Plants keep burning, I don't know what to do anymore

[keith1975]

And the PH results:

From the tap: 6.3 ph , 21.7 degrees Celcius
From the hose: 6.5 ph , 20.5 degrees Celcius
Distilled water: 4.0 ph , 21.6 degrees Celcius

 

[keith1975]

So in conclusion, the PH seems fine. It's 6.5 from the hose. Which is fine, right?

But is an EC level of 461 us a lot? or is it any reason to be concerned?

 

[Listersmeghead]

So in conclusion, the PH seems fine. It's 6.5 from the hose. Which is fine, right?

But is an EC level of 461 us a lot? or is it any reason to be concerned?

Yeah, that's a high number without any nutes added. My tap water comes out 250 and I concider that a high number.
Without knowing what's in that 461, your plants could be getting fed all sorts.

 

[keith1975]

Yeah, that's a high number without any nutes added. My tap water comes out 250 and I concider that a high number.
Without knowing what's in that 461, you're plants could be getting fed all sorts.

Allright! okay! progress!

I'm going to only use the distilled PH4 water. That should be fine right?

 

[Listersmeghead]

Allright! okay! progress!

I'm going to only use the distilled PH4 water. That should be fine right?

It should be better, have you done a ec test on the distilled.
You will have to adjust the ph back up to match your medium.
Edit: I've just seen your post re the distilled water, yes 77 ec is much better.

 

[Virgin Ground]

Getting a small RO system like the RO Buddie will be much cheaper in the long run.

 

[keith1975]

Getting a small RO system like the RO Buddie will be much cheaper in the long run.

RO Buddie? Dont know it, but will check it out. Let me first see if the distilled water I bought manages to make the plants grow. I still find it hard to believe that water can do this to a plant. Especially if it's the same water I've been using for years. And the water that I drink!

 

[Virgin Ground]

RO Buddie? Dont know it, but will check it out. Let me first see if the distilled water I bought manages to make the plants grow. I still find it hard to believe that water can do this to a plant. Especially if it's the same water I've been using for years. And the water that I drink!

You may need some cal-mag of some sort to use with it. There isn't anything in distilled.

 

[SmokingWings]

View media item 1760612Is this the soil you are using???

This does look like an interesting problem, possibly more than one thing causing multiple issues.

I had checked their web site and the company has two different soil mix formulas. Both bags look alike except for one word in the name.

The Premium Classic ingredient list is: Coco Coir, Worm Castings, Compost, Perlite, Vermiculite,Volcanic Rock Dust, Bone Meal, Gypsum, Dolomite Lime, Kelp Meal, Organic Nutrients

The Premium does not have Classic printed on the bag but it looks identical otherwise. The ingredient list is: Coco Coir, Worm Castings, Perlite (30%), Volcanic Rock Dust, Bone meal, Gypsum, Fermented probiotic bran.

The Premium Classic seems to be the one that their web site recommends the most.

 

[keith1975]

I've switched to distilled water for new seeds and will see if they also show signs of burning. Will also water other plants with distilled water to see how that goes.

Anyone know an easy way to turn my bad water into good water? With lockdown I can't get to shops to buy more distilled water and it's going to become expensive after a while.

I just also want to repeat that NOTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED. Same soil and same water I've been using for ages. I did work in the room and move extractor fans around. But not sure if that will affect it. Anyone know if something odd can happen like the fans moving around too fast and that somehow causing the plants not to "breathe" and then somehow causing this "burn"? Or am I grabbing at straws?

Or maybe the dust particles from the one time I drilled has some affected the plants?

Is there an easy way to test the air?

Any other tests I can do?

I spent a lot of money to make my room perfect and now nothing wants to grow. Very sad grower over here.

 

[TurboBucket]

Underground aquifers change seasonally. If it's from a well this could be contributing to what your seeing.
Municipal water, or City water should remain rather constant, call them and ask why the water is different.

The plants don't mind a little bit of dust, I'm constantly working around mine. If they get too dirty wipe or spray them off. Slightly before the lights come on. (Don't leave plants wet going into dark cycle [mold])

If your room is all sealed up and your running an exhaust fan it might pull the space into low enough negative pressure the ambient co2 levels are low but that would require a really good seal and a pretty tough fan so I'm going to bet against it.

As noted the most likely cause is your overly alkaline water locking nutrients up/out in your nutrient solution. Because of all the organic stuff in your mix you need to be in a more natural range so all the micro herd can do it's job, but they've all been killed by the crummy water so you need to replenish them as Emilya mentioned.

You've been given good advice and your still grasping at straws

 

[Chris Scorpio]

NOTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED.

Water, literally changes daily, if it's not a controlled resivour style of public water

So to say nothing has changed is about as false as it can be

My tap water changes based on the area
Rain
Flooding
Heat
Aliens
Lots and lots effect it

Mine goes from 400-750 ppn depending on what's going on in my area


Listen to the great advice given

Get an RO system like a RO Buddy, and move on

 

[Listersmeghead]

That's what's messing with my water, ALIENS, definatley aliens, finally found the reason.

 

[Rosti]

I agree, RO is the way to go especially with DWC. My tap is 350-450 depends day to day... $100 RO system and a barrel and I never looked back. Ppm comes out at >10 and ph comes out at 5.6-6.1 ... one of the best benefits I got from the RO system is that I noticed it takes MUCH less ph up and ph down to get my pH in the sweet spot... not sure if that’s normal or not but I agree with everyone else. If your Ppm is that high coming out of the tap you would greatly benefit from a cheap RO system.

 

[TorturedSoul]

I have only read the first page of this thread, so far. I skipped to the last page to see if you had solved your issue. (I'll get back to read more later, but if I don't run soon, there's going to be a mess, lol.)

Quickly (for me) :

only read the

And the PH results:

From the tap: 6.3 ph , 21.7 degrees Celcius
From the hose: 6.5 ph , 20.5 degrees Celcius
Distilled water: 4.0 ph , 21.6 degrees Celcius

That doesn't look right, to me. Distilled water, the moment it comes out of the distiller / bottle is neutral, pH 7.0. And then, after you've opened it, it's going to begin drifting downward a little, because it's going to absorb some CO₂. However, that looks really LOW. I'd say it's halfway to being vinegar, lol, but the pH scale is a logarithmic one and I can't do math AtM because 99% of my brain is busy telling my bowels not to-- anyway, every whole number drop doesn't mean the liquid is twice as acidic, it means it's ten times more acidic. So 4,0 is 10 times 10 times 10 more acidic than freshly distilled water. I've heard of it ending up at like 5.9 occasionally.

Are you sure that you didn't accidentally test the pH of a bottle of "fizzy" water, instead? Because I just checked, and the pH of carbonated water appears to be in the 3 to 4 range.

Failing that, might there be some sort of microbial colony living in the "exit spout" of your distiller? Unlikely, I know, but...

I am assuming that you have made sure that your pH meter is functioning correctly, has been properly stored in between uses, has been calibrated recently, was then checked by testing the pH of a known substance (a freshly opened bottle of pH 4.01 buffer solution, et cetera), that you're using the correct calibration solutions (and doing a two-part calibration if the meter supports this), and so on.

Good luck, will read rest of thread later got to go

 

[Scubasteveli]

Don't know allot about growing but my plants looked the same except the top white leaves, the bottom two thirds look the same and it was a pH problem with mine... Just sharing my experience good luck!

 

[Scubasteveli]

Also if you dont have a blue lab soil tester get one.. it resolves 90% of my problems with Growing almost always something to do with ph

 

[Emilya Green]

I will try once again since we all seem to be locked in on this pH and water quality thing...
This doesn't look like burning... it is starvation according to everything I can see.
Either fix the organic food cycle by adding massive amounts of microbes, immediately.... or start feeding from a bottle.
Water quality is indeed important, but not the fix, and pH is only important if you give up on the organic grow and decide to feed from a bottle.

 

[Virgin Ground]

I will try once again since we all seem to be locked in on this pH and water quality thing...
This doesn't look like burning... it is starvation according to everything I can see.
Either fix the organic food cycle by adding massive amounts of microbes, immediately.... or start feeding from a bottle.
Water quality is indeed important, but not the fix, and pH is only important if you give up on the organic grow and decide to feed from a bottle.

I have a quick question for you Emilya.

If he's having trouble sourcing microbes can he inoculate the soil with a top dressing of the super soil he has?? It says it has microbes in it....if I'm remembering correctly.
Also could the same be done with a sample if soil from outdoors?

I don't do organics so excuse me if it seems like stupid question.

 

[Emilya Green]

I have a quick question for you Emilya.

If he's having trouble sourcing microbes can he inoculate the soil with a top dressing of the super soil he has?? It says it has microbes in it....if I'm remembering correctly.
Also could the same be done with a sample if soil from outdoors?

I don't do organics so excuse me if it seems like stupid question.

yes, that would indeed help, as would making a tea of a cup or so of that soil and trying to brew even more microbes. Most outdoor soil is not going to be as highly mineralized as his good amended soil though, so its population of microbes would be much lower and probably lacking in fundamental areas, such as if the local dirt was light on phosphorus, the microbes associated with that element would also be in short supply. Great question though!