Figuring it all out - Cal/Mag def now?

[KnightRueben]

Hello everyone,

first time grower here. I've been growing some bagseed in Fox Farms Ocean Forest cut with 40% perlite for 5 weeks now.

I initially had some low PH issues around 2 weeks in that I corrected with some gradual flushings. I experienced spotting and what I ultimately thought was a Nitrogen deficiency.

I flushed the FFOF about 3 times with 1.5x the capacity of the pot. I re nuted with weak mix of Maxicrop Seaweed Liquid + Neptune's harvest Seaweed Fertilizer, as per the organics thread instructions after each flush (I mean about 1/3rd strength listed in the organics sections).

Since then I have successfully stabilized my PH at 6.4-6.6 for about two weeks strong now. However, my plants are still showing signs of illness. I believe this is due to cal/mag deficiency. I water with tap, and it is considered "soft" so I fear that I flushed out all the cal/mag when performing my ph flushes.

Any thoughts would be welcome. Below I will repost my old diagnostic thread. Temps are about 85* F at the hottest for these girls at their canopy's. Daytime temps have been very high around here (approaching 80 daily) so I can't do too much about lowering that. I don't know if that's hot enough to cause this kind of damage though.

 

[AndreNicky]

You got a calcium deficiency and it looks like your overwatering, the calcium def isn't too bad yet so just add a tiny bit of calamg with your next feeding

 

[KnightRueben]

Addendum

Addendum

SOIL:

How long has this problem been going on?
2 weeks

What STRAIN are you growing?
Mexican Brick style bagseed

What was the establishing technique? (seed or clone?)
seed

What is the age of your plants?
5 weeks from germ

How long have they been in the soil mixture they are in now?
3 weeks

How Tall are the plants?
12'' tall but LST'd

What PHASE (seedling, vegetative or flower) are the plants in?
vegetative

What Technique are you using? (SOG, SCROG etc)
LST

What size pots are you using? (Include how many subjects to pot)
all are in individual 1 gallon pots right now

What substrate/medium are you using? What brand of soil mixture are you using?(percentage of perlite, vermiculite...etc?)
Fox Farms Ocean Forest
Cut at 40% perlite, 60% Soil

What Nutrient's are you using?
1/3rd strength mix of maxicrop seaweed liquid + neptune's harvest fish fertilizer after flushing; otherwise tap water PH'd to 7.0

How much of each nutrient are you using with how much water? *Knowing the brand is very helpful*
1/3rd strength after flushing, equal to 1/3rd capful of each per gallon

How often are you feeding?
I water about every 3 days when the top 2'' of soil become dry, feeding every other watering generally (always after the flushes I did)

If flowering, when did you switch over to using Bloom nutrients?
What order are you mixing your nutrients? (example: veg nutes 1st, bloom 2nd ect)
N/A

What is the TDS/EC/PPM of your nutrients used?
The tap water is considered "soft" before I add the nutes according to the water advisory in my area. No PPM meter

What is the pH of the "RUN-OFF"?
Water IN at 7.0 PH, OUT at 6.5 as per last test

What method of pH test was administered? Using Strips? pH pen?
Strips

How often are you watering?
Every 3 days about, when top 2'' of soil dries

When was your last feeding and how often are you feeding?
yesterday after I watered, about every other watering not including flushes

What size bulb are you using?
150w HPS

What is the distance to the canopy?
8'' their whole lives

What is your RH Factor? (Relative Humidity)
41%

What is the canopy temperature?
78-86 F

What is the Day/Night Temp? (Include fluctuation range)
Nighttime is 78-86, daytime is about the same

What is the current Air Flow? (cfm etc.)
Cooled by 130CFM S*P

Tell us about your ventilation, intake exhaust and when its running and not running ?
Running @ ~120 CFM when light is on, about half that with lights out (I use a Variac)

Is the fan blowing directly at plants?
No, intakes rout air around them and get sucked up past the light

Is the grow substrate constantly wet or moist?
Not really, fairly dry on 3rd day

Is your water HARD or SOFT?
SOFT

What water are you using? Reverse Osmosis (RO)? Tap? Bottled? Well water? Distilled? Mineral Water?
Tap water

Are you using water from a water softener?
No

Has plant been recently pruned, cloned or pinched?
No

Have any pest chemicals been used? If so what and when?
No

Are plant's infected with pest's?
No

 

[KnightRueben]

You got a calcium deficiency and it looks like your overwatering, the calcium def isn't too bad yet so just add a tiny bit of calamg with your next feeding

Thanks!! That is what I figured. I am trying to track down some Calmag locally.

Are you sure about the overwatering? I forgot to mention I JUST watered them about 2 hours before the pic was taken. I generally feel like I UNDER water them if anything, I let the top 2'' get bone ass dry. I'm a newbie though, do you think I should wait even longer? I water about every 3-4th day.

 

[SoCal Seed Co]

First thing I though was over watered too. I would look into that...

 

[KnightRueben]

Thanks, I can get some calmag locally which I will add to my next watering, gonna hold out an extra day past what I've been thinking is dry

 

[greenatik]

well its a big pot the top is going to get dry much before it needs water

you should do it by feel and weight lift the pot up and you will know when to water!

 

[greenatik]

oh and 'soft water' is considered soft because it doesnt have calcium or magnesium so I would add calmag in with your waterings maybe... every 5th time or so. Once you get back on track you'll get a feel as to when your plant wants it

 

[KnightRueben]

Roger that dude

I'm definitely going to let em dry out much more before the next watering...in the meantime i have foliar fed the worst plant in the batch with some Calmag, diluted a bit according to the foliar feeding instructions on the fourms. I can't tell if it's perking up yet but it definitely doesn't look worse.

 

[jammie]

hey there kr. if your growing in 60% soil don't waste money and hydro shop exposure on calmag. go to home depot and get a 40lb bag of dolomite lime which is a slow to med release calcium, mag,iron and a couple of other things for 5 bucks. mix a tsp into the top layer of your grow medium and you'll be good to go for a month or so. throw the rest outside in your veggie garden and lawn. any plant except azaleias.

 

[KnightRueben]

Well guys,

I'm really sad to say the situation has only worsened. Steps I took after reading your advice:

1) Foliar Fed with Calmag @ 1/2 teaspoon/gallon solution daily when lights came up
2) Delayed the watering for 5.5 days...each pot was very very light and pretty much bone dry as far as I could feel in. Definitely felt bone ass dry
3) Watered with 1/3rd strength nutes + Calmag @ 1 teaspoon/gallon

The nutrients I am using are 0-0-1 Fish Emulsion + Neptune's Harvest Seaweed fertilizer. The strength is approximately 1/3rd the recommended dosage in the Organics section and leaf tips are slightly burnt, which I hear is an indicator of good feeding.

PH is *rock solid*. In at 6.5, out at 6.5 on each plant at the aforementioned watering.

Getting quite concerned, I was almost ready to flower them. Should I transplant and flush? Aghh.

Two leaves that fell off, new growth.

Pretty much the same shot as the first pic in the first post. Much worse.

:gasp:

What have I done to these poor gals? Any advice is again welcome! I have calmag, epsom salts, fish fertilizers, new pots, new soil, lime all at the ready.