Ocean Forest Problems (pics)

Hello dudes,

For the past year I've always had a problem with Fox Farms Ocean Forest. And now it's happening again. Every single damn time. I'm having problems this time which it might be from not adding CalMag at first to RO water. The leaves are yellowing, some are purpling with the Do Si Do strain, and the Cookies have tiny yellow spots with no mites in sight. If anyone has grow in this soil and has any advice I'd appreciate it. Otherwise this is the last time I'm using it. The bud comes out chronic but my yield is shit. Here's the breakdown:

40 plants in 5 gallon containers

6 1000w HPS dimmed at 75% = 4500w

Soil: Ocean Forest straight up

Vegged under T5's for a month. Just watered PH'd RO water

Strains flowering right now week 5:

Blackberry Soda
Do Si Do
Fire OG
Nitro Cookies

PH 6.5
Runoff 6.2
Using a three-way meter the soil reads a 7.5+ for some reason


I know the soil is hot and I didn't feed any nutes until they started showing signs in Week 4.

Week 4 nutrients in 5 gallon water jugs

Earth juice N 1 tablespoon
Calmag 1 tablespoon
Sugaree carbs 2 tablespoon
Earth Juice Bloom 2 tablespoons
Liquid Humus 1 tablespoon

This is a light dose. Do you think I should increase? I didn't know RO water required CalMag every feed. Could this be the problem?

Leaves are yellowing from the outside in and dying fast. The Do Si Do leaves are yellow/purple. The Nitro Cookies have tiny yellow spots not from mites.

I'm cleaning up dead leaves every few days as they are dying quick.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Used FFOF all time ... It is hot for " some " strains , however it is already highly nuted right out of the bag ....

It will carry a plant ( on water only ) up to 5 weeks before showing some degrade.
FFOF us already PH at 6.3 right out of the bag ..... No " special " water is required.

Not sure why people use RO or distilled water in their grows ... It is stripped of some bad elements but is also stripped of calcium and magnesium- thus you are putting it back .

I use everyday TAP WATER ( no Sasquatch piss or store water ) , the same shit you water the grass , roses and bushes. A simple PH of water to be used @6.5 and the feeding mix when used is all that's needed.

Plant seemed to be locked out. Stop the RO ... PH the water you use only ...

Feed BLOOM nutes only .... Ph mix to 6.5 ....

Thank you. It is a pain in the ass to fill those waters up once/twice a week. So you fill your jugs up with hose water and let it sit overnight? Then PH it to 6.5?

That answered my question too. I used 2 gallons of ocean to 4 gallons of happy frog and i was using tap water and switched to RO because i was having leaf browning. I think the plants are getting over it now. I was using some calmag to make sure but i might go back to the hose water and just make sure i ph it right.

Were you not PHing the hose water? Did you let it sit for 12-24 hours open?

1weedz4 said:

Were you not PHing the hose water? Did you let it sit for 12-24 hours open?

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I just watered. I phd the RO water and stuff started getting weird. I thought soil was ok without PH ammendment. Coco is easier because i know 5.8 to 6.2 nutes in and nutes all the time

I will ph the water from now on or use RO with 250 TDS of calmag to ensure it goes ok

My tomatoes are rock stars my peppers are effected the same. I bet they both need similar PH (peppers and cannabis)

"I will ph the water from now on or use RO with 250 TDS of calmag to ensure it goes ok"

pH all water and nutrients to 6.5 in soil for best results
-good luck!

I will hit 6.5. Glad I have a blue lab pen and TDS meter. It helps me get it right ! and they work and are waterproof. I had a TDS meter that was not waterproof. Lasted about 2 weeks and kerplunk

That far into flower is not the soil doing it. It's the grower.

Think I should flush?

Beachwalker said:

"I will ph the water from now on or use RO with 250 TDS of calmag to ensure it goes ok"

pH all water and nutrients to 6.5 in soil for best results
-good luck!

Click to expand...

You don't have to pH water in good organic soil.

Decaying organic matter creates positive ions that buffer pH.

As soil dries the pH swings to allow proper nutrient uptake.

Over or under watering in soil is a bigger problem than ph'ing water.

Not saying it can't be an issue. Normally it's the soils pH and not the water.

1weedz4 said:

Think I should flush?

Click to expand...

Have you feed them any bottled nutes?

whitebb2727 said:

You don't have to pH water in good organic soil.

Decaying organic matter creates positive ions that buffer pH.

As soil dries the pH swings to allow proper nutrient uptake.

Over or under watering in soil is a bigger problem than ph'ing water.

Not saying it can't be an issue. Normally it's the soils pH and not the water.

Have you feed them any bottled nutes?

Click to expand...

So should i use RO water with cal mag and just let it go? the tap water where i live is at 500 TDS right now. My RO is zero. The 500 is a lot of crap and chloramine which does not air out in a bucket no matter how long you leave it out.

The soil is organic (happy frog and ocean forest and grow stones)

gwheels said:

So should i use RO water with cal mag and just let it go? the tap water where i live is at 500 TDS right now. My RO is zero. The 500 is a lot of crap and chloramine which does not air out in a bucket no matter how long you leave it out.

The soil is organic (happy frog and ocean forest and grow stones)

Click to expand...

I would add just a bit of Cal/mag to ro water. It's void of minerals and can strip them from the soil.

I looked at your pics. Nothing major. The ro water should help.

I use rain water because at times my tap water is so bad it causes plant problems.

Yours looks like a watering issue like in how often. May be the tap. You will know after using the ro water for a bit.

You don't have to PH the water even for indoor? I've fed them bottled nutes, Earth Juice organic line N, PK, and microblast, CalMag, and hummus.

1weedz4 said:

Thank you. It is a pain in the ass to fill those waters up once/twice a week. So you fill your jugs up with hose water and let it sit overnight? Then PH it to 6.5?

Click to expand...

Yep .... I don't use as much as you might , but I do leave a large container " open " the night " before I water or mix ".

Cuz think about it .... Your local nursery - garden center Hand waters / watering wand all those plants with the god damn hose. So why would it be any different .

Good luck

1weedz4 said:

You don't have to PH the water even for indoor? I've fed them bottled nutes, Earth Juice organic line N, PK, and microblast, CalMag, and hummus.

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Ph ALL ... both feed and regular watering. Grab a meter to " range " where your water falls in ph. Same thing with nute feeds , as some nutes skyrocket the ph.

Forsure. I have a meter I've been using to PH everything 6.5. RO water is 7.5 with nutes it drops to around 5.5.

As far in flower as you are .... Leaves will die off and yellow as part of the stage it's in.
However , you DO show signs of CALMAG deficit. Supplement a bit more to compensate in your bloom mix. Leaves will not change back but will help correct.

You will be fine up to end of harvest.

gwheels said:

I will hit 6.5. Glad I have a blue lab pen and TDS meter. It helps me get it right ! and they work and are waterproof. I had a TDS meter that was not waterproof. Lasted about 2 weeks and kerplunk

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Been there...done that! lol

Hey Budzbuddha: Many folks have terrible water...like 450 ppm or worse. I used to live in Iowa and our tap water had arsenic in it. Hot water heaters lasted about 2 years. RO was only option.
JD

JohnDee said:

Been there...done that! lol

Hey Budzbuddha: Many folks have terrible water...like 450 ppm or worse. I used to live in Iowa and our tap water had arsenic in it. Hot water heaters lasted about 2 years. RO was only option.
JD

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Far out there's some shit water out there.
Pretty sure in Australia maximum levels municipal is allowed to have is TDS 500mg/L. Also ph of 6.5 - 8.5.
By no means great. But if there was arsenic present. Jeeeeez there'd be hell to pay. Government would be all over it.
A friend grows dwc, straight tap water, in central Sydney.

Cant believe some of the other tap water, getting around on this site tbh. Amazing municipal gets away with it.