Sick plants, possible over watering?

[eatingmushrooms]

E-indoor or outdoor: Indoor
E-soil, soilless, coco, aero, or hydroponic: Soil
E-specific medium:
CSL-Soil type/brand: Potting soil, Hewitts
SCL-Anything you have added to the soil: Nothing
SCLR-Soil or slab runoff pH: Not sure yet
E-Water source: Bottled water
E-Source water pH:
E-Age of plant: 2 weeks into 12/12
E-Type of fertilizer: Fox farm grow big and big bloom
E-Rate of application (if hydro, this is your PPM number, preferably after each component is added): about once a week at 1/4 strength grow big, half strength big bloom
E-Lighting source and distance from plant: CLFs, 6 inches or less
E-Air temperature (both day and night if you are running a dark period): not sure yet but not over 85 degrees
E-Air % Relative humidity
E-Lighting schedule: 12/12
E-Type of ventilation your room has: very little ventilation aside from a circulatory fan


Ok here's the deal, I have 2 girls right now both in flowering for a few days shy of 2 weeks and they're not doing to well again. Right now they are pretty droopy and have been for the last few weeks so I came to the conclusion it was from over watering. So, about 13 days ago I gave them one last watering of about 1 liter of water per plant and let them dry out for 6 days. I go back to check on them and what do you know, they look great, perked right up, barely any new yellowing and barely any droopiness. I thought I cured the problem all was going great. So that day I watered them again with about 1 liter both plants again with a mild nute solution of big bloom and grow big. Fast-forward 6 days and I go to check/water them today and oh my, was I in for a surprise. They look bad, they're droopy, they are yellowing again and I just can't figure out why. It also looks like they're shrinking; they were bigger 3 weeks ago then they are now.

[Rusty Trichome]

What kind of bottled water, and why? Are you adding a calcium suppliment?
Might just need a flush (with properly ph'd water) and some calcium. Ph is a very important number to know. Would find a way to figure yours out, with either a ph pen, or those freshwater aquarium ph test kits. (won't help with run-off ph, but is still good to know tap ph.

Would adjust your nutrients a tad. I've used the FF 3-part for years, so can offer a little advise...do you have the FF feeding schedule from their website?

If you look at their schedule, it tells you how much to use per week. I cut the dilutions in half, and feed twice weekly. (adds-up to the same weekly totals) Please note, that I cut the Big Bloom quantity in half. (one quarter strength, twice per week) Ya just don't need as much as FF says, lol.


Might be easier to show an example of what I do for flowering:

Transplant and switch to 12/12.

Weeks 1 thru 4:
Monday - add 1 quart plain ph'd water to the plant. (if larger than a 3 gallon pot, ok to add 2 quarts) While waiting for it to soak-in, mix 1/2 dilution of the Tiger Bloom, and 1/4 the dilution of Big Bloom. Add to plants till slight run-off. Try and remember how much it took to run-off. Comes in handy, as you can gauge how much you'll need to mix, in the future.
Thursday - 1 quart plain ph'd water to the plant. While waiting for it to soak-in, mix 1/2 dilution of the Tiger Bloom, and 1/4 the dilution of Big Bloom. Add to plants till slight run-off. (no need for additional micronutes, as the Fox Farm nutes already have 'em)

Week 5 to finish:
Monday - add 1 quart plain ph'd water, Mix 1/2 dilution of the Tiger Bloom, and 1/4 the dilution of Big Bloom. 1/4 the indicated mix of Cha-Ching. (1/8th tsp per week, is what I give...I think. If otherwise, I'll come back and correct) Small dollop of molasses, a dash of Botanicare Sweet. Add to plants till slight run-off.
Thursday - 1 quart plain water, Mix 1/2 dilution of the Tiger Bloom, and 1/4 the dilution of Big Bloom. Add to plants till slight run-off.

Monthly, on a feeding day:
Flush with at least one to two times the pot's volume with ph'd water, to help release the salts Fox Farms is famous for. Add nutrient solution as usual, in the last 1/2 gallon or so.

3 or 4 days before harvest...flush well, no more nutes till harvest.

For veg...I follow the same basic break-down for feedings, and monthly flushes to release the salt build-up.
One quarter strength feedings for rooted clones and established seedlings.

[eatingmushrooms]

I'm using those purified 5 gallon drinking water things that you can hook up to a water cooler. I'm using bottled water because the tap water at my house has flouride and chlorine added into it so I was afraid to use it becuase I thought the flouride and chlorine would build up and cause problems. I have pool test strips but they arn't exact so I can't give you an exact estimate just yet but I plan on going to the store either today or tomarrow and pick up a more accurate test kit. When I did test the runoff last it came out between 5.5 and 7.0 so if it is off its not [I]to[I] off.

I also watered them today with 1/4 strength grow big and 1/4 strength big bloom. I hope it wasn't a bad idea to give them the grow big during 12/12 but at the moment I do not have tiger bloom but I plan on picking some up either today or tomarrow when I go out and buy the ph test kit.

So all in all aside from the possible ph problem do you think all I need to do is add a better mix of nutes and you think they'll recover?

[Rusty Trichome]

Depends on your tap water ph. When using chlorinated tapwater, just sitting it out for a day or so allows the chlorine in it to evaporate. (if you can't smell it, it's fine) I used to fill-up a 5 gallon bucket with the lid off, and let it set for a day, was fine this way for a couple of years. I'd much rather use the tap, if at all possible. Consistent, cheap, no trips to the store lugging water around...

You can't accurately test runoff ph with dipping strips or aquarium tests. They're color-coded, and the slight discoloration of the runoff skews results. Keeping ingoing water at between 6.6 and 7.1 or so. With the addition of nutes, should be fine. A ph meter and calibration solution are wise investments, eventually.

Read the schedule closely, as it looks like you've missed the mark already, lol. Grow Big is a veg nute, not for flowering.

Would vent as much as possible, too. They need the CO2 from the fresh air.