Hey gc just needed some info or advice on why im getting discoloration on my leaves and some light brown spotting on the tips im guessing its a calcium or magnesium issue since i have been using RO water without cal/mag added. I just bought some today and added it to the water to see if that would help any advice is always appreciated!
I transplanted it into hydro almost two weeks ago its only about a month old I dont have an electronic tester right now to see the ppms but the ph is always around 6
I had the same issue with my babies, I tried moving the light, adding CalMag and a few other remedies, nothing worked. I finally found out my ph meter was not calibrated, once I got the correct ph, 6.0 in my situation, the plants went crazy! They turned green and started growing like nuts. I would strongly suggest you invest in a ph meter and make sure to get some calibration solution. It's extremely easy to use and made a massive difference. You can pick up a decent ph meter for $15 to $20, some come with the calibration solution but if not you can get some for $6. Don't trust that the meter will be calibrated out of the factory, mine claimed to be calibrated and was 4 points off. Even if the ph isn't your problem it's still a worth while investment that will really pay off.
looks like the beginning of cal/mag issues. I think you'll fix it with the added calmag..few ml per gallon should be good. you could probably up the nutes a little bit too. Usually if it's a ph issue you'll have red stems and she'll look a little droopy. looks a little warm too
It looks like an overall lack of nutes, the paling of the leaves and slow growth. What dose of what nutes are you giving? You should be giving them 1/4 at least right now. 6 is on the high end, and should be 5.8-5.9.
Awesome i appreciate the fast responses that was alot of great info. Im going to go get an electronic meter so i can dial in the ph. I was using gh maxi grow but only put in about 1/4 Of the dose into my three gallon tank. I was nervous about how much because i am completley new to hydro and fairly new to growing all together and have previously burned my plants i had in soil with the maxi grow but im learning how much different hydro is and trying to learn as much as possible. Is the maxi grow ok for beginners and how much should i be giving them in my three gallon tank at the moment?
I've never used maxi 2 part series so I couldn't tell you. Here's the dosage instructions: http://generalhydroponics.com/site/...ule/maxi_series_recirculating_drain_to_waste/ You should start at 0.5tsp / gallon keep it on the low end right now. Also here's a great budget ppm meter Amazon.com: HM Digital TDS-EZ Meter Tester Water/ppm/Purity/Filter: Patio, Lawn & Garden
pick up a ph pen AND a ppm pen .really you can't do hydro without them and while you're at it pick up a measuring cup in ml and a chart for converting gals to liters ie..metric is more accurate for hydro. Hydro is not forgiving like dirt so you MUST be accurate or lots of bad stuff can happen.....FAST!
[quote name='"s7exiled"']I've never used maxi 2 part series so I couldn't tell you. Here's the dosage instructions: http://generalhydroponics.com/site/index.php/resources/feeding_schedule/maxi_series_recirculating_drain_to_waste/ You should start at 0.5tsp / gallon keep it on the low end right now. Also here's a great budget ppm meter Amazon.com: HM Digital TDS-EZ Meter Tester Water/ppm/Purity/Filter: Patio, Lawn & Garden[/quote] Thank you so much for this info this is exactly what i needed to know. I have just been using the liquid test kit that came with my ph up/down kit and it only gives you the general vicinity of the ph, plus the cal mag is a nasty brown that probably doesnt help give me accurate readings. Ill go pick one up right now and keep you guys posted on the new growth thank you so much!
Plus one on the HM product line... I have had their TDS-EZ pen for quite a while and it works great. I've been through 3 other ph pens, one as high as $120, and nothing has been better than HMs new ph-80 pen I just got... it reads instantly, easy to calibrate and at about $55 bucks is a real good deal on a quality product. Ph is so critical in hydro you just can't waste your money or time on a crappy pen. I've only had it for about a week but it has a year warrantee. My other pens were slow to read, and only lasted about 4 months even with proper care.