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Side by Side

Dirt Bag

Member
Our ebb and flow system's inherent design puts different strains side by side in the same table.
The strains we've grown thus far have all experienced basically the same issues, leading me to assume the problem is environmental.
The main issue is fan leaves dying and subsequent growth diminished.
I've tweeked any environmental factors that can be. ie flood times / humidity / reservoir temperature etc.
Nothing seems to change it. Around week 6 it just starts happening. Strain to strain, batch after batch. The buds do always turn out nice for the most part, but could clearly be better.
Most recently we started some White Widow XTRM Feminized from AMS Amsterdam.
Even early in veg we could tell it was... different. The leaves are almost entirely of the indica shape and the structure is that of a christmas tree.
When moved to flowering it continued to outdo all of the previous strains we've grown, tripling in size and developing myriad super strong branches. The pistils are way bigger than anything I've ever seen and again, growing in a clearly different pattern. It reminds me of giant clover flowers.
Anyway, the one, most noticeable difference is that every single leaf is green and healthy! Ridiculously healthy. Insanely healthy. Right next to another strain experiencing the aforementioned symptoms... WTF?
I'm beginning to think that mid-flowering fan leaf death is a genetic trait of sativas. What do you think?
 

RockinRobot

Active member
Hard to say anything definitively without pictures but running multiple strains in a single system can be problematic at best.

Many strains have vastly different nutrient requirements, especially between sativa and indica strains.

Also what are your temps, humidity and what type/strength nutrients are you using?

I have had issues in mid flower with sativa dominant strains having Phosphorus deficiency in mid flower causing dried out fans as the plant tried to pull the Phosphorus from the fans.
 

Dirt Bag

Member
Air temperature is 78°F. Reservoir temperature 73°F.
50% rH. CO2 @ 1500ppm.
General Hydroponics Flora Series ml/gal:
Grow 2
Micro 5
Bloom 7.5
Liquid Kool Bloom 2.5
Botanicare Calmag Plus 2

Yes, what you describe is precisely what happens. But not to the White Widow, It's roarin'.

What do you do to remedy it? Just increase Phosphorus? How much? Would that affect the White Widow? Thinking I should just go with one strain... at a time, anyway.
 

RockinRobot

Active member
You need to invest in an EC/PPM meter. You can't go by ml/gallon. You didn't mention Ph level either but I think you would see issues with other things if it was Ph.

Also CO2 above 1200 can also be detrimental. Supplementing with CO2 requires higher feed levels.

I run CO2 at 1000ppm and EC 2 on my sativa dominant strains mid flower.

My guess is you need to feed heavier by week 6, but without knowing exactly how strong your nutrient solution is, I hesitate to advise raising it.
 

Dirt Bag

Member
Hehe. Bluelabs temp/ph/ec monitor
Of course I don't "go by ml/gal". This entire issue as well as my entire setup can be seen under the sick plants thread. I still don't know how to make a link directly to the post, sorry.
I keep the pH between 5.5 and 6.0, start at 5.8
This recipe results in 800 ppm. (1.6 EC ish)
1500ppm co2 is definitely not detrimental. Our room co2 climbs well above that with just two of us in there "generating".
 

Dirt Bag

Member
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RockinRobot

Active member

Yeah looks like phosphorus deficiency. Exactly what mine looked like. Next run increase ppm closer to 2EC.

That being said other strains, such as the White Widow may not need that strength and in fact could possibly burn. Biggest reason not to mix strains in the same run. Understand if you have no choice.

You can also try adding Mammoth P. I started using it 2 runs back and it's amazing. Their claims are valid. Others at my local hydroponic store also swear by it.
 

Granger2

Active member
Veteran
Do a spud test. 1" thick raw potatoes laid on soil surface. Check soil side daily for a couple of weeks to see if there are critters. Good luck. -granger
 

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