2 problems with the hydro plant: 1: brown dots on ...

Problem 1- Brown dots are calmag or rather WERE calmag issues if the new growth is absent of said dots.. in December, because of growing in solution, calcium, magnesium and iron can get locked out easily and quickly. Maintaining a pH at 5.8-6.0 for veg and 5.4-5.8 for flower as well as water changes ever so often ( timing is dependent on the size of your rezivoirs and number and size of plant(s) per rezivoir. ) Solution ppm should be 800-900 for hard veg, 500-600 for early veg, and 1050 to 1200 ppm for deep flower. When changing out water, aim for a ppm lower than max to leave room for calmag between water changes. I usually go by the 2 top up change method, when the equivalent of the whole rezivoir has been added through watering, ex 5 gal bucker, over 1 week I've added 5 gals of water to keep levels right, then I do a water change, sometimes the same procedure will take 2 weeks to occur,. Depends on how much water the plants are transpiring. Problem 2. Vertical stems are a genetics and high speed growth acceleration that is inherent in DWC systems.. technique I use involves removing the base fan leaf by bending it down against the lower trunk till it snaps clean off at the base rather than cutting it.. this ensures that when the stem is bent out, there isn't a leverage point occuring against the leaf stem which causes the branch to split as in your pic, (don't worry though, they heal quick). Give it a good week to heal before attempting another bend, and brace the base with your free hands thumb and index finger. Also, allowing them to stretch a bit more first andor bending less and more often over a longer period of time... Happy growing! Keep it Green.