# grow box problems



## lkbkr103 (May 5, 2008)

Hi, I'm having a problem. My plants have been dying off. First, they turn yellow between the veins and then the tips of the leaves will turn brown and die. After that, the rest of the plant dies. They also seem to be stunted, they won't grow. I was watering my plants with tap water. I know that I'm not supposed to, but I didn't have an option at the time. I know that the city adds phosphorus to the water, which CAN cause phosphorus toxiciy, which can lead to iron and zinc deficiencies. Well, I bought some more distilled water and changed the soil, but the plants continue to die. This is the first time I've had a problem like this. I used to grow on a table in the middle of a room with a light right above the plants. This worked well, but I thought it would be better if I had a set up that would condense the light more. So I bought 2 grow boxes. Now I don't know if the plants are dying because of all the phosphorus or if it's the boxes for some reason. The boxes are 2.5'x4.5'x6.5'. On the inside of the boxes they are lined with white vinyl, or whatever that reflective white material is, and the outsides are heavy black canvas. So does anyone think it could be the boxes or the remaining phosphorus left in the plants? By the way, everything else is fine. Soil ph, temp, air flow, humidity, you name it.


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## ms4ms (May 5, 2008)

are they in the appropriate size container? They could be root bound.


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## lkbkr103 (May 5, 2008)

Trust me, they're not root bound. They're babies in one gallon pots.


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## CasualGrower (May 5, 2008)

Pictures would be a great help... plus what soil are you using... what nutes... etc etc  need a lot more information to help diagnose


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## GreenMan74 (May 6, 2008)

I ran a search and what you describe (green veins, yellowing in between) does match the symptoms for Zinc deficiency, either due to lack of micronutrients, or as you say, a pH problem.  
   If you have plants still alive, I would give them mild foliar feeds, alternating with plain water, and just test the soil pH.  If the pH is ok, then perhaps Zinc is missing for some reason.  
   I'm sure you'll get zeroed in on the problem soon!
*G r e e n  M o j o*


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## thc is good for me (May 6, 2008)

what kind of lights do you have. I use tap water for my MJ plants and they grow fine.


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## Hick (May 6, 2008)

lkbkr103 said:
			
		

> Hi, I'm having a problem. My plants have been dying off. First, they turn yellow between the veins and then the tips of the leaves will turn brown and die. After that, the rest of the plant dies. They also seem to be stunted, they won't grow. I was watering my plants with tap water. I know that I'm not supposed to, but I didn't have an option at the time. I know that the city adds phosphorus to the water, which CAN cause phosphorus toxiciy, which can lead to iron and zinc deficiencies. Well, I bought some more distilled water and changed the soil, but the plants continue to die. This is the first time I've had a problem like this. I used to grow on a table in the middle of a room with a light right above the plants. This worked well, but I thought it would be better if I had a set up that would condense the light more. So I bought 2 grow boxes. Now I don't know if the plants are dying because of all the phosphorus or if it's the boxes for some reason. The boxes are 2.5'x4.5'x6.5'. On the inside of the boxes they are lined with white vinyl, or whatever that reflective white material is, and the outsides are heavy black canvas. So does anyone think it could be the boxes or the remaining phosphorus left in the plants? By the way, everything else is fine. Soil ph, temp, air flow, humidity, you name it.



hmmmmmmmmmmmm... I remeber a thread awhile back, someone was having 'toxicity' issues emunateing from the material that some growbox was coposed of.
  Try "google" your 'brand' box. See if anything surfaces.


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## bombbudpuffa (May 6, 2008)

What kind of soil are you using?


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## lkbkr103 (May 6, 2008)

The soil is Black Gold, and I'm not sure of the name of the nutes, I threw out the box for some reason. It's high N. I called a local nursery and asked if they had any idea what the problem could be with my "houseplants" and the first thing he asked me was if I watered them with tap water. He said there's too much phosphorus in the tap water here, the city adds it in for some reason. He said to change out the soil if I could and use distilled water. Done, but the plants never got better. Now I only have 4 left, and I took them out of the box last night. I'll google the box name and see if there's been any problems with them. Here's a link that'll describe why I thought the phosphorus could have lead to low zinc and iron. 

http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes...antHormones/EssentialPlant/EssentialPlant.htm


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## Kupunakane (May 6, 2008)

Yo Ho lkbkr103,

  Perhaps you might find this useful, 
hxxp://www.marijuana-seeds.net/Thanks-ThankYou.htm

just remember to change out the xx and use tt in the URL.

smoke in peace
KingKahuuna


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## lkbkr103 (May 6, 2008)

Thanks, it looks like figure 18, the zinc deficiency. They would look like that, and then they would start dying from the tips of the leaves in. That's what I thought, too. When I tested the soil, the phosphorus was off the charts. Phosphorus toxicity can cause iron and zinc deficiencies. At least now I know the problem.


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## Dankerz (May 7, 2008)

do you have fresh air intake/outtake.? how are temps? what lights are you using.?


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## lkbkr103 (May 7, 2008)

Yes, fresh air is fine, temps are good, about 75 and I'm using a 600w hps.


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## GreenMan74 (May 7, 2008)

I think what might have happened was, when you did change the soils and used distilled, the deficiency might have been too far along?  
   Well shoot, at least you know when you flower, you've got superbloom on tap.  That's messed up, though, imagine what that does to people who drink it?  Well I guess soda is phosphoric acid with a very acidic pH and it does no harm other than to teeth.  Quite useful if you run out of WD-40.
    Too bad on the dead plants, very sad.  But like you say, at least the problem is identified, hopefully you can save the remaining plants.  I've read of people going from soil to hydro, maybe that would be a good option, though you'd be hauling a lot of distilled water either way.  I suppose spring water would be fine too.  Maybe there's a spring nearby?


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## lkbkr103 (May 8, 2008)

No springs, just too many people, cars and buildings. I thought the phosphorus might be the problem, but there was one plant that I have that never got watered with tap water and was never in the other soil, and it's starting to burn now. The only other difference between now and how I used to grow is my grow boxes. So I took them out last night. Maybe that'll help because if those boxes were letting off some types of fumes and the plants clean the air, I would imagine that those toxic fumes would be passed through the baby plants and kill them. That's the only other thing I can think of and I don't even know if it makes sense.  About the soda, though. I used to drink about 12 pepsi's a day, and now I have severe osteoporosis, and I'm only 28. My doctor said that the acid in dark soda can damage your bones if you have enough for long enough. I don't know if there's a big difference between dark or clear soda, but I've stopped drinking pepsi.


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## Flyinghigh (May 8, 2008)

lkbkr103 said:
			
		

> Yes, fresh air is fine, temps are good, about 75 and I'm using a 600w hps.


 
How high is ur light?? I have a light chart on how high the 600 watt should be, But the Up Load saids I already post it and I am not understanding why I can't up load it again in another thread?!!
What I see on the chart is 8 inches to 29 inches from the plant hope this help..

How much Nuts are u give in ur gal of water and  that could be to Strong.


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## GreenMan74 (May 8, 2008)

Holy crap I need to get off the soda.


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## lkbkr103 (May 10, 2008)

My light is about a foot away. I check the heat at the plants level to make sure it isn't too close and so far it's been fine. I removed the grow boxes from the room and the plants are doing much better now. I don't understand why they didn't start to improve until the day after I took out the grow boxes.


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## milehigh (May 13, 2008)

what did you have for intake and exhaust. I have two hydrofarm boxes and heard of issues with off gasing from the material. I made sure I have good intake and exhaust and i have no issues. if you go to hydrofarms site and look at there boxes, it says fresh outside air vented in is a must... makes you wonder.


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