Closet Smokers Garden

Mr.Head

Well-Known Member
I'd say you're right to flush, I'd use a bit more water though at least double the pot size. You're having a salt retention/PH issue by the looks of it, causing lockouts. Your plants are displaying multiple deficiencies.. Are you using the directed amount of nutrients? the fox farm plants look a little bit nitrogen heavy, I'd take a less is more approach most plants don't need anywhere near the recommended dosages. I've always heard to light feed after a flush, like 1/4 strength. Since they will be hungry from being locked out, but you want to be careful not to cause worse damage in the delicate state so use a light hand. This can happen from not having some sort of lime in your soil, or from just plain ol'using too much nutrients too often. Try and dial it back to where the plants are happy but just getting enough, you don't want a bunch of fat ladies getting too much cake :)

Everything looks absolutely lovely as far as your grow room goes, you did a really good job.

This right here what you are dealing with is why I switched to organics, I was fighting this stuff constantly, nuteburn, PH issues, cal/mag issues, lockouts. It makes it way more challenging then I thought it needed to be, I can see how some find the "sciencey" approach fun though :) I'm certainly envious of some of the hydro buds. I find the soil science is much more rewarding, just adding water and watching beautiful plants grow is awesome :)
 
From comments I have gotten so far from all sources say flush more. 3X pot size seems to be the consensus. I had a feeling it is a lockout problem.
 
It has been a few days since the flush. Definite improvement, but I am thinking one issue is that they are root bound. I don't have larger pots or any more NCB to keep true to the comparison. The plants are stalled and they are not actively using CO2 in the room. I have my bottle shut off, and CO2 concentrations are still in the mid 500 to low 600 ppm. keep in mind this is a small 800sqft home with two humans, 3 cats, and two dogs residing in it. This will raise CO2 above ambient. At this time they are on a short leash, if I get a couple plants ready for flower and they are still having problems, chop chop. I have bought GH Rapid Rooter plugs and tray, and I set a couple C99 seeds in yesterday after cracking them on a wet paper towel. These will go into DWC for a quick and dirty grow, I am running out of meds. Four week veg, one topping for a clone, then flower time. Will do a video update later.
 
New vid on the way, I followed through with the plan.....


Dumb question:

If I just want to use straight RO water, how do I get a accurate PH reading? My Blue Lab pen has a hard time with the PH of RO, my water tests at 0.0ppm, and the PH is all over the map.The number never stops changing, ranging from acidic to alkaline and back, never seems to settle down.
 
My two DWC girls are doing fantastic! The one I transplanted from soil is still growing fast with change seen daily. I have the bucket temps down in the low to high sixties with ice bottles that I change 3-4x daily. The transplanted plant has 250ppm of flora series nutes with silica and cal mag. I gave the seedling a taste with 150ppm, mostly cal mag, only 1ml of the nutes. I will be so glad when the seals get here so I can get the Hobo Chiller going again, it does work, but weak. I will be adding lots of insulation to the buckets and lines to increase efficiency.
 
Top