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Story

Bought my plants already started from a greenhouse at about 6 inches tall, they looked great. I have 8 different plants for a sort of initial test run each with a different variety. They came in soil pots, so I gently ran water over them and shook them for 5 minutes until the majority of the soil was cleared and the roots remained. Transplanted them into the LECA grow sites about 5 in deep. I left the system to run for about 4 days. The plants seem to be wilting a bit and some have yellowing of bottom leaves and one got brown and basically died. Pics and more detailed specs below.

Full setup

https://i.imgur.com/12RV8Hl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/MBWH7Nx.jpg

Plant pics (after 4 days)

Chef's choice:

https://i.sstatic.net/VmSpg.jpg (essentially dead)

https://i.imgur.com/oBciMjM.jpg

Pomodoro:

https://i.sstatic.net/gSlrw.jpg (this plant was nearly 12 in when it went in)

https://i.sstatic.net/GOhoy.jpg (top growth looks better)

https://i.sstatic.net/DCDNa.jpg

Brandywine:

https://i.imgur.com/hNQNfxD.jpg (yellowing with tiny brown spots)

Champion:

https://i.imgur.com/0XBdJMA.jpg (yellowing around leaves, curled leaves/branches)

https://i.sstatic.net/Ogbif.jpg

https://i.sstatic.net/qfkC0.jpg

Jet star:

https://i.imgur.com/AjCK3w4.jpg (brown tips on lower leaves, slight yellowing)

https://i.sstatic.net/fwoJe.jpg

Plant A (forgot the variety):

https://i.sstatic.net/aiO0k.jpg

https://i.sstatic.net/TWteZ.jpg

Note: I pulled out the champion, the roots seemed healthy, mostly white in total (some brown dirt from soil remained) and smelled healthy. Compared to the roots of the Chef's choice that all but died, those roots were browner and smelled off. I replanted the champion and tossed the Chef's choice.

Detailed Info (links provided to products for more info)

Water volume: 40 gal

pH @ start: 6.0
pH @ end: 7.0

EC @ start: 2.2
EC @ end: 2.1
Nutrient: Envy A + B (amazon link A: 6-0-5 B: 1-5-6)

PPFD Avg: 750 umol/m2/s Peak: 800 umol/m2/s (measured at highest point on plant)
PAR Meter used: amazon link

Cycle on: 16h @ 7 am (full light, water cycle)
Cycle off: 8h (no light, no water cycle)
Cycle fill freq: every 3h (5 fill/drain per day)
Cycle fill duration: 10m (8m + 2m drain)

Fungicide: Mycostop @ 0.5g (amazon link)
Growth accelerant: Great White Mycorrhizae @ 4 tsp (as per instructions 1 tsp = 10 gal)(amazon link)

My guesses

I'm not a super experienced grower so my guess is that my pH ran a bit high, that my fill cycles need to be upped (not enough nutrient delivery??), and maybe my lights are too high and need lowered for more ppfd? My nitrogen was too low?

Not really sure what do to, but so far I've upped the EC to 2.5, fixed the pH back down to 5.8, and upped the water cycle to 2h (10 times a day). Any ideas what's happening or what I should do?

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Some of the plants look like they have sulfur deficiency, including (but not limited to) Brandywine and Plant A. I've had that look on plants in a cold small greenhouse when they needed sulfur; the symptoms went away when I gave them potassium sulfate.

It's possible that you've been scorching some leaves, or have some kind of blight in the first pictures. Or they could need some nutrient.

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  • Interesting, my nutrient solution contains sulfur (1.4%) although I noticed it contains no copper and my plants are curling like copper deficiency. I'm using tap water with default EC of about 0.5-0.6, maybe the water is too hard and plants are having a hard time getting water?
    – Slight
    Commented May 25, 2022 at 21:29
  • I don't know. I'm not a hydroponic gardener, but copper is important, and if you don't have any that's a big problem. It's possible you even have too much sulfur, I guess. I've read that you need as much sulfur as phosphorus, and more sulfur than magnesium. Here's a link about some disussion of nutrient percentages, if it helps: houzz.com/discussions/1992926/…
    – Brōtsyorfuzthrāx
    Commented May 25, 2022 at 23:53
  • Nutrients helpful to plants (in the proper amounts--not toxic ones) include these, at least: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, boron, molybdenum, and chlorine. Some sodium is helpful for at least some kinds of plants.
    – Brōtsyorfuzthrāx
    Commented May 25, 2022 at 23:58

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