need help w some sick ssh

[Mr.Piff]

SOIL:

How long has this problem been going on?
about 3 weeks
What STRAIN are you growing?
Mr.Nice SSH
What was the establishing technique? (seed or clone?)
Seed
What is the age of your plants?
2 months
How long have they been in the soil mixture they are in now?
about 2 months
How Tall are the plants?
1 1/2-2 feet
What PHASE (seedling, vegetative or flower) are the plants in?
veg, I flowered for about 2 weeks to figure out sex but they are back to veg
What Technique are you using? (SOG, SCROG etc)
neither
What size pots are you using? (Include how many subjects to pot)
square 6x6 pots
What substrate/medium are you using? What brand of soil mixture are you using?(percentage of perlite, vermiculite...etc?)
some nonbrand promix with about half vermiculite
What Nutrient's are you using?
Ive been watering with Schultz plant food 10-15-10.
How much of each nutrient are you using with how much water? *Knowing the brand is very helpful*
basically reading the instructions on the label (1/8 teaspoon per quart of water)
How often are you feeding?
once a week for about two weeks, before that it was plain tap water (ph 6.5)
What is the pH of the "RUN-OFF"?
about 5.0
What method of pH test was administered? Using Strips? pH pen?
Strips
How often are you watering?
when the pots feel light, usually about once a week
When was your last feeding and how often are you feeding?
about 5 days ago, for the last two waterings
What size bulb are you using?
400w MH
What is the distance to the canopy?
1 1/2 feet
What is your RH Factor? (Relative Humidity)
40-50%
What is the canopy temperature?
mid 70's
What is the Day/Night Temp? (Include fluctuation range)
Fluctuates between 75 to around low 80's
What is the current Air Flow? (cfm etc.)
150 cfm cooling the 400w
Tell us about your ventilation, intake exhaust and when its running and not running ?
theres a squirlcage pulling hot air from the light and its being pushed out the room
Is the fan blowing directly at plants?
right above canopy
Is the grow substrate constantly wet or moist?
moist
Is your water HARD or SOFT?
Hard
What water are you using? Reverse Osmosis (RO)? Tap? Bottled? Well water? Distilled? Mineral Water?
Tap
Are you using water from a water softener?
I doubt it
Has plant been recently pruned, cloned or pinched?
Pruned of problem leaves
Have any pest chemicals been used? If so what and when?
No
Are plant's infected with pest's?
No

http://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=11457&pictureid=225347

http://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=11457&pictureid=225346

http://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=11457&pictureid=225348

http://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=11457&pictureid=225345

Right, so I have a little problem fellow ICers, I have eight female SSH (Mr.N) in some plain soil with vermiculite. Out of the eight, three are responding not so great, for lack of a better word, to the feeding regimen. Leaves are becoming spotty then yellow then eventually shriveling and dying off. Ive also noticed that in these particular plants, the leaf stems are becoming purple and weak. the main stems also appear purple. Thanks in advance for any help

 

[EvilTwin]

Your photo links don't work. If you go to advanced editing...you can upload pix direct from HD or portable media.
ET

PS: You need to find out for sure if there's a water softener. And do you know the EC or TDS of your tap? A very important issue.

 

[Mr.Piff]

I checked the ph levels on the water runoff and they were at a 4.0 or lower so i decided to flush the soil. Now after flushing the soil with about twice the amount of water to soil the ph levels are good (around 5-5.5).

I dont know the EC since I dont have a tester for that yet. How do I find out if the tap water has a softener in it?


Here are those pics

 

[EvilTwin]

I checked the ph levels on the water runoff and they were at a 4.0 or lower so i decided to flush the soil. Now after flushing the soil with about twice the amount of water to soil the ph levels are good (around 5-5.5).

I dont know the EC since I dont have a tester for that yet. How do I find out if the tap water has a softener in it?

Mr Piff,
I can't see any links for pictures. The site has been behaving odd lately...

A water softener is about the size of a small water heater. They require maintenance (addition of rock salt) so if you live in a house...you should be able to find it and if you aren't maintaining it...then it's probably not working.

If you're in an apartment...it could be there's a water softener outside your living area.

Does the water feel hard or soft? Soft water feels more slippery and soap lathers more readily and feels hard to rinse off.

Hard water lathers poorly with soap.

Getting your ph squared away will be a big help.
Peace,
ET

 

[GroHi]

I have some of the same in a test crop now... several showed heavy micro deficiencies... essentially they were hungrier vs the others... think 3 of my 8 girls are like this. One is so bad, I just killed her last night. Upped my CM+ & responded well enough. Several diff phenos are expressing, so fig the nute regiments need to be dialed in per pheno. Will work on that once I narrow it down a little, ya know?

BTW, the run-off at 5.0 is a major concern... most peat based soil mixes are acidic & you will be continually fighting it unless adjusted, just real tough to properly do once planted. Check out the DL & HL to offset. Unless you get the pH back up, you will continually have uptake issues w varying nutes... this is likely making the plant sensitivities to nute requirements even worse. Probably be tough to say which is which. pH correct first & foremost. Peace.

 

[Mr.Piff]

Mr Piff,
I can't see any links for pictures. The site has been behaving odd lately...

A water softener is about the size of a small water heater. They require maintenance (addition of rock salt) so if you live in a house...you should be able to find it and if you aren't maintaining it...then it's probably not working.

If you're in an apartment...it could be there's a water softener outside your living area.

Does the water feel hard or soft? Soft water feels more slippery and soap lathers more readily and feels hard to rinse off.

Hard water lathers poorly with soap.

Getting your ph squared away will be a big help.
Peace,
ET

I would say its soft then, I noticed the plants are looking a bit better after the flush but its tough to say, I may have to keep flushing the soil till the ph of the run off is a bit higher

thanks for all the help so far, I love this site

 

[EvilTwin]

Mr Piff,
I guess I didn't make the situation clear. Water softeners work on an ion excahge principle and add salt (as in sodium chloride-table salt) to the water. You won't ever be able to have a good crop using softened water. Just poke around or ask someone.
ET

 

[Mr.Piff]

Mr Piff,
I guess I didn't make the situation clear. Water softeners work on an ion excahge principle and add salt (as in sodium chloride-table salt) to the water. You won't ever be able to have a good crop using softened water. Just poke around or ask someone.
ET

what!?! what if I run that water through a brita? would that help?

 

[EvilTwin]

Well first, you need to find out if you have a water softener. And no, a Brita won't solve the issue. You'll need an RO filter or get the water somewhere else. An RO dispenser at the grocery store...something like that.
ET