Spots on leaves.. working upward ??? - Please Advise!

[Pufnstuf]

Haddy Folks!

Well.. my lil Hempys are still droop'n and growing like snails..
Heck, I'm brand spank'n new at this soilless growing business.
AnyWay... NOW.. I'm getting these dark spots on the lower leaves.
It started on the bottom several days ago.. and seems to be slowly working up eack leaf set... and of course.. I cant figure it out.
I have been reading MJ Forums for the past 2 months, more specifically the 'sick plant' sections the past week or so.
I posted several days ago about my droopy plants, wondering if it was a PH or irrigation issue..
http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20300
still not sure on that one.. and now.... come the spots!

and also.. a semi-related question...
I see ppl say check the PH of the 'runoff'..
ok so if my nute solution is at aprox 5.8 but my runoff is high at 6.5..
I'm I suppose to adjust the nute solution low before watering?
Boy... this is nothing like back in the day when ya could just toss some seeds out in the woods! HA

Arrighty.. thanks for you help!

Peace N Puff :smoke1:

 

[tom-tom]

i dont no about the spots but how much nutes u given i had a somewhat similer problem when i was under nuteing i put my plants that are a little smaller than yours on 1/2 nutes ,because i was told that that is what they should be on by now so are u up to at least 1/2 nutes yet because mabey they aint getting the amount of nutes they need to grow ,,now this may not be ur problem but i am pretty shure u should at least be on 1/2 nutes by now

 

[Pufnstuf]

Hey whats up tom-tom!
At first I mixed it according to the label (duh) for early growth - at 1 tsp per gallon.
But it seemed too strong, so I doubled the water, which is distilled, so I'm feeding half strength for plants at early growth.. or full strength for seedlings. (see photo)
I was watering twice a day for the first week but it seemed like I had an overwatering issue, so I backed it down to once a day.. then less still, once every two days. (shrug)

Anyway, after looking at the GH websites feed schedule.. and reading the Hempy thread, Again.. it appears as if you may be correct...
I guess I'm UNDER-nuting AND UNDER-watering.. haha go figure!
So I'm uping the nutes and the frequency.. crossing my everything and hoping they pull out of the slump in a day or two...
Thanks for your time and input dude

Peace & Puf :smoke1:

 

[bigweedo]

Whats up man? It wouldn't hurt to cut back on the nutes for a while, or even flushing the plant with regular distilled water for 1-2 waterings to help the plant get back to a normal PH. Water with half strength nutes then work your way up from there.:spit:

 

[Growdude]

The twisted leaves make me think its a PH problem.

 

[Pufnstuf]

Well the plants are looking a little better.. adn I think the roots are finally reaching close to the bottom of the bucket.. they're growing about a 1/4 of an inch a day now... (see new photos)

-bigweedo-
shoot man, I was hardly giving them any nutes.. I think that was one of the problems..
according to Hempy they should get full strength once or twice a day.. I was afraid that was too much, but finally I had to just go for it.. I think the extra 'grub' is well recieved.

-Growdude-
Thanks for stop'n in dude.. you seem to know your 'stuf'!
Yeah, I was concerned about the PH factor as well (my first thread addressed that issue)
I'm still not sure if in fact the PH is staying where it should be, currently the runoff hangs around 6 - 6.5 , going in its right at 5.5 - 5.8

Anyway, the leaves got way worse in just one or two days.. although it seems like the spots have stoped moving up the leaf sets.. I sure hope so!
Here's a couple pics.. I'll keep them coming as the days progress..
Guess I need to gpo ahead and put all this in a Grow Journal ~G~

Later Dudes and thanks alot for your Help!

 

[That crazy vancouver guy]

hey buddy... I'm no expert, but I'll take a stab, regarless. I'm thinking those spots you are talking about on your plant might be a disease/fungus called "black spot". I would try using a fungicide like Funginex by Green Cross. - contains triforine (beats me... I'm just telling u what the bottle says lol). I can't really comment on the run-off being higher than the input, as I don't grow soiless... but stands to reason that the run-off should be the same as the input, therefor, I'd flush your "soil" and see if it makes a difference with the ph irregularities.

I'm with tom about the nute strength, however, you can't just jump up the dosage in one fell swoop... u need to do it gradually... and I would hold off with increasing nutes until you've dealt with your black spot problem. And I'd say it looks like you are underwatering... I don't believe soilless mixtures retain water as well as soil does, so you have to water more frequently.... but I could be wrong about that.

but I'd say the little girl definitly has black spot and that needs to get treated immediately.

ok... I'm gunna eat some more cannabutter oatmeal cookies :hubba:

 

[Pufnstuf]

What Up CVG !
Thanks for the advise ~nods~

Humm.. well it sure does look like some kind of fungus doesnt it...
lemme go check out this "Black Spot Disease" thing you're talk'n about.. hits the nail on tha head! ...Funginex.. its on my shop'n list dude, thanks!

I think the discrepancy in the runoff was due to the fact I was letting the nute juice sit in the built-in reservoir too long,, due to insuficient watering. I was geting the 6.8 reading 24 hours after feeding. I suppose the change was due to siting that long before taking the reading. So I flushed the old juice out and now I test the PH as soon as it runs out the hole.. I'm getting an indentical reading from before and after.

I increased the concentration of the solution to just under what the GH drain to waste schedule suggests. Also have increased the frequency of feedings.. the last two days the plants are looking up.. the spots have ceased their progression on the next higher leaf set.
Thanks Man!

-General Question-
Should I remove the damaged leaves, or atleast the damaged portion of the leaves?

:smoke1: