Wassup OGs
Let me start by saying these girls are getting bombarded with light from the start (im using a friends subpar, super old school built from scratch in like 2006 4x2x5 setup lol, 250w hid attached to a piece of wood at the top of the cabinet with no dimmer or no way to raise or lower the light, no temp or humidity monitoring, but a tiny exhaust fan and a fan inside circulating air) …… so it could quite simply just be a too much light problem (however none of the other 5 plants [1 actually the same strain/breeder … sitting right next to it] in the same setup [there are a few setups spread throughout the location] are having this issue which leads me to believe it isn’t a too much light problem … & the plants actually stretch a bit because the light is so high up, but it’s still on full strength so ) … it’s growing in some fox farm happy frog which, from my experience, has enough of the good stuff to last at least 3 weeks before I need to top dress with some Dr.Earth (and it’s only been about a week and half and again none of the other plants growing in this same soil are having an issue) which is leading me to believe it isn’t an actual need to feed … so my next thought was just try some cal mag maybe? I’d appreciate any input
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I’m gonna sound like a broken record here but have you checked the ph of either your water and or soil? I was phing my water but was still having big time problems and started losing plants. I tested the ph of the soil and it was way too high. I’m using Foxfarms and Ocean Forest as well growing organically.
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How’d you test the soil pH?
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No I was under the impression that happy frog soil is already ph balanced (that’s what it says on the bag) so for every grow I’ve just been using regular tap water that I let sit out for a few days to let the chlorine and everything evaporate. But how would I test the Ph of the soil?
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@PadawanWarrior There are soil ph pens but they are a little pricey. https://a.co/d/7p1OR8j
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Yeah, I thought the same @KingKroniK and had no problems growing my first round BUT the second time (always using fresh new soil) the problem showed its ugly head.
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Oh wow, I am gonna try to get one of the ph pens and test the soil … honest question though, if I have other plants growing in soil from the actual same bag of soil that aren’t having this issue is it still likely its the soil ph? ( and the other plants just aren’t reacting the same/ handle that stress better or something?)
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Yes, about half of the strains I was growing survived and took the nutrient lock-out in stride…some just didn’t. I’ll still grow the ones that have to be babied through the grow with the knowledge I’ve attained.
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This is WHY I cut HF with BG ( Black Gold soil), the Ph doesn’t have to be as low. Straight HF is about 6.3-6.4 ph is not the rule of thumb for soil, which I use at 6.6 range.
Do yourself a favor, get cal-lime and sprinkle on top
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I agree with @OriginalDankmaster96. There are little tricks you’ll pick up once you can see whats going on with the help of a ph pen. Everyone’s water depending on where they live are gonna do different things to your ph levels. Around here in Los Angeles the ph changes a bit from summer to winter and now I can ride that wave and adjust. Before I was just hoping for the best
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I actually have that soil probe. I was just curious because if you’re testing runoff it can be misleading. Are you using plain water or are you adjusting it first? And what’s your water like as far as pH and ppm?
If they’re bombarded with light that’s the problem. Put them by a window or a weak desk lamp and give it a week, they’ll look fine
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I never test runoff, just straight into the soil. Be sure and give that pen time to settle and give you an accurate reading. About 2 minutes then adjust off of that. My water outta the tap is 8.9. I fill two 5 gallon buckets with water that both have bubblers and a fish tank heater to keep the water from getting too cold and shocking the roots. After a day of letting the chlorine dissipate, then I fill my watering can and THEN ph the water. Poke a hole into your soil with the soil ph pen with it’s cap on, pour some water down that hole and wait about a minute to let it soak in. Then test the soil ph. That has solved all of my problems my man.
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I agree with @HumblePie420 and this is exactly what you do to water when dealing w high alkaline water to prevent most ph problems from occurring. Watering from the tap without is asking for problems.
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Unless I’m growing outside, then all phing will stop as I’ve noticed that they don’t give a crap about ph once their outside living large in the sun. Very strange.
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Oh my bad @HumblePie420 I thought I was responding to the OP. Nice. I have the same pen. My well water is a little hard too but not that bad. It’s like 7.8. I don’t adjust it. But I have to be careful about adding too much Ca.
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Because the microbes buffer the pH.
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Seems strange, but there’s differences to Mother Nature from our own human recreation of it
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@HumblePie420 @PadawanWarrior @OriginalDankmaster96 ahhh everything y’all saying makes sense, where I am the tap water actually comes out at 7.4 which isnt too high but again all this time I’m thinking I’m good with just regular tap (and I actually have been, after about 3 years this is literally like the first time I’m encountering this) because happy frog is supposedly the proper ph already but that’s my next step is getting that ph pen and testing the soil … I’ll keep y’all updated… appreciate it
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