Nutrient burn Recovery?

[eMotiv]

Strain:
8 - White Widow
4 - Big Bud
7 - Bag seed
(not feminized)

Age:
30 days (had a bad start)

Lighting:
1 - 1000watt HPS 24/0

Watering:
I water usually once every three to four days. I leave their water out for at least 24hrs to evaporate any possible residual chlorine.

pH:
Hanna instruments digital pH meter. Usually the water reads between 6.5 - 7.5; however i did notice a jump to 8.0 the last time i watered.

Soil Medium:
Bottom layer of Pumice
1 part sand
1 part Perlite
2 parts Peat Moss
1 tbsp Dolomite lime (soil pH seemed a tad low, this brought it up to 7.0)


Temperature & Relative Humidity:
Generally it has been around 50-70 degrees F (I know, too cold, waiting on it to warm up) RH unknown

Nutrients:
Fox Farm Organic 8 - 4 -4

Pictures:

Alright, I made a newb mistake! Instead of measuring the pH and N/P/K from runoff, I initially just tested the soil that was a couple inches deep in the pot. I know i know, stupid! Anyways, when this started happening to my plants I immediately did a runoff test and this is what i came up w/:
pH: 7.0
Nitrogen: Surplus
Phosphorous: Surplus
Potassium: Extreme surplus

I didn't think that i had given them much in the first place, but I did nute them in back to back waterings, plus foliar feeding. It took a couple days to affect them, but they sure started looking lousy. So three days ago I flushed the shit out of 'em. As you can tell in the pictures, the soil is still very moist. My question is this: will these little guys recover? I know i've seriously stunted their growth, but i thought i'd see them make some sort of recovery by now, but i guess i don't know how long it takes. It's been 3 days. And it's probably the same thing as the saying "a watched pot never boils" but i can't help but frequently check on the lil guys. Any suggestions? Advice? Slams? They're all welcome!

 

[Rope Smoker]

I'm new at this too but pot is very tuff they will recover. just wait a few more days? any experts with better advice?peace man

 

[eMotiv]

Yeah im hoping.. It's kind of an expensive mistake to stunt the growth on these plants. Running 1000watt hps 24/0 isn't cheap!

Another question. Is it normal for tap water to be alkaline as high as 8.0?? My water seems to have risen within the last week, does this seem abnormally high?

 

[Rope Smoker]

I bought a cheap ph,moisture, light meter and my tap is 7.8-7.9 if I can beleave it.When I cheacked the moisture in my soil it said it was dry but it felt wet to me, so I cheaked plain water and it said it was dry to! I cheaked it a coupla times more and finally an the last time it pegged the meter to the wet side WTF! So I have a hard time trusting it on anything! But If it is right my water is very close to yours in ph. peace man

 

[eMotiv]

Well my pH meter is a Hanna Instruments digital, so it's a little more accurate, but i did have a cheap probe style such as you're referring to and it was not consistent whatsoever. Investing in an accurate meter is important otherwise you'll never know which way to adjust it for sure

 

[dertmagert]

The Complete guide to Sick Plants,pH, and Pest troubles!

 

[Titania]

I don't understand you have a 1000w HPS and they're 30 days old?!?!? That's what mine looked like at 4 days using cfl! It seems you've done every noob mistake in the book. Not to worry though, you have all the equipment, so just start a new grow and get the basics right, don't bother giving any nutes until week 4! So many people make this mistake (including myself!). BTW, were those feminized?

 

[eMotiv]

Yeah i know, it seems like I'm the type that can't learn from others' mistakes, i have to experience it myself, ugh... story of my life. Anyways, I realize that they are far behind, and I'm not sure why. I originally started them out w/ cfl's and on day 22 I switched to HPS. On the same day i tested their nutrients and my results were: pH - 6.5 Nitrogen - 0 Phosphorous - 0 Potassium - K3(Sufficient)
At that point i gave them 4 tsp/ 5 gallon (less than half recommended) of 8-4-4. And watered them twice w/ it, and somehow still managed to nute burn 'em. I can't wait 'till I'm not a noob anymore!!

 

[eMotiv]

And no, they weren't feminized

 

[eMotiv]

Just went out there to check the pH again, my tap water is now 8.5!!! I can see to where the high alkalinity would stunt the growth by locking out the nutrients, but the runoff still tests at 6.5. Is this normal, or is my digital meter broke? When i turn it on it immediately reads 7.3 dry. The directions said to store the pH bulb in some sort of fluid, which i don't have, does leaving it dry skew the results?

 

[BlindLuck]

Your digital meter probably needs calibration, if you can't do that...its crap.

You would be better of with a fish ph test kit from the pet store.

If your plant has been in the same container for a MONTH....then you should transplant them...they probably have "hit bottom" and can't find enough water or soil, as the roots keep wrapping in circles. It looks like the first two are in peat pots...the roots should grow through, but the pot has to stay wet...you've been told to "not overwater", so the peat pot is probably dry......

Completetly wet the whole peat pot and plant it into something bigger with quality soil. Water it in good, then don't water it again till you see some improvement...then it droops again.

 

[GNOME GROWN]

u should run ur lights at 18-6..plants need rest too! thats just my thoughts!

 

[eMotiv]

Your digital meter probably needs calibration, if you can't do that...its crap.

You would be better of with a fish ph test kit from the pet store.

Good to know, wish the hydroponics guy had let me in on that tid bit when I dropped a grand in his store, i think it was pretty obvious i was a greenhorn...

If your plant has been in the same container for a MONTH....then you should transplant them...they probably have "hit bottom" and can't find enough water or soil, as the roots keep wrapping in circles. It looks like the first two are in peat pots...the roots should grow through, but the pot has to stay wet...you've been told to "not overwater", so the peat pot is probably dry......

Completetly wet the whole peat pot and plant it into something bigger with quality soil. Water it in good, then don't water it again till you see some improvement...then it droops again.

I have since transplanted all of them into appx 3 gal containers, thanks for the heads-up, probably should have done it sooner..

 

[eMotiv]

u should run ur lights at 18-6..plants need rest too! thats just my thoughts!

I had considered it, but then I read numerous posts from the pros and it seemed many of them believe it's wasted hours of growing time. I guess we'll never know until somebody puts it to the test w/ all other variables equal. I think I might try it though just to see what happens. Thanks for the input

 

[GNOME GROWN]

I had considered it, but then I read numerous posts from the pros and it seemed many of them believe it's wasted hours of growing time. I guess we'll never know until somebody puts it to the test w/ all other variables equal. I think I might try it though just to see what happens. Thanks for the input

i remember seeing a thread that someone did test it..he ran 24/24 vegg cycle...then on his next grow he ran 18-6 and said there was no noticeable diff.besdies on his electric bill..might as well save a couple bucks!..and the 6 hours of darkness gets them preped up for the next days sunlight!

 

[eMotiv]

Hmm, i wonder why such differing opinions? Ill switch it tomorrow..