PH issues?

B

Bearded Budz

Well-Known Member
Having some issues here fellas, my plant has been yellowing and burning up for the past month or so! Just wondering if y all can tell me what's up from these pics? I did have the lights a little close and raised them but all my new growth seems very light green with what it looks like purple tips, also some twisting and cupping..... geee I think that's it, hahaha, maybe I should just quit and start over again...not something I wanna do at day63 of veg!
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What are you growing in BB? Looks like promix or something similar. What do you keep your ph at and do you add calmag? Also- how much are you feeding?
 
Note: Sometimes a cannabis zinc deficiency (like all deficiencies) can be triggered by stressful conditions and may clear up on its own after the period of stress is over. However, to minimize damage it's important to react to any growing problem as quickly as possible, especially in the flowering stage.

1.) Adjust pH to Correct Range

The most common reason growers will see a zinc deficiency is when the pH at the roots is too high. Zinc tends to get locked at at higher pH levels, and is better absorbed by the plant in a more acidic root environment.

If you suspect your growing cannabis plant has a zinc deficiency due to too-high pH, flush your system with clean, pH'd water. This will remove any nutrient salts that may be affecting the uptake of zinc and help restore pH to the proper levels..

In soil, zinc is best absorbed by the roots in the 6.0 - 6.5 pH range (although it's generally recommended for soil growers to keep pH in the 6.0-7.0 range, zinc tends to be absorbed better on the lower side)

In hydro, zinc is best absorbed by the roots in the 5.5 - 6.0 pH range (although it's generally recommended for hydro growers to keep pH in the 5.5-6.5 range, zinc tends to be absorbed better on the lower side)
Learn how to manage your pH for growing cannabis.



2.) Give the Right Nutrients

The truth is, most cannabis growers don't need to add more zinc in response to a zinc deficiency!

In fact, most growers have actually already given plenty of zinc to their cannabis plants since it is found abundantly in most tap water. If you're using quality soil or cannabis-friendly nutrients, you probably don't need to worry about adding more zinc. In general, zinc deficiencies are more likely to appear when a grower is using heavily filtered or reverse osmisis (RO) water to feed plants since any zinc has been removed, but pH is a much more common reason growers see zinc deficiencies in their cannabis plants.



3.) Take Good Care of the Roots

Zinc deficiencies can show up with the plant is having root problems or if the plant is overwatered, even if the pH is right and the zinc is there. Proper watering practices help plants grow healthy and avoid a host of problems!



4.) Watch for Recovery

After going through all the above steps, watch to make sure that the zinc deficiency starts to clear up within a few days to a week or so. The damaged leaves may not recover completely, but you know you're in the clear when you stop seeing symptoms on new leaves.




"Just look at the flowers." THE WALKING DEAD.

My First DWC Grow - Unknown Strain
 
Weaselcracker said:
What are you growing in BB? Looks like promix or something similar. What do you keep your ph at and do you add calmag? Also- how much are you feeding?
Click to expand...

Hey man, yea that's Pro Mix Xp with a little extra perilite. So I HAD to change to a 3 part system with additives, that I'm not familiar with, and to make things worse I was told I could feed feed feed water, so I did and had some nice results at first.... then the issues started. My 1000w mh has around 20" from the plant tops with temp s around 28-30 C,its now 3'plus with temps around the same. As for the cal mag no not yet, just AussiTonic as they recommend.
I ve got a new ph pen on its way, mine old one was out too lunch on top of our town water being horrible. I was just kinda going by my old ph down ratio I had before. I ve got a soil test kit I'm gonna run once I get the new tester just to know for sure what's happening in the soil. My buddy In town here that grows too says he doesn't even adjust ph anymore, and his grow is looking amazing..... and we both use the same company just he uses the a b line and I m with the 3 part system.



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Here are the 4 bottle they recommend and the make up.

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It's not soil. You need to be using the hydro range- stay at 5.6- 5.8. And you will really probably need to add calmag, depending on your water source. Most of all- you absolutely need a good ph tester and to stay in the proper range.
 
The Germinator said:
Note: Sometimes a cannabis zinc deficiency (like all deficiencies) can be triggered by stressful conditions and may clear up on its own after the period of stress is over. However, to minimize damage it's important to react to any growing problem as quickly as possible, especially in the flowering stage.

1.) Adjust pH to Correct Range

The most common reason growers will see a zinc deficiency is when the pH at the roots is too high. Zinc tends to get locked at at higher pH levels, and is better absorbed by the plant in a more acidic root environment.

If you suspect your growing cannabis plant has a zinc deficiency due to too-high pH, flush your system with clean, pH'd water. This will remove any nutrient salts that may be affecting the uptake of zinc and help restore pH to the proper levels..

In soil, zinc is best absorbed by the roots in the 6.0 - 6.5 pH range (although it's generally recommended for soil growers to keep pH in the 6.0-7.0 range, zinc tends to be absorbed better on the lower side)

In hydro, zinc is best absorbed by the roots in the 5.5 - 6.0 pH range (although it's generally recommended for hydro growers to keep pH in the 5.5-6.5 range, zinc tends to be absorbed better on the lower side)
Learn how to manage your pH for growing cannabis.



2.) Give the Right Nutrients

The truth is, most cannabis growers don't need to add more zinc in response to a zinc deficiency!

In fact, most growers have actually already given plenty of zinc to their cannabis plants since it is found abundantly in most tap water. If you're using quality soil or cannabis-friendly nutrients, you probably don't need to worry about adding more zinc. In general, zinc deficiencies are more likely to appear when a grower is using heavily filtered or reverse osmisis (RO) water to feed plants since any zinc has been removed, but pH is a much more common reason growers see zinc deficiencies in their cannabis plants.



3.) Take Good Care of the Roots

Zinc deficiencies can show up with the plant is having root problems or if the plant is overwatered, even if the pH is right and the zinc is there. Proper watering practices help plants grow healthy and avoid a host of problems!



4.) Watch for Recovery

After going through all the above steps, watch to make sure that the zinc deficiency starts to clear up within a few days to a week or so. The damaged leaves may not recover completely, but you know you're in the clear when you stop seeing symptoms on new leaves.




"Just look at the flowers." THE WALKING DEAD.

My First DWC Grow - Unknown Strain[/QUOTE


That's awesome info man thanks, yea I m sure the ph is phucked up for sure on top of over feeding. I quit the feed feed feed water regime about two weeks ago and in that time I ve flushed twice, fists with around 15 gal in 7 gal cloth pots and my last one was 2 days ago with 2gal feed in between ....totally forgot to test the run off as well. I m about to do the flip soon so the feed regimen ll change up, and I ll go back too feed water feed, what I was use too! That's what I get for being fancy ehh! Lol. Thanks again for the info greatly appreciated brotha!
Click to expand...
 
Weaselcracker said:
It's not soil. You need to be using the hydro range- stay at 5.6- 5.8. And you will probably need to add calmag, depending on your water source. Most of all- you absolutely need a good ph tester and to stay in the proper range.
Click to expand...


Seriously!!?? Hydro ranges.... I ve always ran in the soil (or what i thought was in the same range this Pro mix/ soilless ..) hahaha, wow learn something new everyday. Wonder why I never had issues until now, odvuoulsy overfeed this round but beautiful plants before with ph being 6-6.5?
 
Ok I should point out that I do not use promix -but to my understanding it should be the same as sunshine mix it's peat moss and perlite and a bit of dolomite lime. I used to use the soil range for sunshine mix. They did ok but by late flowering they'd be looking pretty rough. I naturally started veering towards the lower end of the soil range and the lower I went the better they looked.
There are variations in the ph range depending how you treat the soilless mix- if you treat it like soil and add supplements and bennies and whatnot then maybe you'd lean more in the direction of the soil range.
But as a general rule- soilless uses the hydro range. It's a form of hydro. The medium used has no nutrients and not much in the way of ph buffering. It's just something to hold the roots, provide aeration, and temporarily hold whatever nutes you add. Same as rockwool, coco, hydroton,perlite, pebbles, etc.
For what I'm doing- bottled nutes in Sunshine mix- I ph to about 5.6.
I did a side by side test grow for a while using two clones- one at ph 6.2 and one at 5.2. After a month the 6.2 one was sick and half the size of the low ph one, which was exploding.
Experiment around a little and see what works for you.
But definitely you need a ph tester that works. It's probably the most important tool in your grow
 
Thanks guys I m Gonna give that 5.6-6 range a try. I guess going into flower I should be on the higher side of that range. I m wondering if my first ph pen was out of whack and measuring high because I had zero issues over 17 plants running perpetual in that 6-6.5 range!? I m wondering too if because I m reusing my soil that the dolomite might be used up, wonder if I should be adding more before each grow?
 
I dunno, I flush it just before harvest a few times and once again before I reuse.... and I figured if it was hot or toxic the seeds and clones would show it fast! I read it was actually very good practice if flushed properly, you can even use additives that break down the small roots left behind.... but now the more I think of it I m kinda in between a hydro medium and an organic substrate esp when I was using the Medi 1 line (organic)
 
Bearded Budz said:
Thanks guys I m Gonna give that 5.6-6 range a try. I guess going into flower I should be on the higher side of that range. I m wondering if my first ph pen was out of whack and measuring high because I had zero issues over 17 plants running perpetual in that 6-6.5 range!? I m wondering too if because I m reusing my soil that the dolomite might be used up, wonder if I should be adding more before each grow?
Click to expand...
You can add dolimite lime now I just had to use pelletized lime to raise ph on one of my girls.....2-3 tbs per plant mixed into the top few inches of medium. It is designed to buffe soil to 6.5

anything that occurs in nature cannot be unnatural!


The Birth & Evolution Of A Dragon
 
Hey BB. Yeah I also think it's ph to blame. It's the number one devil that will bite you in the ass every time doing this sort of grow. The only growers who don't need to worry about ph so much are those who are growing in (actual) soil.
I messed around with ph for years, growing in the same type of medium as you. I screwed up hundreds of plants and went through hell and a pile of cheaply made ph pens. I dreamed for years about having the money to get a good ph tester. With the money I spent on crapoy okes and the plants I destroyed I could have bought several expensive meters. If I had a time machine and could do it all over again I would just force myself to afford the good equipment from the start. A roomful of toasted plants was never a fair trade for having saved money.

At the very least, even if you can't afford a quality meter, you need the calibration fluids for the pen, and a backup. Depending on the type of meter and how it calibrates- get both ph 7 and ph 4. Or the three part kit- ph 4, 7, and 10.
If using a cheap pen then get some of the ph test drops as a backup. They're not accurate enough for general use, but better than nothing.
Or get a second cheap pen.
Take good care of the pen. Almost all ph probes need to be stored with the tip wet. Most of them - if they dry out they start getting screwy.
Even the best probes are meant to be changed after a year- though you might get lucky and have one last two or even three before they go sideways.
All of them should be calibrated at least once a month. You can sometimes get away without doing this stuff for a while- but you'll get bit eventually.
I have to say again - peat moss/perlite isn't soil. People will get confused when you refer to it as soil, and start giving you misinformation. Soil is a completely different thing.

Seedlings and veg plants generally won't show issues unless conditions are very bad. It's late veg and especially in flowering when issues start to appear. Flowering is when they're much more sensitive to any environmental problems.

I was told by garden experts never to re-use peat moss after a grow. They said it's compacted and broken down and just won't do what it's meant to do anymore. I put mine into the compost to eventually add it to my garden soil.
If you have old composting roots in your soilless medium - that's kind of a ph curveball too.

Also - you should be adding calmag. It contains iron and zinc- not to mention that your plants will need the calcium and magnesium.


Lime is pretty tenacious stuff and should last a few years though it may be possible you flushed some out.
Be careful with the prilled lime (dolopril) I found it needs to be mixed in a few weeks ahead of time or it burns the plants. In general I've had bad experiences adding lime- but it can be done.
Number one is to make sure your ph meter is accurate before doing anything else.

Just my 2c, I don't want to sound like I'm bossing you around telling you what to do. But it might save you some of the stress I went through. Best of luck. :thumb:
 
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