Start of an Issue

[Izzie1701]

So I am on my second grow. Working out the kinks still. This is my first fully indoor grow. Last one was outside and brought into a tent to finish flowering. Had issues once the plants went into flower. Salt build up I think. I decided this grow to try a plant in full hydro, one in coco and 2 in super soil. I’m starting to get leaves turning pale green in all 4 plants. The hydro being the worst. Using GH for the hydro and using GH drain to waste for the coco. Ph is around 5.8-6.0. Coco gets a watering of ph balanced water between each feed. Watering around once to twice a week. Lighting is 400 watts of LED and 240 watts of incondescent light. 18-6 schedule right now. Have incondescent bulbs about 8” above plants and LEDs around 12-16” above. All plants looked great but now are starting to pale out. Super soil in the soil plants is the recipe from this site. Clones planted in peat and perlite then transplanted to
fabric pots half full of half strength super soil and bottom
of pot full strength. When transplanted would have had roots in half strength. Going to switch the plants right away but worried seeing the leave going pale. I’m terrible with deficiency diagnoses and light burn as they all appear the same to me. What’s everyone’s thoughts on these and suggestions. Was going to water with worm
casting tea tomorrow for the super soil and feed the coco one last time. Hydro I’ll just leave for now? To me this looks like the starting stages of the salt build up I had on my first grow but doesn’t make sense in the super soil to be salt build up. Wondering about light burn or not enough light.

thanks

[Ckbrew]

Mainly addressing the coco, Are you using calmag, the coco needs the extra supplement. Check Ph, how r u measuring? If pen, calibrate it first then re-test your solution. A miscalibrated Ph pen is the source of so many plant problems. Water the plants then test run off. If the run off is not correct, you need to correct the coco. If a minor correction just water as usual and it will correct itself, if it is way off you may want to "flush" with Ph correct nute solution that usually corrects the coco in the pot. Which plants are in the coco? If you are having salt build up problems you are not watering enough. you should have 10-15% volume of run off from what you feed it. I was under the impression that super soil was not considered hydro -and therefore would have different Ph requirements. I may not be accurate on the super soil thing. Do you have the GWE Ph guide?

https://www.growweedeasy.com/ph

[Izzie1701]

Ckbrew thats what I have been doing other then checking calibration. I had that issue in my first grow so watering to 20% run off with the GWE feed charts but have been flushing every second watering. The coco is the smallest one. 2 bigger are super soil and the one in hydro is hydro. The super soil I just run as a soil grow and water when required. Every so often at worm tea and alfalfa tea. PH is running off at same as I add for the coco. Hydro I test reservoir daily. I was more worried about a light issue as with the super soil I don’t believe I can burn. That’s my confusion but then again maybe I’m over reacting and thing I’m seeing the start of a problem that’s not really there.

[Ckbrew]

Calibration should be the first step. You may get away with out doing it, or you might not.

[dilvish]

why are you trying all methods at once? That's a pretty tall order considering each method has its own little nuances. I think you may have bitten off more than you can chew so to speak.

Having said this the wattage isn't the real issue, it's full spectrum. Those bulbs are not full spectrum so once the plant matures it nees more full spectrum in order to flower properly. Full spectrum light is food where nutrients are vitamins.

when the plants start to pale it can mean a nitrogen deficiency or light burn but in your case it's likely the former. Most LED's should be no less than 18 inches from the top of the canopy and when people use the term "around" for a measurement it means you are guessing...you need to measure just like you do for PH...make sure the tester is properly calibrated.