hmmmm...NOW WHAT???!!! w/ pix

[dank.frank]

Well, before I start, I am going to say that I have been battling this for some time now. It comes and goes, but it has cost me many sets of leaves....not a big deal, but annoying none the less.

Plant is getting 15mL PBP and 5mL of Karma mixed per gallon of purchased bottled RO water. (about every 3 days) In between feedings, just bottled RO water. I do not have* a measure of pH or ECC/pM. (no meters) So, from what I can figure, is it is a cal/mg problem or it is a pH issue.

STIIIIIIIIIIIIIITCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!.....hehehe

These leaves have all been being watched and have been on the decline for 2 days...so I feed today to try and prevent the spread...

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

i think your right with the cal-mag problem, i bet its both, do you have any sensi-cal or cal-mag solution you can add to your RO?
everything else you seam to be doing right.

 

[DrLongbottom]

That is not a Calmag deficiency.... go get yourself a ph pen and your trouble should fade....odds are when your feeding with 15ml of pbp per gallon ...your ph is droppin into the low 5's ....with a calmag problem you would be seeing damage on the new growth....it looks like its mainly on the oldest leaves. DLB

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

That is not a Calmag deficiency.... go get yourself a ph pen and your trouble should fade....odds are when your feeding with 15ml of pbp per gallon ...your ph is droppin into the low 5's ....with a calmag problem you would be seeing damage on the new growth....it looks like its mainly on the oldest leaves. DLB

a mag problem shows on new leafs as twisting and/or bending and in mid-aged leafs as mid-leaf yellow.

calcium defs show up in old leafs as the plant is sacraficing the old leaf to move the calcium to new ones.its a calcium problem. it always happens with RO... mag and cal...
chelated calcium is better for the plant then tap calcium any day ....
it could be burn but then his tips would be fried, the tips look good.

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=11688

 

[dank.frank]

so as I do not have any sort of decent hydro store within a couple hours drive, I need some sort of alternative to add some cal/mag to the mix.

I know epsom salts at (1/2 tsp? per gallon??) will fix my mag problem, but what about the calcium. I suppose it has to be something that doesn't need to be broken down and is ready fro uptake by the plant, ?????

 

[DrLongbottom]

dank.frank..... what type of soiless medium are you using brand etc.... fwiw pbp contains both cal and mag.....go buy a ph pen. DLB

 

[sirgrassalot]

If you're using RO water & PBP Bloom in a soiless mix you're to use Cal-Mag Plus.

 

[dank.frank]

So, the question I guess is this...I know how/what to do to fix the mag def. but what "home remedy" do you use to fix Cal def.?

There is no hydro shop within a practical distance...


thanks.

 

[julsbagell]

Like dr said pbp drops hard tapwater to 6.0 ph probably drops ro water 5.0 that stuffs hot. first check ph.

 

[Buzz Lightyear]

So, the question I guess is this...I know how/what to do to fix the mag def. but what "home remedy" do you use to fix Cal def.?

There is no hydro shop within a practical distance...


thanks.

Pure blend pro is low in calcium and magnesium.

First thing to do is figure out your ph. Water till runoff. Wait 1 hour. Pour a little distilled water on the pot. Try to get only 1 ounce of runoff. Catch it. Test that ph.

If ph is low, you can add 1 to 2 teaspoons pulverized dolomite lime (per gallon of soil mix) to the pot surface. Water in.

If ph is ok or high, adding lime would be bad. You would see micronutrient deficiencies in the new growth like iron. So, you have to add neutral sources of calcium and magnesium....

1/4 teaspoon calcium nitrate or pulverized gypsum per gallon of water. You would also add 1/4 teaspoon epsom salts to get magnesium. Calcium chloride sold under names like blossom end rot stopper for tomatoes could be use also as a alternative source of the calcium. Easily disolves and does not add nitrogen like calcium nitrate. (Might not want more in flower) Can't give you a rate till you get the bottle. (60 ppm ca) Gypsum is hard to disolve so the other two would be your first choice of calcium.

If you want to adjust the ph of the fertilizer water up, you can get Roebic drain cleaner granules at Lowes. This is pure sodium hydroxide. Add maybe a teaspoon to a gallon jug of water. Then gradually add this "ph up" water to your fert water. Careful...its strong. By the way...don't worry about adding a little bit of sodium. Plants can use this just like potassium in functioning.

Happy growing!

 

[tree&leaf]

So, from what I can figure, is it is a cal/mg problem or it is a pH issue.

You haven't given enough information for anyone to figure out what's going on here, so anything anyone says can only be an 'educated guess' based on what information you have given.

The first thing I'm confused about is why you're using hydroponic nutrients in what looks like a soil grow? You can't possibly be growing hydroponically/soiless mix without a ph and ec meter, so can you see why people are having to guess? How are you working out your nutrient feed schedules, and how do you know they're correct?

RO water should have a neutral ph of 7.0 and I can't beleive the quantities of nutrient you're using will drop that ph in any case soil will buffer that ph back anyway, if you're using soil, if you're not, you need a ph and ec meter, otherwise you're just guessing. RO water will not contain any TDS, so you're not giving the plant any Mg or Calcium over and above that contained in the nutrient feeds you're giving it.

From looking at the leaves it looks like you've got multiple nutrient deficiencies - Mg and Nitrogen, this could be caused by Ph, salt buildup, or simply not enough of those two nutrients from your nutrient feeds. Without knowing what you're growing it in or how long it's been there it's impossible to give you any firm recommendations. If it's in soil, it's highly unlikely to be a ph issue.

 

[dank.frank]

hey all...thanx for the responses.

It is in a local potting soil, mixed heavily with peralite. probably about 30-40% peralite. I was intending to/had previously use(d) the nutes in an aero setup that I made, but circumstances have kept me from really going that direction again for now, so I just was bored and missing my hobby, and decided to throw some seeds in soil.

After a few days, I think tree&leag was right when he said that it was multiple def's. I think the plant being about 2.5 months old in a 5.5L pot it uses any available nutes VERY quickly...this thing EATS/DRINKS. I can give it upwards of 20oz of water twice a day to keep her moist....but I only do it once. I have been feeding, every 3rd day, I mentioned that in the first post....but have since moved it up to every other day. I bought some epsom salt and added 1/2 tsp to a fresh gallon of nutes and just into the plain RO as well. The plant seems to have stopped with any form of def.

I will post a ne fresh pic of the plant when I get the opportunity.

I KNOW I NEED A PH/ECC meter. I would LOVE to stop guessing my self, let alone asking others to guess for me. I do understand the importance of these measurements, just budgeting issues prevent the purchase. The closest hydro shop is also a few hours drive, so it isn't practical to just go get one. one of these days...hehehe


hey all, thanks for the input. I need to check out that Ca additive and hut that down...thanks for posting that solution. I am sure if I looked hard enough i would have found it some where else, but I do appreciate the answer being dropped on my lap...hehehe.

THANKS AGAIN!!!!

dank.Frank

-update forth coming