Weird Problem Week 6 of Flower with Pics

Hey all, I'm having a weird issue I have never seen before. Coming in to week 5 the water in my res started doing the PH climb and PPM drop like the plants were wanting more nutrients. So I changed the water in the res, bumped the ppm up from 1200 to 1600 which slowed the ph fluctuation greatly but was still creeping up just a little. So I then bumped up to 1800ppm the next day and that ended all of the ph rising ppm dropping issues. Now right as this started alot of the plants started going a little yellow which I assume was from them starving for food. So after the ppm raise everything started chugging along nicely again, but now into late week 6 I have 1 plant starting to shrivel as if I cut the water to it. looks just like a plant that is severely under watered. The only thing is the roots still look good, no slime or anything, not all brown etc etc. and all of the plants are in the system together drinking from the same res and the root zones are basically 1 big root mass as the roots grow together from one end to the other.

How can this 1 plant that is intertwined with all the rest have an issue but the plants on either side are not?? Makes no sense, especially after I looked at the roots and they look fine.

I just switched this flowering period to green planet nutes (6 parts) from GH 2 part and things have gone great until now. The only difference I see so far is that you have to run the green planet a little stronger than the GH. but now into late flowering the plants are going deficient and drooping a little.

As you can see in the pics this one plant looks as it's almost dead and in just a day. Yesterday it wasn't like this. I flushed when I changed the res and as you all know now is the time in flowering where I need them healthy the most to pile on that last bit of weight.

This system and what not are tried and true performers and I have never had an issue like this in years and years. they are under 1000w eye bulbs and they are fed with a 1on 5 off cycle timer. The res shows no issues at all, stable ph and ppm, no cloudy water or slime etc. temps are consistent and on and on....

I included a pic of the clones that just started to flower so you can get a good look at the system and to compare the colors of the foliage.

nitrogen def???

I am baffled, Please lend me your input.

roots getting suffocated by other plants maybe? That's the only thing I can think of...try upping the oxygen content in your tank with more airstones? Also your PPM SHOULD drop as the nutrients are taken up...and you should top it off in your tank as needed between complete changes every 1-2 weeks...yes the PH will creep up, the lower you keep your tank's temperature below 70F the less it will creep up in general(but don't go below 60F), just add ph down after the nutrients have been mixed to the ppm you want to get it to 5.8.

You sure those are 6 weeks into flower? The buds seem a bit light for that far along. Anyway as to your question, what are you using for pathogen control in your reservoir? When you notice a sharp climb in ph and a resulting drop in ppm's that sounds exactly like bacteria is growing in there. If you are using chemical nutes try hydrogen peroxide 30% solution.

When you changed your reservoir and upped the nutes, it makes sense that since you removed the growing slime in your Rez the ph stabilized. More than likely your plants were trying to filter out the additional nutrients as that is a sign of overfeeding. Ideally you want water levels and ppm's to drop at the same amount. If ppm is dropping faster, feed more. If it's not dropping as fast or raising feed less.

It looks in your photos that other plants are also showing signs of overfeeding. A lot of times I call the runt of the pack my first responder. I believe that's what happened here. One plant responds to the nutrient toxicity faster than the others but believe me, the rest will be showing signs soon. I would go back to 1200-1300 and add h2o2. Help that helps!

Destillat said:

You sure those are 6 weeks into flower?

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Yes, hence the post about the problem.

Destillat said:

When you notice a sharp climb in ph and a resulting drop in ppm's that sounds exactly like bacteria is growing in there.

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That's exactly opposite of what hundreds and hundreds of books say and also info all over the place right here on this sight. Usually fungus makes the ph drop not spike. I can provide many links to info right here from verrrrrry trusted veteran sources. Ph spiking upward daily with ppm dropping is a classic sign of plants wanting more nutes amd the ph did stop fluctuating with the higher ppm's.

Destillat said:

When you changed your reservoir and upped the nutes, it makes sense that since you removed the growing slime in your Rez the ph stabilized.!

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Again, there was and is ZERO slime present. before or after. The main reason for changing the res out was that I had used some 35% H2O2 as a preventative measure just when the ph started to rise and thought it may make some elements un available to the plants. but either way the h202 had zero effect

Destillat said:

It looks in your photos that other plants are also showing signs of overfeeding.

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I have burned up a few plants over the years with nutrients trying different things and never has an over fert'd plant sagged just like a plant starving for water. They'll curl and burn up on the ends etc etc but I have never seen one droop like that from over fert.

I appreciate your suggestions, but I have been a gardener for many years and have seen and dealt with pythium, mold, rot, fungus, mites, algae and on and on and none of the signs for these things are present. As this plant is dying the res is stable a good temp no fluctuations at all now except the usual residual drop from the plants feeding. The roots all look spectacular, very bizzarre. No slime, stains, smells, textures etc etc. and like I say the plants on either side are not drooping like this one is at all and all the roots are intertwined and grown together.

I have made mistakes with things before and in a system like this one with no growing medium at all, the plants respond almost immediately. but they all respond not just one or two. I once added too much h2o2 when I first got some 35% a few years ago and the plants started to droop within minutes and with a water change bounced back up and stood tall within 20 minutes after laying over and almost touching the tubes. That's why I'm so amazed at a single plant doing something the others aren't.

Something is keeping this one plant from taking up anything. There are no signs of ring mold around the stems or the like.

Anyway keep the suggestions coming, but I think this will be my first and last use of green planet nutes. I think I'll stick with the GH, besides with the GH I can use bleach in the system without affecting the nutrient solution and don't have to worry about any fungus at all. I guess it goes back to stick with what works. Just always looking to improve as all of you know. I used to use the botanicare line and it worked well also, but can lead to fungus issues if res temps get up at all.

I'm rambling now because of confusion lol Keep the suggestions coming! Thanks.

ppm and ph too high. just my 2 pennies

Sounds like you have it all figured out then sir! Good luck

Sencha said:

ppm and ph too high. just my 2 pennies

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ph is stable at 5.8. The only reason the ppm (which I usually keep at 1200) was raised was because of the symptoms and also the suggested range on their feeding schedule is 1800 to 2000 and I've talked to folks at the compassion club that are running these nutes at 2400+ without issues, but normally I wouldn't run them that high either. It did stabilize the ph rising though.

Those are not signs of overfeeding....
They're signs of underfeeding...
O.P....Keep with the nutrients and feed some calcium and magnesium

I am noob but what about something above the tubes if it's effecting only one plant maybe the minor ph changes and other stuff that seemed like it was off had nothing to do with the single plant . Is there any chance it's not a water or nute issue at all ? hot spot /bugs , like i said you sound way more knowledgeable then me sir . perhaps you overlooked something simple? Not trying to disrespect you just what came to mind when i read this thread . I read as any as i can to learn as fast a i can so please post up if you figure out what it was in time .

moash said:

Those are not signs of overfeeding....
They're signs of underfeeding...
O.P....Keep with the nutrients and feed some calcium and magnesium

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Thanks

Destillat said:

Sounds like you have it all figured out then sir! Good luck

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LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

chasta said:

I am noob but what about something above the tubes if it's effecting only one plant maybe the minor ph changes and other stuff that seemed like it was off had nothing to do with the single plant . Is there any chance it's not a water or nute issue at all ? hot spot /bugs , like i said you sound way more knowledgeable then me sir . perhaps you overlooked something simple? Not trying to disrespect you just what came to mind when i read this thread . I read as any as i can to learn as fast a i can so please post up if you figure out what it was in time .

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No problem man, everything helps. I have looked and looked also as I had a horrible run in with mites last year. ANY and EVERY suggestion helps. We all learn by our own experiences and in a forum a chance to learn from others experiences as well so we don't have to trial and error everything. I am NO expert by any means and want to learn more everyday!

Are you using ph up ? As well as ph down

Kaz666is said:

Are you using ph up ? As well as ph down

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No, only down. ph stabilized after the ppm was raised. That plant did not make it, I cut it out this morning as to hopefully not spread whatever was wrong with that one. very odd.

I wonder if when they went nute deficient, that one locked up or something that it could not recover from. Inside of the stem was already drying out at the bottom so it wasn't taking anything up which is wild because the roots look and feel great and the stems were nice and green on the outside.

hah maybe I was right about the roots being suffocated or something? Lose its capillary action in the stem...*shrug*

yeah weird, the top 2 inches of the roots are hanging in mid air without tangling with the other roots until they get to the floor of the tube and there's a sprayer that hits the roots right there so I'm baffled. First time I've ever seen anything like it

it just decided NO WEED FOR YOU

LOL a whole lot less anyhoo.