Brown/tan blotches on leaves

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What is your experience level? (first timer, novice, experienced...)
4th grow, 1st time hydro (5 gal bubble bucket/dwc)

Your Equipment:
.1) Type and wattage of lights. (MH, HPS, CFL's, tube fluorescents, LED's)
150w HPS
.2) Distance from tops?
8"
.3) Reflector type? (cool tube set-up, bat wing, enclosed reflector, bare bulb...)
enclosed reflector
.4) Is there a consistent fresh air supply?
yes
.5) Do you have an exhaust fan and a circulation fan?
just a circulation fan, which also performs mild exhaustion
.6) What are the bulb wattages, kelvin ratings, and schedule?
150 watt, I think 2100K, and 18/6 (veg)

Your medium:
.7) Specific brand and type of soil, (coco, peat based soilless...) and anything you've added to it. (vermiculite, perlite, worm castings...)
hydroton
.8) Size of container.
6" net pot, fused into a 5gal bucket lid
.9) Did you use peat pucks (or similar) to root clones or germinate seedlings?
RW plugs for germination of seed

Your nutrients and water:
10) Source of water? (tap, bottled or filtered) What's it's ph before adjusting?
aged tap (24+hours), ~8.4 pH
11) Method of checking water ph. (ph pen, test strips, aquarium test kit...)
Milwaukee® ph pen
12) Method of adjusting water ph. (phosphoric acid, white vinegar, hydrated lime, PH Up...)
local hydro store ph down (phosphoric acid), GH ph up (potassium carbonate)
13) Specific brand and N-P-K ratio for each bottle. List dosages (quantity per gallon) and current feeding schedule.
GH flora series, running Latewood's 1-1-1 veg formula, at 1/2 strength (4ml-4ml-4ml / gal.)
14) How often are you watering between feedings, and how much per watering?
no hand watering - this is dwc
15) Any additives or tea's? (Superthrive, CalMag, molasses, Mother's Earth...)
Superthrive 1/4 tsp./bucket
16) Are your ph levels stable, or do they fluctuate?
stable
17) What is your ingoing water's ph? ...your runoff ph?
bucket's ph stays between 5.5 and 6.2, but usually stable near 5.8
18) Do you foliar feed? If so, with what, how often, and at what time do you spray?
not yet

Your growroom:
19) Indoors or outdoors?
indoors
20) What size of closet, room or hut?
half of a closet, 3'x6'x8' (LxWxH)
21) What are the temps and humidity levels while lights are on? ...With lights off?
No thermometer - rely on the "hand test" for ambient temperature regulation and signs of heat stress via observable leaf tissue damage. Would guess ~80 for day temp, ~68 for nite temp. Humidity depends on weather -today was ~49%
22) Have you seen signs of insects in the growroom?
No insects. Saw one arachnid in the beginning (week 1) - was a tiny "jumping spider"

Your strain:
23) What strain are you growing? (Indica dominate or Sativa dom?)
LSD - indica dom.
24) From seeds or clones?
1 fem seed
25) Is this an autoflower strain?
no


Background - I'm at exactly 1 month today from one seed in RW plug. She is showing excellent progress with about 8 nodes - and I'm expecting to flower in 3-4 weeks. This is my first attempt with a hydroponics bubble bucket, but everything has been smooth so far *knocks on wood*. My city's water is good for hydro with an initial reading of 135 ppm.

Issue - On 2 of the lowers leaves, I've noticed a few light brown/tan spots appearing. It's only on these 2 lower fan leaves and I've only observed it today. I'll be watching for signs of development of the next few days.

Assumption - Reluctant on including this section, didn't want to persuade thoughts of "helpers". I assume it has to do with a Ca deficiency or Mg deficiency (or both). I cannot tell you level or Ca or Mg in my city's tap unfortunately.

If it is a Calmag problem, I do have growing-safe molasses. I was thinking this would help in the meantime

Any enlightenment on this situation would be much appreciated :stoned:

And for the pics....Hopefully by tomorrow - can't find my cameras transfer cord so I may have to resort to my cell.

It won't let me upload any .jpg files. They are under the size limit so I'll have to go over size specification; never had this problem before.

Still trying to get pics up....:stoned:

If you upload the pictures into your photo album, (in your User CP) click on the picture, copy the 'BB code" for the photo, and insert it here, the pictures should appear.

http://boards.cannabis.com/members/r...-grow-soil.jpg

Or, it will show as a link. :wtf:

Hmm...Oh well. I have faith that the management will figure this out for us.

In my experience, mg def usually shows as tiny golden spots between the vein structres on a leaf. You can fix this with epsom salts, not too much, maybe 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon in dwc. Or just use a fert that has enough mg in it. I'm guessing since you're using GH that you're using the micro nutes stuff too, which probably means you've got enough mg in there. Plus from your description, I don't think it's mg deficiency. Also, doesn't your fert have calcium? Read the contents to see what's there. In my opinion, Dynagrow 7-9-5 is a great fert for DWC. It has all the micronutes you need. So now what? Usually brown spotting can mean ozone damage or heat damage and since your day temps are 80's I'm wondering if it's related to heat. There's a good chance that it's getting hotter inside a grow space than just 80 degrees. If you think heat could be a problem, consider putting in another fan or a larger one, or try to run the light during cooler parts of the day/night. If you've given that much superthrive, I don't think I would give any more unless you change the water. You don't need much of that stuff. You have to decided if the fert you're using is adequate. I haven't read the contents of GH in a long time as I don't use it, but I don't remember it having everything, like boron and sulphur and such. You want a fert for DWC that has everything plants need and is easy to use. Dynagrow is a one-bottle fert that can solve alot of nutrient problems. Just follow the instructions on the back - it's one teapsoon per gallon of water in hydro. Less for a soil grow. It's unlikely molasses will help, but you can try it. I think it's more for soil grows, but then I've never used it in hydro. I don't think it will hurt if you wanted to try it.

Thanks Rusty

Here are the pics - I've looked over them today and doesn't look like much progression, even though I haven't changed anything.

http://boards.cannabis.com/members/d...01-10-1918.jpg

http://boards.cannabis.com/members/d...01-10-1917.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by polishpollack

Also, doesn't your fert have calcium? Read the contents to see what's there. I haven't read the contents of GH in a long time as I don't use it, but I don't remember it having everything, like boron and sulphur and such.

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General Hydroponics Flora Nutrient PPM Calculator
I used this to calculate my .5-.5-.5 (4ml-4ml-4ml/gal) of latewood's feeding schedule. Looks like that nute formula contains almost everything except Boron, Cobalt, and w/e Mo is. It gave me a ppm of 53 & 21 for Ca & Mg, respectively.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by polishpollack

Usually brown spotting can mean ozone damage or heat damage and since your day temps are 80's I'm wondering if it's related to heat. There's a good chance that it's getting hotter inside a grow space than just 80 degrees.

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I have battled heat stress, but now I've been really watching it. I've been leaving the closet door open and letting outdoors air in the room. Unsettling about the ozone though; in a week or two, I was going to move my Ozone-jr. in there....As of now, it hasn't been near the baby

Quote:

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Originally Posted by polishpollack

If you've given that much superthrive, I don't think I would give any more unless you change the water. You don't need much of that stuff.

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Did seem like more than normal. I used to just use 1 drop/gal in soil. But I guess I put my faith in Latewood's hydro regiment.



In a few days, the nute strength gets bumped up from 1/2 to 3/4... I'm going to watch for any progression. But as of now, I plan on supplementing CaMg via 1 tsp/gal molasses, starting at that nute change. Thanks for the insight so far guys.

Well...
First off - I'm setting aside the brown spots on the leaves. It doesn't seem to be affecting the plant much so I'll ignore for now..

Adding molasses didn't help, only made a new problem. The morning after adding 1tsp/2.5gal of molasses, I had this nasty brownish, snotty, slimy, algae stuff ALL OVER the roots; they appear as big snot boogers. The slime totally covered all of the roots that were exposed from the net pot.

I gave the baby 6-hour 3% H2O2 bath to attempt to kill the slime/algae; there was no real evidence that it did much. Besides that, I removed all of my supplements (Superthrive, FloraBlend, molasses) out of my nutrient equation, when I rinsed the bucket and changed the nutes (added 2 tsp of H2O2). I hear that these supplements can possibly add to the slimey stuff. I also made sure the bucket is completely light proof now.

Well, it's been 2 days since, and there are now a good amount of clean, white, fresh roots poking out of the slime mass. The slime mass has decreased but still resides near the water-line area of the roots (refer to picture). The roots and plant are both showing "normal" growth rates again.

My questions- Is there any way to rid my roots of this slime mass?? I feel like if I leave it, it'll eventually cause root rot, if it doesn't degrade on its own. Do I attempt to trim the roots, leaving about 1cm of root out of the net pot???

Any help appreciated ! :stoned:

Well the roots have probably grown 400% since taking those last 2 photos. They look healthy and white as can be, probably around 8" long. However, the slime still remains in the same area - but it has receded a little bit.

Idk if I should really worry about it if the baby is still growing fine and seems to have ignored the slime. Growth has been explosive and I start full strength veg nutes tomorrow (later today I guess).

:stoned::stoned:

I don't know if it's a good idea to molasses in hydro. Probably not.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by polishpollack

I don't know if it's a good idea to molasses in hydro. Probably not.

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I found that out the hard way...Provides too many organisms fuel that you don't want.

What's the update on your plant? How they looking?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by polishpollack

What's the update on your plant? How they looking?

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Beautiful right now, a week in to flower. The extra light proofing and some H2O2 treatment were enough to clean up my situation. I'm loving hydro so far.

I'll have to post a pic tomorrow when I change the ressy.

And for the brown spots problem, that minimally progressed. It got a hold of 2 matured fan leaves on the lowest part. I still think that can be treated next time around with cal/mag+. I don't have an exact water analysis but my initial ppm is around 130-135 and I figured there would be enough ca/mag in it.

First hydro plant - never experienced explosive growth like this (roots and foliage) - I suggest this dwc bubble bucket setup to a rookie hydroponicist

DWC is a great start for hydro. You still using GH?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by polishpollack

You still using GH?

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Yep - For a ressy change, I only use the 3part nutes. I'm using Latewood's nute schedule so I'm on the .25-1-2 phase right now ([email protected]).

And for the top offs, I've been using Florablend. However, I will begin alternating weekly between florablend and the foxfarm trio (OS,BB,CC) for my top off nutes. The foxfarm trio can be pretty strong, so I think this should be enough to get some results.


Next time around I'm going to cut a week of veg off - this baby is going too quick for my light power. Trying to fit many cfls in there to help out. I'll probably have to harvest the middle area first and let the sides finish up...

It's been a few weeks now. How did your grow end up?