HYDRO Not sure what I did or didn't do

[Shock]

Leaves are yellow and droopy. Pics of roots and drooping plants are from this morning. Perky plant pics are from two days ago.


Two days ago they were happy. Yesterday marked 14 days and they were due for a water change but I worked late and didn't get a chance to check on them and am about to go to work today. I was planning on doing the water change tonight and culling the smaller of the two.

44% humidity, temp ranges between 72 at night and 82 during the day. Lights are 48" away from the plant and have been since seedling. I have not changed anything about the grow space.

What do I need to do to fix them and what do I need to not do to prevent this in the future?

[9fingerleafs]

DW2 I got no idea but maybe dw2 can help you

[furrysparkle]

Do your roots look slimy or are giving off a bad smell

[Shock]

No slime. No bad smell. Water is still clear. Nothing floating.

[SommerVirelli]

That kind of drooping probably isn’t anything to worry about. If you watch any kind of time lapse videos of growth, you’ll notice the plants “breathing”. Their leaves and branches together will go from a resting “droopy” look to the perky “praying” look. I say this cuz your plants look pretty good!

[DW2]

Howdy Shock, sorry to hear that your girls are having problems. May I suggest that you cover up all of the tops of the net pots to prevent light infiltration (sounds stupid, but it helped to stop the root rot in my set up!). I use a four outlet air pump with four 4 inch by 2 inch air stones in each reservoir. I had to break myself of a bad habit, looking into the reservoirs TOO often, the less light into the reservoirs, the less root problems. I also use ice bottles to keep the water temperature around 60° to 70° F and I use GH FloraShield as an inoculant to keep down unwanted organisms from growing. Change the water out every week and let the pH fluctuate between 5.5 - 6.5. I nearly killed my plants early on by trying to keep the pH exactly at 6.0, I only adjust the pH when I mix up the nutrient mix, and pH the top off water (6.0 pH) at mid week to top off the reservoir.

[Shock]

I'm using the same air stones and air pumps from the GWE tutorial. Those root pics are only the second time the lid has been pipped since start. I'm using hydroguard to help prevent root rot. This will be my second water change tonight. I mix everything in a 5 gallon water cooler jug, temp it to room temp (72 air temp in the room outside the tent) and pour it in over the empty baskets so I minimize light infiltration. Can this happen all because I am a day late from my last water change? Trying to do a change every Saturday but it didn't work out for me this week.

[Shock]

I feel like the front left one is starting to perk up and the other three look worse. pH at 6.5, water temp at 70, dosed with FloraMicro and Hydroguard, pulled the top feed tube, replaced the air stones and tubing, completely filled the pot I use to change water with hydroton, taped the other one closed. DW2 are there any other steps I need to take?

[DW2]

Shock, Your plants do look like they are doing well, so I do not think that You are doing anything really wrong. I use the GH Florashield to keep the unwanted organisms in line because it is an inoculant, un like the Hydroguard which is a living organism that feeds on the root rot, and One can not use H2O2 in the reservoir as it will kill off the Hydroguard. I used the Hydroguard several grows back, and did not have any good results using it, the FloraShield has worked well for me.
I would suggest that You keep the reservoir water temperature below 70°F, I keep mine between 60° and 68°F. Also, cover the unused net pots to prevent any light leaks. I too keep one net pot to fill the reservoir (and to hold the ice bottle), but I keep a removable cover on it for the rest of the time. It really does not need to be a great deak of light getting in to cause a lot of problems.

[Shock]

Thank you DW2. This is my first grow and I'm afraid I'm going to do something wrong and lose them. How often do you check/change your ice bottles?

[DW2]

Shock, The bottles that I use for cooling are .7 L and, depending on the temperature and growth stage (the more leaf coverage, the less light gets down to the reservoir to heat them up), they need to be changed out approximately every 3-4 hours. When the lights are off, they can last over night. If You are going to use ice bottles, be sure to get bottles that have smooth straight sides and do not fill them up completely, leave some room (~15%) for the ice to expand. One could also possibly use the 'gel' packs that are made to put into coolers to keep food cold, but I have not tried them (I'm too cheap!! lol).

[D.A.A.S.69]

Shock ,I dont grow hydro, so im no help there but your ph needs to be between 5.5-6.5,
Above 6.5 they can't uptake nutrients, an you are at the very upper level.
They don't look bad to me, but I can't see them very well, cause of the light.
DW2, knows what he's talking about, the light, gettin in,
I think Alltatup had trouble to with light gettin in, it don't take much at all.
GoodLuck with them.

[Shock]

Thank you all for the responses. I have a plate over the other net pot now. D.A.A.S.69 what angle/view/range would you need to see? I can get whatever you need.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Shock, are you using Vipar led lights?
Just some pictures in natural light would help alot, it's hard to see, with your grow lights on.
I think they look fine though.,what I can see.

[Shock]

D.A.A.S.69 Sorry for the weird angle on the last one. And yes. VIPARSPECTRA PAR 1200

[D.A.A.S.69]

Shock, I thought so, man that 1200 is powerful, make sure you got it up high. That's a fine light, does it put out much heat?
Your plants look fine to me, very healthy looking to me.
Your doin a fine job!!
Keep it up.

[Shock]

D.A.A.S.69 I've got it exactly 48" above the containers. It puts out some heat but you have to be close to feel it and it's less heat than you get from the back of a computer. My biggest concern was that the plants were drooping when usually the leaves were upturned. I've still got them on the seedling dimmer and haven't moved them over to Veg yet. Do you think they are healthy enough to handle the switch?

[gbauto]

Shock, can you give us some detailed info on what nutes you're using in the tote right now? Concentration specifically

[Shock]

Flora Micro and Grow at 1/2 tsp for 5 gal. I have only put them in twice, once with each water change and have only topped off with distilled water.

[Shock]

DW2 I have been using the ice bottles but have been putting them in at night and taking them out in the morning. Does your reservoir normally feels cold or cool when you remove your bottles? Also, I'm pretty sure I'm losing the one on the left

[D.A.A.S.69]

I don't know nothin bout hydro, but can you see your roots on the plant that's giving you trouble, what do they look like, can you post a picture of her roots ?
Shock

[DW2]

Shock, I use the ice bottles primarily during the lights on time. I some times, depending on the current temperatures, let them go thru the night without changing the ice bottles. I try to not let the reservoir water temperature get much below 60°F because the lower temperature can slow down the plants growth. I ,usually, change out the bottles when the water temperature gets between 68°F and 70°F.

[Shock]

D.A.A.S.69 sorry for the late reply. That's roots and one of the leaves that is starting to show discoloration.

[RagWeedDWC]

Is that your normal water level?

[Shock]

RagWeedDWC yes. That's my typical water level. It's about an inch below the tub indentation. I use one of those 5 gallon water cooler jugs.

[Shock]

D.A.A.S.69 here are both outside the tent and roots of the trouble plant.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Thanks for the quick pictures! !!
If your plant ain't locked out, You need to start feeding her , go half strength on whatever is on your bottle.
Then start increasing, a little every time, till you get a little tip burn,
She's hungry look in to me, !!!!
Some plants take more nutrients than others, some are big feeders, some not.

[Shock]

I was afraid that the discoloration on its lower leaves near the tips were already nutrient burn which is why I did a second water change. The bottle directions are 1tsp (5ml) for every gallon. I'm only dosing 1/2 tsp for 5 gallons. You think I'm starving it? The plant with all the duct tape under it (healthy in appearance) has been fine through all of it. Even when I came in to find a 6" clip fan had fallen and was blowing directly at it.

[D.A.A.S.69]

That's what I think, you are underfeeding , like I said above, some require more nutrients than others,
Maybe someone else will chime in. An help.
Like DW2, he knows hydro

[Shock]

I will do another change and up the nutes.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Shock, You might want to let someone else chime in first, but to me she sure needs some Nitrogen, an get her color back.

[Shock]

Still at a loss. Not sure if the one on the left is getting better or not. It seems to be peeling the top of it's leaf. The one on the right hit a growth spurt l.

[Toker1]

Unless the plant is already experiencing too much calcium. In that case, yes...it can hurt your girls.

https://pevgrow.com/blog/en/lack-or-excess-calcium-in-the-marijuana-plant/

[D.A.A.S.69]

That's with anything you add, not just calcium,
Our tap has plenty of calcium, but i still use 2-3ml, of cal-mag, every watering, .
Sounds like you just like to argue, or contradict to me.

[Toker1]

That might be true for soil and coco. But we are talking DWC. Sorry if you don’t like it, but these are the facts. You can overdo calcium with this application. Don’t shoot the messenger bro. Has nothing to do with you personally. I would correct anyone making claims like that. Don’t take this so seriously man. We are all friends here. ✌️