Need a little advice here, guys! My grow is on about day 45 in veg. A couple of weeks ago I started getting brown areas on the leaves and now this! ( See pics). The stems are turning purple too. Gave some FF Grow Big… didn’t really help. Gave some Cal-Mag…ditto. Researched on web, the lighter green color and the ridged look to the leaves (and purple stems) seemed to indicate a magnesium deficiency, so I mixed some epsom salts with water and applied to soil (Happy Frog). That was yesterday…so far no improvement. I don’t have a pH meter or TDS meter yet so can’t check that. Ordered both from Amazon, should be here a few days. Am I on the right track? Any and all suggestions and advice gratefully solicited and accepted. Thanks, guys!
You desperately need to get a meter/meters. Looks to be a few different things going on. Those numbers will really help with what is going on. Apera or BlueLab, both have great devices.
Here’s a support ticket. This will help experienced growers help a lot as well…
COPY/PASTE the below list into your forum post.
Answer these simple questions the best you can. If you aew not sure, just bring it to oue attention. We will figure it out.
Indoor or outdoor? - size of grow?
Strain/Origin?
Regular, feminized, or autoflower?
Water type? RO? Tap? Well?
PH, EC/TDS of source water?
PH and TDS/EC of if mixed solution?
Grow method? Soil, Soil-less, Coco, Hydro, Aquaponics. Please explain.
Nutrients or fertilizer system used.
What type of lighting are you using? LED, HID (MH, CMH, HPS), or Fluorescents? Please elaborate.
What are the temps in your growspce? Day / Night?
What is the RH = relative humidity in your growspace? Day / Night?
AC, Humidifier, De-humidifier?
Do you have a Ventilation system? Size? 4", 6"?
Co2 - Yes / No?
If you grow hydro, then please explain your hydro method. DWC, R-DWC, Ebb and Flow, Or; Other? Other?
Reservoir solution temp?
1 Like
You have done a great job trying to troubleshoot! pH could be a culprit. When you get your meters in please let us know the results of your feed solution and plant runoff. Best wishes to you!
2 Likes
Fill out the form @Borderryan22 posted. This will give us the info needed to assist.
As far as the meters go, I second what Borderryan said as well, get Apera or Bluelabs meters. Those cheap meters are exactly that, cheap.
If you aren’t pHing your water when you give nutes, you are more than likely facing a nutrient lockout.
Recommended you get a pH and EC meter. Your best bang for the buck is either the Apera pH20, and EC20, or the PC60 Multifunction meter, which will do both, plus extra features. I use the PC60 after using the PH20 and EC20 separately and I will never go back. I love the PC60.
APERA INSTRUMENTS AI209 Value Series PH20 Waterproof pH Tester Kit, ±0.1 pH Accuracy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ENFOHN8/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_5BWYAPME5TS6BG7CE46Q?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Apera Instruments Value Series EC20 Conductivity (EC) Pocket Tester Kit, ±1% F.S Accuracy in 0 to 20 mS/cm, BPB Sensor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ENFOIPK/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_RPARGPT3KM84YCW8XSRM
APERA INSTRUMENTS AI316 Premium Series PC60 5-in-1 Waterproof pH/EC (Conductivity) /TDS (ppm) /Salinity (ppt) /Temp. Multi-Parameter Pocket Tester Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ENFOIKA/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_CRC7KJTD52JRHKENJWX5 1
pH is important because if the pH is out of range, the plant cannot absorb nutrients.
You want a pH of 6.5 for soil and 5.8 for hydro/Coco. As you see below, being out of spec on pH leads to nutrient uptake issues.
EC is Electrical Conductivity. You may have heard of “TDS” or “PPM”, EC is basically the same thing, but presented differently.
TDS (measured in PPM) is Total Dissolved Solids, PPM is Parts Per Million. PPM is calculated from EC, and there are different conversion factors with going from EC to PPM. Some meters use the 500 factor scale, and some use other factors. In other words, two different TDS meters can give you wildly different PPM values. But EC will always be the same no matter what you use, provided the meter is calibrated correctly. So go with an EC meter for a more definitive value.
6 Likes
Thanks, guys, for all the good info. My pH meter (Apera PH20) should be here in a couple of days. Since I am growing in soil, (Happy Frog), I assume to check pH, I have to do a slurry. Does anyone have any experience using this particular meter doing a slurry test? Should I filter the slurry with a coffee filter? Any pointers appreciated. Also the TDS testing ( with a different meter), any info on the best method to use. Thanks.
2 Likes
Honestly you’re going to want to flush that plant anyways. Give it like 3 or 4 times the amount of water you normally give at 6.5pH. Probably need to use nutes as well… I would wait for someone more knowledgeable with this kind of thing…
I am using FFHF. I have been testing my runoff for Ph and PPM. For some reason my Ph was low 5.2 each time I watered. I had lime added, bacteria, perlite, and thought it was a decent mix. But I was putting in 6.5 Ph water and kept getting out 5.2. FFHF is buffered at 6.2, I’m told. So there was an issue. See photo above. 2nd time this has happened to me in FFHF. I tried everything. Ph was always low.
Well I flushed and things got better. For a short time. But my Ph was still low at 5.2. So I flushed them by dropping the whole pot in Ph water and let it sit there for a period of time. It’s another style of flushing someone offered to me here, so I tried it.
Well that worked for the Ph. My Ph runoff since has been a steady 6.2 to 6.5.
The leaves are still turning yellow with brown spots, but it’s also making new sugar leaves and blooming.
I’ve used FFHF for 3 grows. The first there was not problem. The second I had Ph issues and yellow and brown leaves, but I took it to fruition and got 8 oz that was decent.
After talking to a few farmers I narrowed it down to one thing that I did for the second grows that I didnt do the first.
I think I packed the pots too tightly with FFHF. The plants need space for their roots, I packed it so tight it caused some issues, we think. I’m not going to pack the soil so much next time.
Anyhow I’m taking these to fruition too.
And what’s strange is that I have 3 photos in FFHF and there are no issues, they look great.
Just my .02
I go take a pick of them and share. @Smokin
2 Likes
Here’s the girls. 5.5 weeks in flower. 65 days out of soil, since the serrated leaves appeared.
For a period of time after I flushed the 2nd time they were green. Suddenly they started turning again and here we are. They looked like this last grow and I was able to get some nice meds. So, I’m riding it out again.
The only thing I didn’t add was epsom salts. LOL.
1 Like
Photos. “Lift Operator” is the strain. I’m not sure if they are feminized photos or not, it doesn’t say on the package. Doesn’t tell one what kind of seeds they are in fact.
So I’m just looking and waiting. I want to get these 12/12 in the big tent, but I don’t know their sex yet.
Sharing
This is why you have issues I think. Nutrients in FFHF is only good for 4 weeks. Gotta feed! How much were you watering? Have you been watering till runoff?? And you said you checked your PPM? What was your last reading?
I didn’t have a reason to use epsom salts?
I used only water and Cal Mag for the first few waterings.
I was using water from my fish tanks as well once I started nutes.
That’s what I thought was the issue on on the last grow, I didn’t feed, so this time I did more aggressively.
Yup watering till runoff
Today I watered them.
Going in; Ph 6.8 PPM 1046 Out Ph 6.4 PPM 1026
@Dankloud
I’m missing something, what all are you feeding currently?
I’m only talking about my 2 autos. ILGM Sour Diesel. I’m feeding General Hydroponics 3 part. Aquarium water at times. Molasses.
They are in the 6 week of flower.
@Dankloud
Hi, guys, (Original Poster here - I started this topic). Still having some problems. Got my Apera PH20 in and checked my well water pH… it came out 7.4. Am trying to flush the plants with the 7.4 well water adjusted down to 6.5 with 6 ml/gal vinegar. Is this the right way to go? I am using FFHF. I have the FF Trio and Cal-Mag, which I have used very sparingly.(Didn’t start to add nutes until after about 4 weeks, then about 1/4 strength (once), then a couple of weeks later added FF Grow Big at the recommended dosage). Couldn’t see that the nutes were helping any, so I tried a little epsom salts. (Will try to post some current pics). For the initial first month, the plants looked pretty healthy. My runoff is now 4.6 pH and ppm was 1736. I read that when using soil, runoff and ppm were not as significant due to the organic matter in the runoff??? Any ideas on what I should do to turn this around or is it too late? Should I repot using new FFHF? Please advise. Thanks!
I think FoxFarm Trio needs a feed/water/feed/water cycle, but I’m not sure, read the bottle or the nutrient sheet online and follow it. You gotta get your pH right. Flush with like 4x the amount of water you normally give at 6.5 pH. Also, make sure you pour till runoff, then wait 5-15 minutes or so for the soil to moisten up so it can absorb new water. If soil becomes too dry it becomes hydrophobic which causes it to not take in water, which means that part of the soil isn’t getting flushed. Keep Flushing till you at least have close to 6.0 pH runoff.
If the pH is off, the plant cannot uptake nutrients.
Also keep in mind, old leaves won’t fix themselves.
3 Likes
I got some epsom salts. I think I can use it for good, lol. Did some reading
Best I understand it - if you are in living soil with a strong microbial system pH is not such an issue.
First do a soil slurry test (google has instructions). What I read (never had to use) lime, wood ashes, and baking soda can increase soil pH but please research thoroughly for application recommendations if you soil slurry results are low.
Sorry. I have always had abt. PH 7 soil and runoff just a bit less 7 pH so I have not encountered this issue, yet…,.,
But your pH seems quite low. Let me look through my notes and see what are some fixes for low pH.
1 Like
Honestly the three times I’ve used FF nutrients they all did this… you cannot trust what they say and all FF cares about is selling more nutrients. They seem fine through veg and then a month into flower they shit the bed.
Drop the Ff get something else.
3 Likes
Back again seeking more advice. As stated in one of my posts above,I got my Apera pH20 in and now have some numbers to relate. My tap water pH is 7.5. I decided to flush my 4 plants. Inital runoff pH ranged from 4.6 to 5.5. Did a flush with tap water and brought runoff on all plants up to around 6.3. Then I added nutrients ( 6 tsp FF Big Bloom and 2 tsp FF Grow Big, as per chart, to a gallon of water…pH’d it to 6.6 and gave each plant 1 gallon each) ( planters are 4 gal containers). So far everything looks OK (I think they look better, but it has only been 2 days.)
I have been trying to isolate the source of my problems through a process of elimmination and the only thing left was the growing medium. During this whole process, I had been giving only minimum nutrients but my runoff pH had been low ( considering the fact that I am using FF Happy Frog and it is supposed to be pH balanced at 6.3 to 6.8). I did a slurry test using 1 part soil to 2 parts distilled water and the pH came out at 5.6! I decided to call Fox Farms directly to ask why the slurry test (soil used was straight out of the bag) was so low. I was told by them that a slurry test or runoff test of 5.3 was within their parameters? I asked what kind of test they used to check with but really did not get an answer and got the impression that they did not want to admit responsibility. Should I add lime to the FFHF to bring up the pH on future grows.
I have a few bags of FFHF left and I am considering not using it after what I have is gone. My reasoning for using FFHF in the first place was it was supposed to be optimized for cannabis ( taking the guesswork out). I also have the FF Trio and I am leery of them also. Any advice ?
2 Likes
Jacks and coco 
. Sounds like your soil is maybe depleting of the nutrients. I did an outdoor grow with ffhf and it did similar.