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is this Potassium deficiency?

gdbud

Member
I personally don't like my pH to swing up to 6.2 in DWC but I'm sure everyone will disagree with me. If your plants were mine, I would set your pH to 5.6 and let it swing to 6.0 then drop it back down. At 5.6 you are at lockout levels for some elements but only for a short time and usually it works for me as long as it's only down there for a max of a couple days.

I will try that and see if it works. Shortly into bloom I saw a large uptake of nutrients when the PH was slightly above 6.0.
 

Snype

Active member
Veteran
You know your plants better so if you saw something like that then do what you think is right. You seem like you know what you're doing.
 

gdbud

Member
You know your plants better so if you saw something like that then do what you think is right. You seem like you know what you're doing.

This is my first grow so I have been flying by the seat of my pants with IC as my copilot.:tiphat:
One of the early things I learned was to keep a detailed log of what you are doing so that you can repeat it or change it if needed.
Sometimes I think that I have just gotten lucky with my grow so far.:plant grow:
 

gdbud

Member
I changed the reservoir the other day and dropped the PH to around 5.7. The plants are now taking in nutrients again and they are looking better.
Thanks Snype and everyone else for your help in this problem.
 

Snype

Active member
Veteran
gdbud,
I'm happy that it's working out for you know! :) I think it's really cool that you are keeping good records of your plants! Keep up the good work!
 

crw15213

New member
If the leaves are browning or yellowing. Yellow, brown, or dead patches, especially around the edges of the leaf, which may be curled. Plant may be too tall. Those are usually signs of Potassium deficiency. And with the pH at the K lockout I would think that it was a K lockout. If it was a toxicity he would most likely have spots on his leaves.

This is a pic of a potassium lockout from Stitches thread:


Organic, according to the book that you just posted it clearly states a defecincy not the other way around. Look at picture B and read what it says also to the left.
Healthy dark green foilage
Leave margins turn rusty brown, curl up and dry
Leaves curl up

If you think I'm wrong tell me. If you think I'm right, tell me.

I have a tall S.A.G.E. that looks exactly like that. The shorter one looks fine. I was struggling for ideas and saw your post. Thanks!!!
 
I can't figure it out lately after about 2 weeks-3 weeks flowering I am getting what looks like Potassium Deficiency now on all my large DWC plants.

IT usually stabilizes around week 4-5. And I thought it was overuse of a Foliar Geranium Oil at one point. Then I thought maybe since my plants are pretty big, then I thought maybe toxicity as well.

But I have tried lowering the PPM and other adjustment and sometimes I wonder if it is the Benny loaded Rez creating this issue.

The weird thing is I recently switch to a homemade modified 5X larger reservoir and I do not even remember this happening when I ran my Power Grower RDWC (gh calls it top drip) with the smaller reservoir. These are definitely the largest plants I have grown and they drink easily 2 gallons per day.

They also tend to eat between 600-700 PPM. However during Veg they easily eat 1200 right before the flip. Once I flip they usually start drinking way more water. So I try to keep it at that and usually let the PPM rise over the course of a couple of weeks since I know (or think) they can tolerate it easily up to around 1200-1500 PPM. Sometimes I wait a week into flowering to swap them into my new larger Reservoir. I have even wondering if the Type of Plastic I think No. 5 could be causing problems but I think not.

This plant I admit I waited at least a week (7-9 days before I put it into the larger reservoir. I used a Simplified GH 1/2 Cal Mag 1-1-1 TSP Micro Bloom Grow at around 700 when I switched. However I have tried this with Advanced Nutrients as well next time I will try with Jacks.

I am worried that if I boost the K too soon (transition) that I will lock out Calcium and or Magnesium. My PH tends to stabilize to a perfect 5.9 after a few days.

This happens to me now
IMG_1471.JPG
on just about every plant after the switch into flowering...
I would really like to figure it out...
IMG_1472.JPG
IMG_1477-1.JPG
 

Growenhaft

Active member
your ppm details are useless if you don't know the scale according to which the details are given. it would be better if you give your values in the ec value.

the drinking behavior of your plants and the appearance indicate that a deficiency situation leads to increased transpiration, which affects the tips and tines of your leaves. increase the amount of fertilizer by an overall ec value of 0.2-0.4 and keep monitoring. it should now be possible to absorb more nutrients in the right proportions, which normalizes the excessive water absorption and prevents further leaf damage. how often do you change and clean your tank?
 
I am at the American .5 Conversion. And I haven't been changing out my tank enough. If I should have been doing it every 2-3 days with my Smaller reservoir then I should certainly be doing it at least every 2 weeks I guess with my 5X reservoir...
 

Growenhaft

Active member
they should actually be changed after 10 days at the latest, regardless of the tank size. Thoroughly cleaning the tank every 3 times has proven itself.

the nutrient compounds in your nutrient solution begin to age. disintegrate and new connections are formed, which are then no longer in the optimal range of supply for the plant.
 

Creeperpark

Well-known member
Mentor
Veteran
In soil browning leaves are typically caused by, underwatering, light burn, or overwatering. If the leaf tips are turning brown and crunchy, the soil likely became too dry for too long in between waterings. When a plant is overwatered it will push too much calcium up the stem and to the edge of the leaves causing bronzing.

In DWC the pH has dropped below 5.5 at some point during the grow causing the leaf bronze like the above. IF you look at the pH nutrient absorption chart you will see that potassium becomes unavailable below 5.5 pH. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/more_reasons_for_soil_testing

If you have a completely balanced nutrient fertilizer there should not be any reason to think it's a nutrient imbalance or nutrient deficiency. 😎
 
Last edited:

badasshydro

Member
19753Potassium.jpg


Looks like nutrient toxicity, ph level is probably driving that problem since it's a DWC. I'd imagine good bacteria and fungus don't operate well in a water medium that is more basic. Gets bad in soil being to acidic, but the DWC can take it.

When was the last time you drove up the TDS and when did you see the burn? TDS increases can be smaller than what growth your adjusting to thinking. Truth is you probably had great growth because the TDS wasn't dangerous.

If anyone knows what book this picture is from, or where other symptoms from this book are posted please CHIME IN

I just love how this book has it simple and it has sketches so it's much more focused on one ailment and not a persons series of mistakes like the photos of user submitted issues.
Book is from Jorge Cervantes,grow bible,i own that one ...
 

Creeperpark

Well-known member
Mentor
Veteran
1669542661222.png

Between 5 and 5.5 pH potassium absorption declines and will cause K to become less available. Also, less calcium and magnesium that helps protect the leaf are less available with low pH. 😎
 

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