Leaf Curl on my transplants. Need help fast.

Hey gang. Here is the deal. I don’t know why my leaves are curling like this or what the cause is. Here is my theory (please let me know if I’m on course). I believe that my well water is somehow fucking with my plants. They look as though they are experiencing a zinc/manganese/iron deficiency. Leaves don’t look terrible yet, but they are curling, and although I’ve been a successful in the past, this is my third attempt to get my clones to take (each time, I’ve had leaf curl, chlorosis, stunting, then leaves go purple and stem gets woody and plants just sit there and do nothing). I’ve tried everything. They are only 7 day old transplants from clones. There is still sme good growing happening, but the leaf curling is happening. I have since stopped using my well water and have been buying culligan bottled water till my reverse osmosis water system gets in. Hope that the water is the issue. My well water comes out as 130 ppm and 7.2 ph which isn’t bad, but I think that it has either become high in sodium or something which is causing a nutrient lockout.
Anyone with experience, please help. I don’t want a 4th failed grow.

Plant strain: Green Crack
From clones – clones planted 7 days ago
Temp at canopy: 81 lights on, 72 lights off (18 on 6 off)
Medium: half pro-mix + half perlite
Lights: 1000 watt MH 18 inches from tops, air cooled system so canopy does not exceed 81 degrees
Lots of air movement
PH run-off 6.3
PPM run-off 850ppm

One more thing that could be causing the leaf curl. Perhaps the lights are too close??? They are air cooled shades, so temperature is not a problem, but still, could to intense of a light be doing this!?!

If also just turned on my CO2 burner, but to just 900 ppms for the moment. Will boost up to 1400 ppm once everything looks healthy enough.

The run off ppm levels, is that with just RO water? If so, then that is a little high for the age of the plants and the pH is a touch basic for a soilless system. Dialing that in closer to 5.8 could help.

Otherwise I don't think they look that bad. What nutrient system are you running and how much do you use per gallon?

gangas canner said:

Hey gang. Here is the deal. I don’t know why my leaves are curling like this or what the cause is. Here is my theory (please let me know if I’m on course). I believe that my well water is somehow fucking with my plants. They look as though they are experiencing a zinc/manganese/iron deficiency. Leaves don’t look terrible yet, but they are curling, and although I’ve been a successful in the past, this is my third attempt to get my clones to take (each time, I’ve had leaf curl, chlorosis, stunting, then leaves go purple and stem gets woody and plants just sit there and do nothing). I’ve tried View attachment 1328018everything. They are only 7 day old transplants from clones. There is still sme good growing happening, but the leaf curling is happening. I View attachment 1328017have since stopped using my well water and have been buying culligan bottled water till my reverse osmosis water system gets in. Hope that the View attachment 1328014water is the issue. My well water comes out as 130 ppm and 7.2 ph which isn’t bad, but I think that it has either become high in sodium or someView attachment 1328013thing which is causing a nutrient lockout.
Anyone with experience, please help. I don’t want a 4th failed grow.

Plant strain: Green Crack
View attachment 1328007From clones – clones planted 7 days ago
Temp at canopy: 81 lights on, 72 lights off (18 on 6 off)
Medium: half pro-mix + half perlite
Lights: 10View attachment 132800100 watt MH 18 inches from tops, air cooled system so canopy does not exceed 81 degrees
Lots of air movement
PH run-off 6.3
PPM run-off 850ppm

View attachment 1328012

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just let themedium dry another day between waterings as your roots are a little starved of air. looking good other than that.

I feed them HydroFuel (its a very good food). I fed them at ppm 650 ph 6.2. I just went in the room, and noticed that the rams horn has progressed. The colour still looks good, but more leaf curl. Brought the lights up to 26 inches and turned CO2 burner off completely.
Not sure what can be causing this.
Another thing. I have brought plants to another room and put them under fluoresent lights 2 inches away, and the leaves start to straighten out. Crazy. Either I have some sort of pollutant in the air in my workshop, or ?????

I use domolite lime to balance my water. Hydro is 5.5-6.3ph. The roots may not be developed enough to handle the hid light.

Even though I just watered yesterday, should I water agian today with just water to give these ladys a flush!?!

Here are some more pics. As you can see, lots of Rams Horns. Why is it that when I bring test subjects out of the room to another room under fluorescent lights, they tend to get beter. Perhaps I have some kind of nut lockout, and the less intense lighting is allowing for the plant to regulate itself. Should I back my lights off to over 3 feet away!?! What kind of deficiency is this. My guess, (and I may be wrong), is that there is something in the water creating a nut lockout (specifically in the Zinc/manganese/Iron dept.).

Thanks in advance for any help.

In our commercial ops we use eco-bloom A&B. In my F&D lava rock budding table I use 1/6 of what any ferts recommend for dirt per gallon of water. Everything in our green rooms get fed the water that comes out of our budding systems every water change, every five days ideally. Water your clones daily after they have rooted. I keep my 1000/w/hps approximately 40"-48" from the top of the gravel or growing medium.

Thanks for the info "bird mcbride". I have put the lights at 3 + feet now, and will water with Aussie tonic only on next watering (in 2.5 days). See what happens - knock on wood...

gangas canner said:

Thanks for the info "bird mcbride". I have put the lights at 3 + feet now, and will water with Aussie tonic only on next watering (in 2.5 days). See what happens - knock on wood...

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I have this feeling that your clones will do just great! You are doing way better than a lot of others but it just takes time.

Great news. I moved the lights up, sprayed with a little aussie tonic "1 hour before lights on of course", and they are looking way better. Am now in process of transplanting into 2 gallon pots (130 of'em - yikes). Gonna be up all night.
Thanks again bird-man.