 50% 24"-26" above canopy and see how the plants react.

Unfortunately Lux meters aren't accurate with LED's so id need a PAR meter and im not willing to dish out the $$ for that. Especially after splurging on this beast of a light.