Medical (hydro) Grower in Need of Some Help. Please

Ok I want to give you folks as much info as I possibly can, so I apologize if this is on the long side.

I have 6 plants in a drip hydro system that I am using for the first time. Here is a little info on the hydro system. 5 gal buckets with 6 inch net pot lids, 6 of them. The drain back (thru hull) is on the side at the bottom (no dwc) witch when drained keeps 3/4 to 7/8 of water left in bottom. Drip stakes running nutrient water threw hydroton. Timmer set at 1 minute on 15 minutes off. 12 gallon rez with a ph from 5.6-6.0 and a 16 inch air stone in it.. The light is a 600 watt hps.
Plants are 3 sour diesel clones, 2 sage clones and 1 tangerine dream from seed. All of them are showing the same issue or issue's? Leaves cupping up with jagged edges. New growth really wrinkly and slow growing. Older leaves turning necrotic and dieing.
Nutrients. I was using Fox farm grow, tiger bloom, big bloom, micro brew and root drench. Well not all those but the ones I could for veg. The grow big wasn't the hydro so I only used these for the first week and a half. During this time they grew fast but led to this issue. So I switched to GH grow, micro, bloom. I did a complete clean then 16 hr flush with 40 ppm water (12 gal) with a small amount of h2o2 cause my buckets where not light proof and wanted to make sure things where clean. Now I have 12 gal with 1 tsp per gal GH micro, grow, bloom.

Now for the pictures. I have some from before or maybe even as it started if needed.






If anyone could help I'd greatly appreciate it. If you need more info just let me know.
Thanks MYWhat

What is your pH? How are you measuring and controlling it? And how bad has it been fluctuating? All of that damage points directly to pH fluctuation, which is very common in hydro systems. Remember, as the plant uptakes nutrients, the pH is changing. This is an important and necessary process that allows all nutrients to be available, but if the process is carried out wrong it will damage the plant.

You my friend have PH lock, your PH is too high for your plants to absorb or process nutrients. This is the single biggest problem new hydroers have. It's an easy fix.

You should maintain a PH of 5.2-5.8 or so. You have already cleaned and flushed but in the future 1ml of acid (PH Down), mix, check ph, and repeat until you get where you want. I suspect you were good with the nutes, no burn on the tips, but when the PH is too high you get exactly what you have. When you mix nutes you will have a certain level and it creeps up daily and you must maintain this. A ph meter, bottle of PH down, dropper, and wisk are your friends in this process.

Thanks for the reply's.
My PH has been between 5.6-6.0 mostly, it did creep up to 6.4 one day. The temp in the room raised to 84 deg and the rez got up to 74 deg. The rez normally stays between 67-70 deg. I have a Hanna didgital pHep HI 98107 and GH ph up and down I check my rez every night. I calibrate the tester often but am starting to wounder if it's off. I've been paying extra close attention recently to my ph too and there getting worse.
My PPM is 680 and had been going down ever so slightly, with the water. So I figured it was uptaking nutes at about the same rate as it was drinking.
My tap water has a low ppm, under 50. I was leaning towards magnesium deficiency or the root zone being to warm do to 1 min on 15 off.
But maybe this ph tester is junk and it's only 3 month's old. I am going to get a nutra dip tri meter but don't have the funds right now.

This just reminded me to go check it for tonight. Rez was at 69 deg, ph was 5.9 and ppm was 575. I did notice they've used about 2 gallons and the ppm dropped by 100 ppm in 2 days so it seems like there taking up more nutes then water now.

So does everyone think it is my ph?
I have also been mixing my friends nutes for his soil plants and all those are doing great.
So did running high for one day or part day cause this?

Yes this is pH related. Running high for 1 day probably didn't cause all the damage, but it's a sign your pH is fluctuating. Hannah is a good company and as long as you clean, store, and calibrate your meter correctly it should be fine. You seem to be on top of the issue, the old damaged growth will remain that way. Keep on checking and adjusting as needed, focus on the new growth, if it looks healthy and is growing at a good pace, then you've fixed your issue.

Thanks man.

I removed most of the really bad looking leaves and the newer smaller leaves lower on the plant do look good. The new ones at the top still are looking really wrinkley and aren't really growing, but they started sprouting up before this happened. So hopefully they will come out of it too.
My ph has been a lot more stable since I've switched to GH nutes. This morning my ph was at 5.7 exactly what I had lowered it to last night. They had also lowered the ppm another 25 points. So in 3 days they have used ruffly 2 gallons of water and 130 ppm. So I added back the 2 gal with 1.5 tsp of each micro, grow and bloom. Witch raised my ppm back up to 675.
Is 675 ppm going to give them enough nutes?
Also what cycle would work best for this system?
Thanks again dan !!

Ph fluctuations are somewhat of a pain but contrary to GTWIHS that was not the cause of your issue. If you just keep it between 5.6 and 6.2 with 5.8 being optimum you are fine and any daily fluctuations are normal just watch for large spikes up or down because that tells you something is wrong with your roots but your look great now. Rez temp is fine. DO you use Hygrozyme? If not get some! The GH change was a good one they are easy on the grower and like you said you are already seeing improvement it will just take time to work though the plant. As far as the PPM you can use GH pretty heavily 1200 or more with no ill effects just use what the bottle says to use for what stage of growth (you have mature plants) and use that PPM as your marker and push them if you want. Sounds like you have the add back and nute thing figured out so that's great. Once you seem to be with your plants a lot so don't over think this enjoy it and don't sweat the PH issue.

1 tsp per gal GH micro, grow, bloom.

Is that all of them together? If you are in flower use grow if you are flowering use only the bloom.

I'm still in veg, and using the dosing recommendations on the bottle. General use- mild veg 1tsp grow, 1 micro and 1 bloom. (in my first post the attached thumb nails are the same plant. one from 4-26 other 5-3 ) They where growing aggressively before this happened, so I plan on slowly upping to there recommended aggressive veg. 3tsp grow, 2 micro and 1 bloom per gallon. Unless someone knows of a ratio that works better using these GH nutes.

I have noticed that there aroma is back as of today. So hopefully there getting better.

Does anyone have any input on my watering cycle? Also I have 1 16inch air stone in my rez, should I add another line and airstone for good measure?

Get your light closer to your plants. and your closer together if you can. One 600w light only has a 4x4 foot print. Also getting you could consider getting a commercial air pump with a 6 outlet manifold and put an airstone in each bucket on the same timer as your flood cycle. Your 1 min on and 15 min off is not standard its a little conservative.

1 min on 5 min ff is a good one. Your leaves are a little dark. But get hat light really on those leaves

The configuration of the buckets is 2 rows of 3. 4ft in length by 2.5ft wide. The 600 watt HPS is in a raptor hood (large hood). It was 12 inches from the top of the sage so I actually just raised it last night another 6 inches. I do have a 6 outlet commercial air pump I just haven't hooked it up yet cause it's loud and the room is right above my daughters room. So I need to do something to quite it down.

So my plants are starting to get messed up again. So it cant be the PH cause I've been monitoring that 2 times a day. They are starting to get the claw look on all but the tangerine dream, and the rusty spots are continuing. They are going threw nutes like crazy though, ppm dropped by 60 in 1 night.
So this has to be from them not getting something that they need, not enough air or to much or little of water cycle.
Please someone help!

For the better result you can look out this video bro...
LOL;;;'''

[video=youtube;cpIxi1Y_A_A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpIxi1Y_A_A&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

MYWhat? said:

The configuration of the buckets is 2 rows of 3. 4ft in length by 2.5ft wide. The 600 watt HPS is in a raptor hood (large hood). It was 12 inches from the top of the sage so I actually just raised it last night another 6 inches. I do have a 6 outlet commercial air pump I just haven't hooked it up yet cause it's loud and the room is right above my daughters room. So I need to do something to quite it down.

So my plants are starting to get messed up again. So it cant be the PH cause I've been monitoring that 2 times a day. They are
starting to get the claw look on all but the tangerine dream, and the rusty spots are continuing. They are going threw nutes like crazy though, ppm dropped by 60 in 1 night.
So this has to be from them not getting something that they need, not enough air or to much or little of water cycle
Please someone help!

Click to expand...

why would you spread your plants apart and give them less light? if you want more proper growth put that light right on top of your plant? All these people are telling you ph but I think it's a light/ ventilation issue. Your branches aren't too big and you could really benefit from more light.

Check this out scroll down a ways and your plant is right there. http://books.google.com/books?id=r9a9QZI9wnwC&lpg=PA1&dq=related:ISBN1878823280&lr&pg=PT17#v=onepage&q&f=false

Calcium deficiency--Possibly a little mag too.-- I got it, thanks sparkafire !!! (that was easier then others I've read that left me spinning in circles.)

My tap water does have a low ppm 42-50 My home and supply lines are all plastic or pex witch doesn't build up with elements like the older copper and cast pipes did.

the claw is usually from overfert, N mostly and the advice is to flush and feed less.. If your plants are going bitch mode again your salts built up issue from before still remains and pH should begin to drift again shortly if so. At that point I'd give them a full day in water, superthrive and clearex and heavily spray the leaves with water.

Just thought I'd update this encase someone else has the same problem.
This was from a magnesium and calcium deficiency. I was already using GH flora series (3 part) so after a little reading I decided to follow the Lucas formula. It is working great and the reading gave me a much better understanding of exactly how much N-P-K-Mg-Ca a plant should get.

I've also learned not to veg to long. (the hard way) This is 14th day of 12/12.
Just set the frame for the net and starting to fill it out.

When Hydro F's up~it look bad~But you see more dirt grower with the problems.

Is that cuz there is more dirt grower?
High ph is hydro worst nightmare and low ph is the dirt grower down fall!