Leaf issues - browning etc

I noticed some spots forming on my leaves not sure if I have some bugs I have looked closely but see nothing. Using tap water 230 PPM with GH nutrients, running 3 days into flower right now with PPM's with nutes around 650 PPM. I have Cal/ Mag but I think this is some other issue any advice or input appreciated!

If it isn't spider mites (which I think it is) then you have either a pH issue (too acidic) or you're short on both Calcium and Magnesium.

The fact that your tap water starts out at 230ppm indicates really poor quality. It could contain unacceptably high levels of sodium. Other than that I think you should calibrate your pH meter and check for the mites. RO filtered water treated with some Cal-Mag plus might be your best bet.

Snow Crash said:

If it isn't spider mites (which I think it is) then you have either a pH issue (too acidic) or you're short on both Calcium and Magnesium.

The fact that your tap water starts out at 230ppm indicates really poor quality. It could contain unacceptably high levels of sodium. Other than that I think you should calibrate your pH meter and check for the mites. RO filtered water treated with some Cal-Mag plus might be your best bet.

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I may switch to R/O to rule that out, I have a R/O system, what's the cure for spider mites? I have not seen any are they microscopic? I guess I need to do some research and do some spraying before the ladies start really budding

looks like mite damage.. whats dun is done alls you can do is spray and save the rest of it.. if not taking care of the mite will kill your plants

What's the best product for mites?

I'm not totally sold that you have an infestation. Look on the underside of the leaves just as the light comes on, if you don't see anything and it's widespread to a lot of the plant, then you don't have mites.

This looks like your ph got away from you, too acidic, I'd say. After you mix certain nutrients with your water, you obviously test the ph, but you need to come back a couple days later and retest it, because it doesn't always stay put. Even regular tap water acts like that. The R/O water mentioned is great, I'd do it more often, but I'm sick of hauling 5 gallon jugs around and refilling them. If you have like 4-6 plants, 5 gallons lasts quite a while when they're small, but once you start budding them, seems like you're refilling the jugs twice a week. Now, I switch it up, use tap about 2/3 the time. Sorry, went off there.

I have had PH Problems look like that. Guess I have been lucky. Out of 6 years of growing, I have not once had spider mites. (knocks on wood)

I don't think its spider mites either, after misting the plants during lights out and shining a light looking for reflections, water droplets caught on web etc I saw nothing. I pulled a bad looking leaf off and checked it thoroughly saw nothing. I think it's PH I did have an imbalance and perhaps the 1-2 days of a little low PH caused it, I test daily but I also now calibrate daily to make sure it's always accurate.

having the same prob. I believe the r/o water I was getting is a around 5.3.5.0. not sure tho because I'm using a liquid ph tester. Today I changed the reservior and added a a gallon of bottled "drinking water" wich was more yellow with the ph tester. Ive been using botanicare power plant and calmag. I noticed the prob over a week ago, but I thought adding the calmag would work....but since it didn't I assumed its the ph. well see. good luck!

Is it mainly on the lower fan leaves? Kinda crunchy brittle too?

Filtered water doesn't have enough particulate in it to throw the pH off. Pure water is almost always near or perfect 7. The purity of the water does allow it to change rapidly and it is easy to have a pH problem with the stuff. The RO water, plus Cal-Mag at <10ml per gallon should hit 6.2 to 6.4ish, then your extra nutrients... as long as you are using a reasonable amount of them, should be skewing the pH that low.

You are using litmus paper. Litmus paper is not a "liquid pH tester" of the kind most growers use. Your crunchy bottom leaves probably have burned tips, right. And the top of the plant, are the tips of the leaves browning? You likely have a salt build up in the media which is contributing to the pH issue. More run off, less nutrients, would probably help resolve the issue.

Snowcrash has a good point there. What does the rest of the plant look like? Where are these leafs at this is happening to. But Snow Crash said before that 230 PPM tap water is poor water. Hmmmmm. Not from what I have seen before, unless it is filtered water. I have seen a lot of tap water up above 500 PPM and higher. But then again. You might have tap water that only has 150 PPM and it is bad water. it all depends on what those parts per million are. I know in Jackpot Nevada, their Tap water there has been flagged by the EPA for having to many radioactive isotopse in it. But the little city does not have the funds to truck in water. They just live with it. The hill-billy idiots. They use Bottled water for most things, but then will shower and wash clothes in that radioactive water. And all that little town is for is for Casino's on a State line. Kick back's and pay off's at it's best.

Most municipal tap water contains completely toxic levels (like 300 times the safe level) of hexavalent chromium. The stuff that causes cancer. Erin Brockovich...
Do a google search and shit yourself when you learn just how we are being poisoned and how it is being covered up. My girlfriends mother works for the San Jose CA water co as a middle management type and even she is telling me not to tell people. Fucking pathetic (future mother-in-law.. lol).

My water comes in at 58 to 60ppm and is actually mostly sodium and calcium (water report) and is 7.4 pH. Every time. I'm lucky enough to live in the pacific north west where clean water is plentiful and we don't have to divert the most beautiful river in our country from reaching the ocean so we can poison people who choose to live in the desert with it. Fuck SoCal and what they have done to the Colorado river.

Snow Crash said:

Filtered water doesn't have enough particulate in it to throw the pH off. Pure water is almost always near or perfect 7. The purity of the water does allow it to change rapidly and it is easy to have a pH problem with the stuff. The RO water, plus Cal-Mag at <10ml per gallon should hit 6.2 to 6.4ish, then your extra nutrients... as long as you are using a reasonable amount of them, should be skewing the pH that low.

You are using litmus paper. Litmus paper is not a "liquid pH tester" of the kind most growers use. Your crunchy bottom leaves probably have burned tips, right. And the top of the plant, are the tips of the leaves browning? You likely have a salt build up in the media which is contributing to the pH issue. More run off, less nutrients, would probably help resolve the issue.

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If this was a response to my post, Im using a GH ph tester with the little tube and drops. And its been turning greenish. And my R/O water is at 20 ppm. Also in a cooler dwc.
I know there could be 2 different problems but the symptoms look the same as that leave.

Sorry for the delay everyone, here is what the plant looks like a week later. She has taken off and looks great. I added 40 ML of Cal/Mag for 4ga in each reservoir and bumped up nutrients to 3/4 strength from 1/4-1/2. She is drinking 1 GA/day so I know she is right in the range. I am purchasing yet another PH meter. I think this one is a toast, also need to purchase more calibration fluid I am making sure I am not having an issue by calibrating daily, looks like my PH meter likes to slowly increase by .20 each day so I need to keep her in check and going to get a new one because that type of fluctuation in my opinion is not good and not accurate. I will also by test strips to make 100% sure I am golden



I am still using tap water, both ladies pictured above are 9 days into 12/12 and are over 30" tall. No bugs 100% sure of that. It was a PH issue.