6 weeks from seed (soil), slow growth, curled leaves, brown spots? pics inside

[JustDoIt]

How long has this problem been going on?

On and off since seed​

What STRAIN are you growing?

Nirvana White Widow, Barneys Farm Blue Cheese, Seedsman Purple Bud​

What was the establishing technique? (seed or clone?)

Seed​

What is the age of your plants?

Purple Bud and one White Widow were planted 6 weeks ago, the Blue Cheese and another White Widow were planted the next week (5 weeks ago)​

How long have they been in the soil mixture they are in now?

20 days since transplanting in to a 50/50 mix of Fox Farm Ocean Forest and Light Warrior​

Were they in the same mixture when they were seedlings/smaller plant? If not, what mixture were they in before?

Started in party cups w/ Fox Farm Light Warrior​

How Tall are the plants?

3"-5"​

What PHASE (seedling, vegetative or flower) are the plants in?

Veg - 24/0​

What Technique are you using? (SOG, SCROG etc)

Going to be a SCROG, I've tied them down and FIM'd 3 of them​

What size pots are you using? (Include how many subjects to pot)

5"square pots​

What substrate/medium are you using? What brand of soil mixture are you using?(percentage of perlite, vermiculite...etc?)

Fox Farm Ocean Forest mixed with Fox Farm Light Warrior. Started in Light Warrior then transplanted to a 50/50 mix LW and OF​

What brand Nutrient's are you using?

Fox Farm Grow Big​

How much of each nutrient are you using with how much water?

2 drops of Grow Big in about half a gallon of distilled water​

How often are you feeding?

Around a week between watering, I let them get pretty dry even as far as I can stick my finger in to the soil. I've only fed 'em with the Grow Big mixture twice, alternating to plain distilled water between feeding​

What is the TDS/EC/PPM of your nutrients used?

Not sure. pH first at around 6.5 then the second time I fed with nutes I pH'd to 7​

What is the pH of the "RUN-OFF"?

Not sure, in fear of overwatering I haven't saturated the soil to the point where I get more than a few drops of runoff​

How often are you testing pH/ppm/EC/TDS?

I test before watering​

What method of pH test was administered? Using Strips? pH pen?

Checker pH pen​

How often are you watering?

Every 7 days or so​

When was your last feeding and how often are you feeding?

A couple of days ago, the time before I watered with plain distilled water​

What size bulb are you using?

4x CFL's - 3x 23w, 1x 40w​

How old is your bulbs?

From my last grow, 2 yrs old or less​

What is the distance to the canopy?

2-3"​

What is your RH Factor? (Relative Humidity)

Between 33-55%​

What is the canopy temperature?

70*-81*f​

What is the current Air Flow? (cfm etc.)

Desk fan blowing across the plants, two 120mm PC fans above the lights​

Tell us about your ventilation, intake exhaust and when its running and not running ?

Front of the cab has been open lately so it's not a sealed setup. Two 120mm exhaust fans above the lights blowing air out of the top of the cab, two passive intake vents on the sides (partially blocked because of the plants being raised off the ground), front door open with desk fan blowing at the plants for air circulation. A/C keeps the room temp between 70* and 80* f​

Is the fan blowing directly at plants?

Yes​

Is the grow substrate constantly wet or moist?

No, I've been particularly careful to let the soil get DRY between watering. Not to the point where the plants droop and die, but I can stick my index finger down almost as far as it can go and the soil feels loose and dry, not moist​

Is your water HARD or SOFT?

Distilled water from the store​

Has plant been recently pruned, cloned or pinched?

About a week ago I pinched/FIM'd the 3 larger plants​

Have any pest chemicals been used? If so what and when?

No​

Are plant's infected with pest's?

Not to my knowledge​

I've been trying to figure this out on my own, but things aren't looking better and I can't seem to figure out what's going on from other threads, so here I am! The zip ties are pulling the sides of the containers in to allow for airflow. At first I was planning on using different pots and didn't account for the plants being raised closer to the lights as they grow when I designed the cabinet's intake holes in the sides. That's partially why I've just left the front door open lately. Anyway, the Blue/Blue is Barneys Farm Blue Cheese. White/White is Nirvana White Widow, and the Blue/Red is Seedsman Purple Bud

The plants aren't a dark green so I'm thinking they need more nitrogen than the ocean forest has to offer? I fed them some of the grow big and the next day they looked more green, but not healthier. The spots and curling have me confused, I don't think I'm over watering, the temps in there are good (under 80 most of the time, rarely above 81), there's airflow, and I don't think I'm over-feeding them, but I'm nervous to feed them a stronger nute solution? or should I?

I've got a bunch of other pics from the beginning of the grow until now in this thread too if it helps: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=219604

Thanks everyone

 

[Sam the Caveman]

I'd say, first off get some ph drops to measure the ph, second thing check the calibration of your ph pen, then flush the pots with ph 6.0 water. From the looks of it, you have ph issues. Once they start looking healthier start feeding them very lightly until they ask for more.

 

[trichrider]

just my thoughts...

ditch the distilled water, it's weak sauce.

submerge entire pot in water/nute solution till soil is thoroughly soaked then let dry out.
if you pull the sides of the container water will certainly find an easier way out than through the root ball...

...container size looks too small for watering to last 7 days.

good luck and a speedy recovery!

 

[stonedar]

yessir, I'd agree with both the above. Grow big is not a complete fert, it's not a bad one by any stretch just lacks some essential micro nutes. Foxfarm expects you to use tap water with their soils which will add most of what they don't include in Grow Big. they recommend adding Big Bloom also, which has some kelp/guano/and other good stuff. you want your ph (of your nute mix) to drift between 6.3 and 6.8 with foxfarm soils, I would water once between feedings.

 

[Sgt.Stedenko]

I agree. Looks like your pH is whacked.

 

[JustDoIt]

awesome, thanks for the replies! I was wondering about the pH, I'll have to recalibrate my pen and water at a lower pH. Even though the soil is still damp should I flush and re-water using the dunk method like Trichrider suggested? or let them go a few more days till the soil is drier and then dunk 'em?

 

[JustDoIt]

Just collected some runoff and recalibrated my pH pen, it was out of whack for some reason, adjusted it to spec and got 6.3ish as a pH

Gonna mix up some filtered tap water with grow big and big bloom and submerge as suggested. Let's hope this helps!