Looks like a typical general leaf chlorosis due to Fe (iron) deficiency to me. There could be a high calcium or both a Ca/Mg-Fe antagonism involved as well, that actually prevents uptake of Fe.

A mainly Fe (EDTA chelated iron) based foliar spray might help (if the dyagnosis is correct). In case you deal with actual Fe deficiency, the veins of the affected leafs should recover- and get chlorophyl supply first. In case they recover quickly with said foliar spray, it would confirm a iron deficiency.

In case you using nutrients with low Fe content together with poor- or no Fe containing water, that would be another indication for Fe-deficiency. If confirmed, you should complement your nutrients until 2.5 ppm of Fe (with EDTA iron chelate). In case of calcium antagonism (calcium excess in tap water, nutrients or any supplements), you should lower calcium content asap.

Hey Lucas -

You're always very helpful. I do have a question, how do I tell what my ppm of each part is in my solution? I use pure blend pro bloom combined with calmag. Neither of these bottles contain the amount of any of the nute outside of the macro %'s.

I asked the guys at Botanicare and they tell me it is proprietary. Doesn't help me much. I'll look for an iron foliar spray to apply and see how it goes.

Thanks

Hi!
I'll get back to it tomorrow, as it's late (time difference) and I need to do some investigation about your products. I have a suspicion of a chain of nutrient antagonisms - due to your product choice and combination, though...

Later,
Lucas

I understand Lucas. I appreciate you looking into this. I hope to really understand this stuff some day:)

Hi again Scotty,

Do you actually use Pure Blend Pro Bloom (NPK: 1.5-4-5) complemented with calmag only?
Well if so this is truly NOT a balanced formula- far from so and it can't actually be "complemented" with calmag.

You simply have too little nitrogen, way too much phosphorus, that most probably creates chemical antagonism with calcium (and Mg) and too much (although this part is the only that would be proportionally fair, compared to phosphorus content) potassium in relation to the nitrogen content.

What actually would be appropriate if you want to stay with Botanicare, would be Pure Blend Pro Grow (NPK: 2-1.5-4), which could be altered or complemented with Pure Blend Pro Bloom if needed.

Please specify or confirm what you actually use, before I go down the whole road here ;-)

About the ppm content of elements in a nutrient solution it is tricky to get all of them from this end of the equation, unless the manufacturer has a nutrient calculator that allows output of ppm or reveals the composition of ALL elements in ppm (which I doubt). As for the basic NPK content in elemental ppm and the respective calculation, scroll down...

From the other end of the equation, if you either manufacture or compose nutrients it is rather simple. Each component you use to compose your nutrients (as in calcium nitrate or magnesium suphate, etc.) will provide a certain amount of ppm of some elements when dissolving X-gram per liter. Here you have formulas that tell you the exact proportions/content. Example: 1 gram of calcium nitrate dissolved in one Liter of pure water will provide 156 ppm of N and 185 ppm of Ca by the book. If you consider a purity of 98.5% it will actually only be N=153,66ppm and Ca=182,225 ppm. And that's what you'll have to know and consider with each and every component you would use to compose your nutrients, including components that provide micro nutrients (as in copper sulfate). The actual ppm delivered by each and every of them would obviously depend on grade and kind of the components that are actually used.

To do the reverse mathematics and actually find out how much ppm of the macro nutrients is contained in some product, you need to decifer the NPK code as it is in use.

N = N (always actual in NPK formulas)

Px 2.291=P2O5
P2O5x 0.437=P

K x 1.205=K2O
K2O x 0.83=K

Pure Blend Pro Bloom (NPK: 1.5-4-5)

Hence the actual "decoded" proportions are:

N=1.5
P=1.74
K=4.15

Transfered to a more common "nutrient solution" content, where 150 ppm of N is assumed, it would be:

N=150 ppm
P=174 ppm
K=415ppm

Compared to some "common" tomato formula, this is rather off-track, isn't it?

Hey Lucas -

You drive the point that I made in the pepper post. I had my lettuce and nutes tested at a lab and found serious deficiencies. No wonder I'm pulling my hair out. I agree with your comments and have decided (sadly after all the money sitting in my nute arsenal) to abandon the Botanicare products. I am going to look for a very proven and balanced formulation like Jacks or Chem-gro supplemented with Cal Nitrate and Mag Sulfate. I think it will provide all the nutes I need moving forward.

It was a good run while it lasted. I have a smaller hobby system that I may continue to play with the remaining Bontanicare organics.

If you have a preferred nute product, I'm all ears.

Thanks again for ALL your input. You are helping me confirm the issues I've been dealing with for some time now.