Hydro guy said nute burn and cal/mag def looks the same

Meast21

Well-Known Member
Running DWC and my plants sweet spots depending on strain is around 1150ppm using tap water. I have a strain now that sweet spot is around 1050ppm and it gets burnt tips, then gets worse as flowering goes on with the ppm staying the same (ppm NOT rising, staying steady)... My question is should I try adding some cal/mag??
 

Meast21

Well-Known Member
Gonna try adding cal/mag.. It says 2ML per liter to correct deficiencies.. So if I have 5 gallons of water with nutes currently in it, I can add about 35ML ???? Will the cal/mag make the ppm go up ?????
 

mjinc

Well-Known Member
I would lower my nutrient levels before adding cal mag. If it is nute burn then your going to make things worse. From what I've seen nute burn starts at the tips of leaves whereas Calcium deficiency can be seen nearer the center of the leaf and magnesium deficiency gives you a yellowing pattern effect
 

Meast21

Well-Known Member
I would lower my nutrient levels before adding cal mag. If it is nute burn then your going to make things worse. From what I've seen nute burn starts at the tips of leaves whereas Calcium deficiency can be seen nearer the center of the leaf and magnesium deficiency gives you a yellowing pattern effect

Plant is already at lower ppm levels (around 1050 and staying steady)
 

BobCajun

Well-Known Member
Leaves get brown tips just if the air is dry and being moved quickly. But if you're using tap water that may be part of it. Obviously most tap water has plenty of cal/mag, or at least cal so that would be the last thing you'd want to add. My guess is it's nothing worth being concerned about, brown leaf tips. If you're doing DWC with tap water you're lucky that's as bad as it got actually.

BTW if there's chlorine in the water you can get rid of it easily by simply putting a small amount of calcium ascorbate in, only about 1 mg per liter is required but more won't hurt, within reason. You can buy the pure powder in health stores cheaply. It's also good to take yourself for vitamin C. Vitamin C is actually helpful to plants and so is the calcium, though it would be a minuscule amount. But as soon as you put that in and mix it the chlorine smell is completely gone. It turns it into chloride, which is not harmful other than in large amounts. It's a good way to instantly eliminate chlorine instead of having to let the water sit around for a few days to naturally turn into chloride or dissipate in the air.
 
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ThaMagnificent

Well-Known Member
Leaves get brown tips just if the air is dry and being moved quickly. But if you're using tap water that may be part of it. Obviously most tap water has plenty of cal/mag, or at least cal so that would be the last thing you'd want to add. My guess is it's nothing worth being concerned about, brown leaf tips. If you're doing DWC with tap water you're lucky that's as bad as it got actually.

BTW if there's chlorine in the water you can get rid of it easily by simply putting a small amount of calcium ascorbate in, only about 1 mg per liter is required but more won't hurt, within reason. You can buy the pure powder in health stores cheaply. It's also good to take yourself for vitamin C. Vitamin C is actually helpful to plants and so is the calcium, though it would be a minuscule amount. But as soon as you put that in and mix it the chlorine smell is completely gone. It turns it into chloride, which is not harmful other than in large amounts. It's a good way to instantly eliminate chlorine instead of having to let the water sit around for a few days to naturally turn into chloride or dissipate in the air.
Don't confuse chlorine with chloramine
 

BobCajun

Well-Known Member
Don't confuse chlorine with chloramine
I found this in the wiki page for chloramine.

"Ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and sodium ascorbate completely neutralize both chlorine and chloramine, but degrade in a day or two, which makes them usable only for short-term applications. SFPUC determined that 1000 mg of vitaminC tablets, crushed and mixed in with bath water, completely remove chloramine in a medium-size bathtub without significantly depressing pH."
 

ThaMagnificent

Well-Known Member
I found this in the wiki page for chloramine.

"Ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and sodium ascorbate completely neutralize both chlorine and chloramine, but degrade in a day or two, which makes them usable only for short-term applications. SFPUC determined that 1000 mg of vitaminC tablets, crushed and mixed in with bath water, completely remove chloramine in a medium-size bathtub without significantly depressing pH."
Interesting...I was using tap water with my flood buckets and was getting all kinds of deficiencies. I thought it was due to the chloramine or maybe even the alkylidity of the water because I live in an area with alot of limestone. My pH would shoot up every 12 hours like crazy and the swings would wreak havoc on the plants. Switched to RO and no issues since. I don't even pH anymore
 

Jypsy Dog

Well-Known Member
I found this in the wiki page for chloramine.

"Ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and sodium ascorbate completely neutralize both chlorine and chloramine, but degrade in a day or two, which makes them usable only for short-term applications. SFPUC determined that 1000 mg of vitaminC tablets, crushed and mixed in with bath water, completely remove chloramine in a medium-size bathtub without significantly depressing pH."
Been using it for 2 years now. I mix 1 Tbl. in a sports bottle and put 2 drops per gallon of tap water. Works Great.
 

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
Some well water has too much calcium and mag so it will in fact lock both out (over simplified lol), my situation, the amino acid supplements that I use have really helped in my situation with the plants being green and healthy to chop. Or yes as mentioned RO water, then your starting with a clean canvass so to speak.
 

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
I found this in the wiki page for chloramine.

"Ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and sodium ascorbate completely neutralize both chlorine and chloramine, but degrade in a day or two, which makes them usable only for short-term applications. SFPUC determined that 1000 mg of vitaminC tablets, crushed and mixed in with bath water, completely remove chloramine in a medium-size bathtub without significantly depressing pH."
But once the water is treated it's good to go right? When u say it degrades does that mean the chlorine will return? Sorry but I don't deal with any chlorine, I'm on shitty well water lol.
 

BobCajun

Well-Known Member
I don't know. Whoever wrote that part of the wiki page didn't make it very clear. Doubt it means the chlorine would return though.
 

Roger A. Shrubber

Well-Known Member
^ this, i think the article quoted was talking about a water supply system, meaning it would have to be reapplied on a regular basis to remain effective, once its gone, it aint coming back
 
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