Need advise with issue

I have a 2’x4′ Hydroponic Grow Tent (Super Closet), KIND K3 XL600 Series 2 LED Grow Light (600w Equivalent). I am using Lotus Nutrients. Everything was fine during vegetation, I flipped to flower 5 Sept. Since then I have been removing dead leaves. I may have gotten greedy and attempted to put too many plants in the space (see picture). You can see the rocks appear to have mold. Plants on left are Wedding Cake, center is Pineapple Express and on right is * Zkittlez Auto from ILGM. All plants are having the same problem with the leaves turning. Please advise. Thanks, Tim



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First off, welcome!

That’s a painfully expensive 288 watt rig.

I can only theorize a few things:
Mold/algae/bad nasties happen in hydro when water temps get too high and/or light leaks happen. What’s the temp of the water in your reservoir?

Can you take a pic of the plants without the blurple lights on? Natural light is best to be able to see what’s happening on the plant itself.

Are you measuring your PH and PPMs in the reservoir? If so, what are those numbers?

It very easily is partly (if not entirely) insufficient lighting for three plants.

Fill this out, it will help us help you:

Sorry, I should have provided the information.

First it is 5 plants not 3.

Using Tap water current Temp 71.6 Degrees

  • Strain: 2 Wedding Cake S1 Feminized, 2 Pineapple Express Feminised (SeedMan), Zkittlez Auto (ILGM). 5 Total
  • Method: Hydroponics
  • PH: 5.33
  • PPM/TDS: 0964
  • Indoor
  • Lighting System: Kind Led XL600
  • Temp: Currently 76.8
  • Humidity: 55%
  • Ventilation System: Yes, Premium Inline Fan, have two small fans
  • Co2: No

Hydro Questions:

SuperPonics 16 Hydroponic Grow System

Temperature of Reservoir: Water is 71.7 Degrees

TDS of Nutrients? Using Lotus Nutrients

Amount of Air to Solution: 4 Air stones




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That’s pretty low. Hydro is happy around 5.8.

Also a bit low. Do you have a bloom booster in the line of nutes you’re using? I’m not familiar with them.

Temp of water or your room? If your water, that’s pretty high.

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I agree with @Graysin. Get the ph up around 5.8 and water temps a little lower and you’ll be good :call_me_hand:t3::v::bear:

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The water is 71.6, Tent Temp is 76.8. Lotus has Bloom Power @0.25 tsp per gallon week 2-6 for Flower. I am also using CAL-MAG (sorry forgot to add it), I used 30ML, I just changed the water over the weekend.

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I think a few things: more light, more bloom booster, and some way to lower your water temps just a bit. 65-68° is better to help reduce the risk of harmful nasties swooping in and causing root rot - but the plants look okay in that sense as far as I can tell. Right and raising the PH a touch.

Honestly you’re doing well, I really do think what you’re seeing is slow growth and insufficient nutrient uptake - hard to tell if it’s from ph, nutrients, or what specifically.

Agreed with the pH needing fixed.

Will add that I see a lot of other parameters out as well. Mostly I can tell you don’t have enough air movement/wind. I can tell this by how dry she looks in your hydro environment. She isn’t being able to perspirate.

So your rh is way too high or there is not enough air exchange.

I didn’t realize the power of hydro before I tried it. But a properly perspirating plant will blow your mind… I flipped these less than a foot tall. They blew up because they get full chance of perspirating.


So as a human for your perspiration is sweating. But for plants is more like defecating or pissing. The water has to bring in the nutrients. And then it either has to go into new growth or has to come out some other way. Automatically assume any plant will take in more water chasing nutrition than it needs. Just like you do. That’s why you poop. If you could use every bit of nutrients without filling in gaps. You wouldn’t have to poop.

Welcome! I grow in soil but I know there are talented members here that will help!

Point being. When you have too high of rh or not enough air exchange. Your plants basically become constipated. And when one is constipated they do not eat.

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@buds I want to replace the term “perspiration” with “transpiration”.

You are spot on getting the RH right for the leaf temp is key for transpiration. Transpiration is responsible for several things:

  • Transporting minerals from the soil throughout the plant.
  • Cooling the plant through evaporation.
  • Moving sugars and plant chemicals.
  • Maintaining turgor pressure.

When a leaf’s guard cells shrink, its stomata open, and water is lost. This process is called transpiration. In turn, more water is pulled through the plant from the roots. The rate of transpiration is directly related to whether stomata are open or closed.

CO2, which is needed for photosynthesis, also enters the plant through open stomata.

If leaf temps and RH are out of tolerance, stomata stay closed a long time to stop water loss, not enough CO2 will enter for photosynthesis. As a result, photosynthesis and respiration will slow down, in turn reducing plant growth.

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I was trying to simplify things.

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@Budz
" But for plants is more like defecating or pissing"… Your plants basically become constipated. And when one is constipated they do not eat. * I for one enjoyed your explanations… :wink:

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It’s honestly the best way I’ve found to explain anything. Relate it to the audience. I don’t know anything about this audience besides that it is human. Probably… @AL_GREEN

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Probably…

Thanks for the advise, I will work on these suggestions today. Tim

I’m on my first grow and it is hydro. I have four plants in a 2’x3’ space and I’m certain on my second grow there will only be two plants in that space.

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How high is your water level in your tote?
Do you have 1.5” - 2” between the netpot and water. What color are your roots.

Several pictures look like your water level is too high unless you just got through with trimming before you took the picture.

Is that an rdwc or just a dwc?
If you are using a pump to water down through the hydroton, I would stop that and let the hydroton dry out and then cover it up.

Your hydroton should be dry on top. Light, water and or shady conditions will breed mold on the hydroton. Put a cover over the hydroton blocking light from it.

Also agree with probably not enough light.
Good luck! :+1:t2::v::sunglasses:

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