nutrient def???

[allrollsin21]

Planthead yes i think i will check the actual strength-hotness of the FF. It has a hot reputation but would be nice to know how hot. I usually won't feed for approx two weeks after transplanting into fresh FF. I appreciate the idea.
I have been hesitant to flush because the deficiency was showing after i had not fed for a while. Then i fed a few days ago at 1500 and now i am not sure if they are getting better or not. I am going to flush tomorrow just to be safe since all you experiened suggest it. I will update this as to what happens:thumbsup:

[PlantHeadJ]

The Botanicare feed schedule for soil gardens is way off. If you follow it to a T you will wind up with 2000 ppm. If you half it you're at 1000 ppm. I just put out this fire with a friend who was using that schedule and burned everything. Mix up your solution at 1/4 power and check your ppm. If your soil is hot then you can see how if you 1/2 it then the active soil will raise that number. I would take the ppm of the runoff after 20% flushes through. Write that number down. Take the ppm of your water. Now add those together and then mix your nutes to be sure that you don't get past 1100. I hope that was clear if not I will re write. Good Luck!
Oh and check out WeedHound's botanicare sched!

[Weedhound]

Depending on the size of the plant I use even LESS nutes with FFOF soil. It seems pretty complete to me.

[allrollsin21]

hello. This is my follow up, it has been 8 days from the flush. I flushed with ph 6.7 water and did about 10-12 gallons a pot. The plants are in 4 gallon containers.
I am seeing lots of yellowing of the lower leaves, and a few of the girls have a very light green tone throughout. I am on day 26 bloom.
I checked the PH before the flush and the runoff was at about 6.9 ph. The plants have been performing well up until about 14 days ago. Not sure if the yellowing is a lack of nitrogen, but it seems a little early for the amount happening. Anybody have an idea they would like to share? Thanks for your help so far people, although these plants are a bit stressed they are the nicest grow for I to date. The flowers are looking delicious. And ya'll have helped make this happen!:thumbsup:
These are all pictures of THC BOMB X WHITE WIDOW. Then a picture of God Bud. The God Bud looks to be the healthiest of the litter. I love the look of the plant.

[allrollsin21]

a few thoughts of my own. Maybe:
The flush was not done excessively enough, not enough water.

Or is it possible that feeding them 1/2 strength after the flush may have been too many nutrients? I think i read somewhere that the plants become more sensitive after all that water running through them.

Or, one thing that concerns me is the moisture that is in the space. I am using a black plastic tarp to manipulate the photoperiod to 12 12. When i take it off in the mornings, a lot of condensation is covering the inside. The humidity can reach 80% in the tank, with the tarp on. This being in a VERY dry part of the country. Although i could see this causing problems, i know a few folks with identical setups and they dont run in to high humidity issues.

Lastly could be that after the flush it rained for three days. So the pots were pretty moist for about 5 days. I put them up on blocks as weedhound once suggested that to help speed drying. But when the air is filled with so much moisture there is nowhere for it to go, especially at night with the plastic sheeting on it.

These could also have nothing to do with it, maybe they are just still K deficient?:hippy:

[allrollsin21]

Ok well i took a soil ph sample today. I ran through water ph'ed at 6.7 and the runoff was 7.2
I guess that means the soil ph is too high. I have no idea how it got there as i have been ph'ing everything.

On a different plant the water got ph'ed to 7.0 and the runoff was 7.0.

Also the ppms going in were 110 and coming out they were 320

for plant two they were 130 going in and 430 coming out.

Where do you folks think this leaves me? What action should be taken? Confusion is settling in...

[allrollsin21]

IS my predicaments explanation as confused as my head?

[stinkyattic]

It's confusing all right.
The photo angle is a tough one but your pots look quite small. Soil chemistry is a bitch to troubleshoot in insufficient pot size. Larger pots with nice fresh cheap soilless mix will be good in your case; add extra perlite and drain holes to help with drainage if your weather is consistently rainy. That's where I would start, and it may well solve your problems. I'd also feed with only calmag and bloom on your next couple waterings. Bring your fert solution to 300ppm with the calmag FIRST, then add your bloom (I'd say only to 1000 total ppms for now) then set the pH at 6.5, then water it in heavily.

You are allowing rain to water your plants? Check the pH of the rain. It's not necesarily a bad thing; you should just be aware of it.
It sounds like you will need to drop the pH of your watering solution for that soil pH issue. One thing to consider is flushing with a weak solution of humic acid. If you can find Soil Syrup, one capful per gallon in your flush solution is really nice and automatically sets the pH to 6.8-6.9.

[allrollsin21]

Wow it sure is nice to have someone chime in with some experienced thoughts. Even if you said rip them out and start over...although that would make me cry

So they are in 4 gallon pots. The plants are about 3 ft tall. quite bushy some of them. Most were transplanted about a week before flower, so about a month ago. It is scary considering to transplant because they are trellised and packing on a bit of weight. But if it has to happen, it will. So you do suggest not using any FF ocean forest but instead a soiless mix...maybe something like sunshine #4?

It is not raining here. I am in the foothills and it rained for about 4 days but that was over a week ago, and its likely not going to rain for the next 4 months. Would using soil syrup as just a plain watering have the same affect or does it need to be a "flush"? Or could i use soil syrup in with a feed of calmag and bloom? Should I always add in the Calmag FIRST, then add in the other nutes?
YOu have already helped plenty so if i get no answers for these questions i am already stoked! Thank you loads of bushels!!!:jointsmile:

[stinkyattic]

Okay, your pots are probably big enough. Remember a gallon of dirt for each foot of main stem. A bushy plant needs a bit of a bigger pot. You can always slip a tub of dirt under there, put the plant, pot and all, on the surface, and cut the bottom of the pot right off like BOG used to do with his monsters.
I suggested the cheap soilless because you are already approaching harvest and it's time for something inexpensive and unfertilized.
Always add your calmag FIRST because you are just using it to make 'fake tap water' of 300ppm.
You can use humic acid supplements in your fert solution too, modestly; add them aafter the calmag but check the pH right before watering. I just like to flush with it personally, because really good quality nutrients contain it anyway- the Canna line, BioBizz TopMax, and Pure Blend Pro all have it as a component.