Strawberry in 3D-printed hydroponic tower — leaf discoloration + suspected root rot
Hi everyone! I'm a beginner running a 3D-printed vertical hydroponic tower on an outdoor east-facing balcony in the Seattle area. I started with strawberry plants and have run into some issues I'd love help diagnosing.
My setup:
- System: 3D-printed vertical hydroponic tower
- Nutrients: MaxiGro
- pH: 5.9
- TDS/PPM: ~1000 ppm
- pH/TDS monitoring: VIVOSUN pH & TDS meter
- Water temperature: Not measured (outdoor, no active temperature control yet)
- Location: Outdoor east-facing balcony, Seattle, WA (~3–5 hrs direct morning light)
Timeline:
- Photo 1 — Plants as received
- Photo 2 — ~1 week after transplanting into the tower
- Photos 3 & 4 — Today
Issues I'm seeing:
1. Leaf abnormality (Photo 3): Some leaves are showing unusual discoloration/markings. pH and PPM are both within normal range, so I'm not sure what's causing this. My suspicion: calcium and/or magnesium deficiency — I'm planning to add Cal-Mag to the reservoir. Does this look right to you?
2. Root concern (Photo 4): The roots look brownish and slimy — I suspect root rot. I've already done a hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) flush and added a small amount to the reservoir as a follow-up treatment.
What I'm planning to do next:
- Add Cal-Mag supplement to address the suspected Ca/Mg deficiency
- Try to lower the reservoir water temperature — I know warm water promotes root rot and reduces dissolved oxygen, but I'm not sure of the best method for an outdoor setup. Any practical suggestions? (frozen bottles? insulating the reservoir? something else?)
My questions:
- Does Photo 3 look like a Cal-Mag deficiency to you, or could it be something else?
- Does Photo 4 confirm root rot? Was the H₂O₂ treatment the right call, and should I keep dosing?
- What's the most practical way to keep reservoir temps down on an outdoor balcony?
- Any other red flags given my setup?
Thanks so much in advance!