# Brown spots on new plants **URL:** \ **Category:** Troubleshooting\ **Tags:** indoor-grow\ **Created:** [December 31, 2021, 5:16pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446 "2021-12-31T17:16:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LonghairGrower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@LonghairGrower](https://ilgmforum.com/u/LonghairGrower)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 5:16pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/1 "2021-12-31T17:16:20Z")
Hi everyone, I a newer grower and I’m in my 3 year of growing. My first 2 years I grew outside. My plants tried to be healthy but mostly they were. I was battling ants trying to use my girls as aphid farms. The stress cause from those little bugs convinced me I will never grow outside again. So this year I got myself: 1 Vivosun 4x4 tent 3 MAXSISUN PB1500 Grow Light, 150W LED Grow Lights I put 2 of the lights in the tent and one on a rack for my baby girls. ![100_0814](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/original/4X/6/1/1/61105a35d3603b214d49843690f1186207c455c2.jpeg) This set I grew 2 gold leaf - 2 zkittlez - and 1 superskunk. In the beginning when I transferred them to the 3 gallon fabric pots. The 2 goldleafs started yellowing. Suspecting nute burn I re-potted 1 GL and Flushed the other. (I wanted to see which helped the babies the most) Both plants seemed to recover although they sill seems stunted and less green then they should. Now, ALL my babies are getting spots and leaves are yellowing. ![100_0817](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/original/4X/a/c/a/acae7291a86d24028d12587cc64dd28df8725c62.jpeg) the previous 2 years i never had this issue (always just stupid bugs) ![100_0745](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/original/4X/5/2/4/524912e859bb6e7f42a000313475e9bef11e51cd.jpeg) this is what my girls looked like on my outside grows. I never bubbled my water before but as of 3 days ago I have started aerating my water. (worried possibly chlorine is causing a uptake issue) Im also suddenly having a uptake issue with a flowering girl in my tent. but thats a different topic. back to my babies… this is happening. ![100_0815](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/original/4X/5/1/9/519eaa0369c1ed8e8ea16f0ed3be59b9c48c1e81.jpeg) ![100_0816](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/original/4X/9/f/f/9ffc4aec8d83a9e3a0525fb8ade8b502f26a6ace.jpeg) I’m really stressing on this. I haven’t changed any method from my previous grows to now. My baby girls have a issue. Im not sure how to fix it. I got a viviosun ph meter and it says im at a 7.5 on ph. Help me Obie One’s you my only hope. ---
**Author:** ![JaneQP](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/janeqp/32/555131_2.png) [@JaneQP](https://ilgmforum.com/u/JaneQP)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 6:49pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/2 "2021-12-31T18:49:48Z")
Is the 7.5 pH of your feed water? ---
**Author:** ![Colt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Colt](https://ilgmforum.com/u/Colt)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 7:08pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/3 "2021-12-31T19:08:24Z")
Hi welcome to the forum. what type of medium and nutes are you using ? ---
**Author:** ![LonghairGrower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@LonghairGrower](https://ilgmforum.com/u/LonghairGrower)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 7:15pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/4 "2021-12-31T19:15:42Z")
When the spotting started I was using straight tap water which was coming out of the spigot at 6.78 (been using the tap for couple of years) - My 5 gal bubble bucket which is only 3 days in use is… OMG 8.2 - (I checked when you asked) So I just now got out my mortar and pestle ground up eggshells to powder and added some to the feed water… Don’t know why the water in the bucket jumped so high. (Good call on that) - My assumption was the water before I added the bucket and bubbler was 6ish and that would have been consistent after. Hope the calcium brings the PH down in the bucket. Why would have the aerated water spiked up to 8? like that? THANK YOU!!! for prompting me to check that. Though my problem does precede the water bucket change… I’m glad I checked that at your prompting as I’m sure that water at 8 would have killed them. ---
**Author:** ![JaneQP](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/janeqp/32/555131_2.png) [@JaneQP](https://ilgmforum.com/u/JaneQP)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 7:19pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/5 "2021-12-31T19:19:57Z")
I fed my plants some silica once and forgot to pH it down. Bad case of nutrient lockout followed! I have always used a tiny pinch of citric acid to lower pH. Cheap and in the grocery ailse. ---
**Author:** ![LonghairGrower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@LonghairGrower](https://ilgmforum.com/u/LonghairGrower)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 7:30pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/6 "2021-12-31T19:30:11Z")
Thank you for the welcome 🙂 My medium: my previous grows I have been using these 2 soils. ![mirigreen](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/original/4X/8/9/5/89591b575ba8e708eaeffa865798d1c9740562cb.png) ![raisedbed](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/original/4X/c/c/f/ccf9e9cadc4757a077b22591738bd071001008c0.png) My nutes: I use Miracle grow - tomato plant food for veg I use Miracle grow - bloom for flowering. Typically I don’t feed my new plants for 30ish days because the soil has nutes in it and I learned the hard way how fast you can burn a plant out. ☹ I also add as a supplement to my flowering girls the juice from soaked banana peals. I eat a lot of bananas. ---
**Author:** ![LonghairGrower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@LonghairGrower](https://ilgmforum.com/u/LonghairGrower)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 7:31pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/7 "2021-12-31T19:31:20Z")
So do you think ground eggshells would work or should I try something else? I starting to guess you guys think this is ph then? ---
**Author:** ![JaneQP](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/janeqp/32/555131_2.png) [@JaneQP](https://ilgmforum.com/u/JaneQP)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 8:27pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/8 "2021-12-31T20:27:01Z")
Eggshells will typically raise an acid pH up to pH ~6.8. They won’t have any effect to lower pH. Other household items to lower pH are lemon juice, vinegar and I think coffee. ---
**Author:** ![LonghairGrower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@LonghairGrower](https://ilgmforum.com/u/LonghairGrower)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 8:40pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/9 "2021-12-31T20:40:00Z")
I drink coffee every day… Grounds I’m assuming used - is that something I can add to the feed water or is that something need to mix into the soil? I have lemon juice just add that directly to the feed water? What would you recommend as the method of using them? A secondary question will caffeine harm them? ---
**Author:** ![WormyUnicorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/db5fbb/32.png) [@WormyUnicorn](https://ilgmforum.com/u/WormyUnicorn)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 8:41pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/10 "2021-12-31T20:41:25Z")
That first picture looks almost exactly like what I started having problems with this week and it was also pH. This is what I used to adjust: ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/original/4X/4/0/0/4002a67e7766492fb6e42f193b65b873adec5cb6.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![LonghairGrower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@LonghairGrower](https://ilgmforum.com/u/LonghairGrower)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 9:37pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/11 "2021-12-31T21:37:20Z")
So this is a product I would use and add to the feed water? I am growing in soil. ---
**Author:** ![Mefis](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/mefis/32/637980_2.png) [@Mefis](https://ilgmforum.com/u/Mefis)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 9:48pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/12 "2021-12-31T21:48:18Z")
PH to high for soil I should be BTW 5.8 to 6.5 Went you go to feed you plant with nute you should pH you water at the end Happy growing and happy new year ---
**Author:** ![WormyUnicorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/db5fbb/32.png) [@WormyUnicorn](https://ilgmforum.com/u/WormyUnicorn)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 10:23pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/13 "2021-12-31T22:23:54Z")
General Hydroponics is the brand name. The product is just a water pH adjuster. ---
**Author:** ![Colt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Colt](https://ilgmforum.com/u/Colt)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2022, 2:46pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/14 "2022-01-01T14:46:53Z")
I don’t think the PH is your problem seeing you are growing in soil i think your soil has given all it can give your plants look hungry you need to hand feed or refresh your soil. ---
**Author:** ![BoilerGuy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/boilerguy/32/384314_2.png) [@BoilerGuy](https://ilgmforum.com/u/BoilerGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2022, 12:22pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/15 "2022-01-02T12:22:50Z")
Plants look great! However, I think you could stand to lower the pH of the feedwater down closer to a 6.5. AND give them a good feeding. Not sure if you’re able to check run off ppm. That would give you some solid information on what your next step should be. We look forward to any updates ---
**Author:** ![Mark0427](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/mark0427/32/598165_2.png) [@Mark0427](https://ilgmforum.com/u/Mark0427)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2022, 12:33pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/16 "2022-01-02T12:33:57Z")
How exactly are u feeding I see not phing right as of now. But do u add anything to the tap water prior to watering as in any nutes or supplements?? sounds like u need to get u a pH kit and a good pH meter. Also to help u out get a bottle of unsulphered molasses just add a tsp of molasses to ur waters before feeds not every water every third or so. The molasses will feed the natural organisms in the soil to break down the nutrients to be uptake by the plant. pH is def a must also after u add anything to water always set the pH to 6.5 for soil if u store any nutes for a later use 24 hrs is max really to store them so mix accordingly and if u do store before use make sure to double check the pH as it does usually rise welcome and happy growing ---
**Author:** ![OGIncognito](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/ogincognito/32/475294_2.png) [@OGIncognito](https://ilgmforum.com/u/OGIncognito)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2022, 12:51pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/17 "2022-01-02T12:51:30Z")
Welcome to the community, you’re in a great place! Unfortunately the MG medium is most likely the culprit. Personally I see a nitrogen deficiency which is kind of rare this early with MG and time released nutrients. The spots on the leaves are a calcium deficiency. The most difficult thing with time released nutrients is the ability to control the amount being released. Most that I’ve seen use MG flush the medium several times before planting. Calcium is usually accompanied by magnesium. I would feed 5mil of calmag and start adding some epson salt to your routine feedings 🤟 agree with @Mark0427 on the other needs ---
**Author:** ![OGIncognito](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/ogincognito/32/475294_2.png) [@OGIncognito](https://ilgmforum.com/u/OGIncognito)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2022, 12:53pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/18 "2022-01-02T12:53:42Z")
Mix your nutrients then PH the mixture to 6.2-6.8 🤟 ---
**Author:** ![Storm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/storm/32/1066086_2.png) [@Storm](https://ilgmforum.com/u/Storm)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2022, 12:58pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/19 "2022-01-02T12:58:33Z")
I think @JaneQP and myself suffer same ph issues. Gets high up here. We both along with sensei @MeEasy are trying earth dust. Ph in range is huge and self regulates. This will be my first full run with it but if works…😝😝😝 I am lazy. ---
**Author:** ![JaneQP](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/janeqp/32/555131_2.png) [@JaneQP](https://ilgmforum.com/u/JaneQP)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2022, 12:54am UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446/20 "2022-01-03T00:54:35Z")
I have put coffee grounds in my soil mix. And ground eggshells. I used miracle grow my first run and they all made it to harvest. Here is a chart of pH in soil and nutrient availability. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/original/4X/9/b/d/9bddd398a8cc3cbee264a40e8f25f43368b44fd4.png) For your watering solution try to hit 6.5. Sorry things here a bit hectic and I don’t have the water pH chart handy. @MeEasy @Graysin @Mark0427 @Storm do you guys have that chart to upload? [Next page](https://ilgmforum.com/t/brown-spots-on-new-plants/80446.md?page=2)