New here but please help

I have 36 plants in 3 gallon pots under 1000w hps bulbs. They did great through vegetative growth and looked really healthy up until about two weeks into flower, although I did not get the additional growth spurt I usually get in that first two weeks of 12/12.
Starting week 3 yellow leaves started showing up, has continued to get worse, yellow,curling, brown and grey leaf edges. Also,the overall color of the plants has turned to a bright neon like green. I was feeding 20-20-20 for the first week into 12-12 then switched to my regular flower food, (optimum hydroponix flower). I have tried swithcing some to straight water, someback to20-20-20, and some i have kept on the flower food, yet almostuniversally they seem to be dieing off. I have no signifigant presence of mites, temps are running at about 85 day and 75 nite. Anyone with suggestions oranswers please help. I appologize for thepic quality but hopefully u can still get a good idea of what they look like.

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Originally Posted by tinman37

I have 36 plants in 3 gallon pots under 1000w hps bulbs. They did great through vegetative growth and lookedreally healthy upuntil about two weeks into flower, although I did not get the additional growth spurt I usually get in that first two weeks of 12/12. Starting week 3 yellow leaves started showing up, has continued to get worse and now fear i will get very little yield from these if they even live to full term. I was feeding 20-20-20 for the first week into 12é12 then switched to my regular flower food, (optimum hydroponix flower). I have tried swithcing some to straight water, someback to20-20-20, and some i have kept on the flower food, yet almostuniversally they seem to be dieing off. I have no signifigant presence of mites, temps are running at about 85 day and 75 nite. Anyone with suggestions oranswers please help. I appologize for thepic quality but hopefully u can still get a good idea of whatthey look like.

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How long have they been in the 3 gallon pots? You are showing signs of nutrient lock out either from feeding too strongly, PH imbalance, rootbound conditions or salt build up.

All 4 of the things I listed can be linked together.

Again, how long have they been in the 3 gallon pots? Because of your wording I'm going to guess they've been in the pots for some time. I would do the following:

Flush with ph 6.5 water until your run off is clear. You will probably need about 9 gallons minimum and up to 20 gallons to get all the salt and nutes out.

Check for rootbound conditions and transplant into 5 gallon pots if needed.

Cut back on your nutes, you're running way too hot.

Make sure the PH of the solution you mix up to water with is between 6.3-6.8 PH.

Thanks for responding. They have been in the three gallon pots about 8-10 weeks. 4 weeks of 12-12 and 4-6 weeks before flipping (planted as clones).

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Originally Posted by tinman37

Thanks for responding. They have been in the three gallon pots about 8-10 weeks. 4 weeks of 12-12 and 4-6 weeks before flipping (planted as clones).

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You're way rootbound. Do what I instructed above. You want to try transplanting once every 4-6 weeks. Starting with 1 gallon pots and moving your way up.

If you're starting from rooted clones then you could just throw them into flowering as soon as they're done rooting. Put them in a 1-2 gallon pot and let them grow for the duration of their flowering period so long as you make sure to flush the pot every few weeks (3-4 weeks).

I have no5 gallon pots, can i cut the potbottoms and stack them? will that have the same positive effect?

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Originally Posted by tinman37

I have no5 gallon pots, can i cut the potbottoms and stack them? will that have the same positive effect?

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You can do that.. this is called double potting, it works well if you have the height space for it. Be sure to flush your current pot very well before you cut the bottom out of it.

Also when ever I transplant/repot. I like to sprinkle a bit of rooting hormone powder onto the new medium. Don't go over board. I find that a little bit really helps witht he transition along with a drop of super thrive per gallon of water.

When you're done flushing/repotting be sure to feed with a light dose of nutes.. usually I say 1/4 strength, but for you I would say go at 1/8 strength.

Work your way back up no higher than 1/2 strength. until you see signs of improvement on new growth.

Thank you thank you thank you. Couple last questions, being that they are already 4 weeks into 12-12, will they still have much of a chance? assuming this solution works (meaning i do it right lol)

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Originally Posted by tinman37

Thank you thank you thank you. Couple last questions, being that they are already 4 weeks into 12-12, will they still have much of a chance? assuming this solution works (meaning i do it right lol)

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You'll have to probably extend your flowering time; and there's a strong chance that your buds will hermie on you, or be airy/fluffy from over nuting...

but yes.. your plants definitely have a chance. You'll still get bud out of them.

I am in the process of flushing, when they say run the water thru until it is clear, how clear are we talking about? Like i would want to drink it clear? or slight yellow tinge to it? I just assume that water filtered thru dirt will neverget clear (always be a little yellow from mud right? no?) Sorry I know this prolly sounds really newbie but I would rather ask then screw it up. Thanks

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Originally Posted by tinman37

I am in the process of flushing, when they say run the water thru until it is clear, how clear are we talking about? Like i would want to drink it clear? or slight yellow tinge to it? I just assume that water filtered thru dirt will neverget clear (always be a little yellow from mud right? no?) Sorry I know this prolly sounds really newbie but I would rather ask then screw it up. Thanks

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Yellow means you still have salt build up and nutrients in your soil.

I'll give you an example, in my last grow I ran into the exact same situation you are in (didn't transplant for like 3 months and just kept feeding and feeding nutes) and to be honest I was never able to 100% get my grow back in check.

It took me 45-55 gallons of water run through a 5 gallon pot to get my water clear. It will eventually run clear; what you are using is soil; not mud. Some dirt may run through in your run off but the color you are seeing and the color it will be when you have done a successful flush are totally different.

Yellow = salt and nutrient build up. Which is why your plant looks so crappy right now; it is essentially living in a salt environment.

To prevent this in the future flush every 4 weeks and be sure to transplant once every 4-6 weeks starting from a small pot and working your way up (1 gallon, 3 gallon, 5 gallon).