Nutrient burn/deficiency or something else

[RookieKing2022]

Started my first grow back in November using some random bag seeds. This was more or less just a learning crop to start figuring out the basics.

Yes 3/4 hermied. I tossed the 1 full male. Figured I could at least make some edibles if the other made it to harvest.

Over the last week or 2 I’ve had leave tips turn brown and several leaves develop brown spots throughout the leaf.

What causes this and how do I fix the issue? I’ve looked for bugs and haven’t seen anything other than a few gnats.

I did switch lights over the last 2-3 weeks to spider farmer. But this doesn’t look like light burn to me.

[Lynyrdsky]

If I was to guess I would say calcium looking at the image here. Maybe someone else with more knowledge can help out better.

[MDBuds]

@RookieKing2022 what’s your substrate pH? With how dark the leaves are and the signs of potassium and cal/mag issues it looks to me like you have pH lockout from low substrate pH and nitrogen excess.

Please check substrate pH and get back to me as soon as you can so I can further help you diagnose the issue.

[RookieKing2022]

As a new grower I’m not sure the best way to test the soil PH. Excuse my rookie-ness but this sort of thing is exactly why I started with some random bag-seeds. I wanted to get a grasp on the whole grow process before I ruined some good seeds.

[MDBuds]

@RookieKing2022 do you have a pH pen or litmus paper? The easiest/best method without an expensive soil meter or test kit is to do a slurry test.

Here is a link to a post I made about testing soil pH.

How to ph test soil

When growing organically in soil with either a super soil or living soil technique it is extremely important to keep your soil ph at the right levels so that the microorganisms can thrive and break down the nutrients in the soil for optimal plant growth. The range for organic soil should be between 6.2 and 6.8 slightly acidic almost neutral. I try to shoot for the sweet spot in the middle at 6.5. This then begs the question, how do I test my soil? There are a few methods to test this varying i…

[RookieKing2022]

Yes I have a PH pen. I’ll read that post now. Thanks

[RookieKing2022]

Just an update. I didn’t have any distilled water on hand so I began testing PH of my normal watering water and I do think that was the issue. I’ve corrected that as well as added some cal mag and the damage has seemed to quit progressing.

I think I’m getting close to harvest though!