Need A Little Help

this is my first grow and i have i few questions. im using a microgarden ebb & flow machine 12''x30'' with a 10 gallon reservoir. 400 watt hps light in a 4x6x8 colset. i used bag seeds and out of the 7 10'' plants i have 2 females,(males have been removed and distroyed). females are in 5''x5'' square pots with clay rocks and rockwool cubes. im in the third week of flowering and using fox farm ferts, i have followed the same fox farm feeding schedule that i picked up at the hydro store from the start of grow. from the top down the frist 3 sets of fan leaves are starting to burn, has anyone else had this problem when using the fox farm ferts as directed? the light is about 10'' off the plants tops. i also used B cuzz growth during veg. at 3/4 tsp per gallon of water and now using B cuzz bloom at 3/4 tsp per gallon of water. does anyone use the fox farm ferts different than the feeding schedule says too? any help would be great as i want to learn on the bag seeds before i grow the female blueberry seeds that i purchased at bc bud depot. thanks h2ofarmer

What is the ppm? Do you have a ppm meter? If not, either order one on line, or at you local hydro store. Are you using tap water, or RO? Sounds like you're burning the plants with a fertilizer mix that's too strong to me. Also, raise the lights up to 18" or there abouts.

If you aren't using RO water, you can order a six-stage unit at a reasonable cost on Ebay and install it under your sink yourself. Not that hard to do. Hey, if I can do it, and I'm one with the reputation of having all thumbs, you can do it too. Check this out:
eBay: AQUA-SAFE MAXIMUS MAX REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER FILTER (item 150066609495 end time Dec-09-06 19:15:00 PST)

Vi

i dont have a ppm meter but i will pick one up asap! im using distilled water, not sure if its the right kind to use? i raised the light and im gonna watch the plants and see how they do. should i lower the amount of ferts per gallon of water or have you not used the fox farm line before? thanks for the info Vi and any other help would be great as this is my first grow thanks h20 farmer

Nope, I have never used FoxFarm. Its always a good idea to cut way back on the fertilizer with new plants. Gradually increase the strength over a week or two as the plants grow. For little clones that have just been transplanted into the veg cabinet, I use only 1/4 strength to start because they are so easy to burn up.

The distilled water is fine ... its pretty much the same as RO water ... only a lot more expensive in the long run.

The ppm meter is really essential. Without it, you will never know what your nute strength actually is. Also, as the grow progresses, the ppms will increase, so the ppm meter will give you an idea of when to add back more distilled water.

Another thing to get is a PH meter, or a PH test kit. This is essential too. For hydro, you want to stay between 5.2 and 6.0 on the PH. Buy a small bottle of PH "down," and a small bottle of PH "up" while you're at the hydro store. Don't "chase" the PH though. Your solution will naturally swing between certain points with the PH. That's not a bad thing as the plants take up different nutrients as the PH swings. Use the "up" or "down" just in case the PH stays out of the proper range of 5.2 to 6.0. Hope this helps you ...

Vi

Hey man like ViRedd said u need to pick up a ppm meter and also a pH meter if u plan to continue doing hydro...specially the pH meter cause u dont want the pH to go over 5.8...what i usually do is a start of with half (sometimes less) of the dosage recommended in the nutrient label and slowly increase it, this way it will be easier to control nutrient uptake...another thing that i use in all my hydro setups is an air pump, keeping plenty of oxygen in the water available to the roots its crucial, so if u can get one...if u can, post some pics along so we can have a better idea of the plants overall look...peace

thanks for the help Omega and Vi i do have a ph meter and i keep the ph at 6.0, i also have a bubble disk in the reservoir to keep everything mixed up and supply oxygen.so i should cut the nutes in half and only use half of what the chart calls for? i will try and post some pics tonight so you can have a better idea of what im talking about.

You can go full strength as the plants mature a bit. For newly transplanted cuttings or seedlings, only go with 1/4 strength to begin with. Here's another thing I forgot to mention: Its a good thing you are using distilled water. If you were using tap water, you would have burned your plants to Kingdom come by now. One thing that isn't considered by a lot of folks starting out with hydro, is that tap water has lots of minerals and chemicals in it. Put those minerals and chemicals on top of full strength nutrients and there go the plants.

Also, get some PH "down" and keep your PH between 5.2 and 6.0. The reason for this is that the plants take up different nutrients at different PH levels. Ideally, keep it around 5.5 to 5.8. Marijuana is an acid loving plant and the lower the PH, the more acid balance the solution has. But ... too much acid and the plant won't take up nutrients. Therefore, 5.5 to 6.0.

Vi

this is what the look like

Yeppers, the plants are damaged all right. Nothing they won't grow out of though, as long as you take all the suggestions we've given you here. Mostly, it looks like light burn to me. Also, the leaves look curled like you're using to strong of a nute mix. The ppm meter will show you what to do there. With the light 18" above the plants now, light burn should not be an issue any longer either. You're on your way ...

Vi

when the light was raised the leaves did this does it look ok to you?

Nope, that isn't normal. The leaves turning up like that is an indication of the nute mix being too strong. They will correct themselves once you make all the adjustments. Nothing happens quickly in growing unless you've REALLY screwed up. So, patients is the key.

Vi

Good on ya h20. Its a real pleasure to help someone who trys the suggetions out. What's really frustrating on these cannabis boards is, when you post a long answer to a difficult question and the one asking the question never responds or even says thanks.

I hope you grow giant buds that knock your socks off.

Vi