Ficus binnendijkii 'Alii' prefers bright, indirect sun; moist, but not soaked soil; extra humidity can be provided by a humidifier or a tray of pebbles beneath the pot, but don't let the pot sit in the water as the soil will wick the water and root rot is fatal. The dark patches may be "sunburn" from getting too bright sun or from lack of extra humidity or a combination of the two. Keep spraying those stinking spider mites! Those stinkin' bugs...I too have an infestation now. Good luck!

"Do you still believe the amount of the topsoil is causing water retention?" I really do, yes. Topsoil/garden soil quickly compact and hold water so tightly in containers that it will not drain. You could easily have a perched water table of 4-6" depth at the container bottom. For perched water, water movement in containers, and container soils in general, follow the embedded link. This saturated layer of soil at the container's bottom will be completely anaerobic & will promote many species of rot bacteria. Since there are no roots in this soil, it is virtually guaranteed that water will not drain until the water slowly diffuses & is used by the plant or eventually evaporates (some through the walls of terra cotta containers. I think what I just related also explains your question about over-potting, but if you're still unclear on that issue, you can ask here or on the thread linked to. "... when You say "remove as much soil," do you mean any sort of soil attached to the roots when the tree is taken out?" Yes - remove enough soil to allow you to see that the roots are firm and white/tan. All rotten parts of the roots should be removed. If none are rotten (I'm pretty sure this is your problem, though) disregard what I said & return the plant to the pot. "Another issue would probably be the removal of the tree from the pot as this is not a small tree and the root was a foot+ long (deep) when I planted it in to this container so I am not sure how this would play out." First, determine that root rot is the issue. Granted, now is not the ideal time to repot a ficus (btw - you should include your USDA zone and state in your user info - it's very helpful to those offering advice) ;o) but you should look at repotting as a necessary emergent remedy to rotted roots - if no root rot, it's a non-issue. Ficus are very genetically vigorous, and the plant will tolerate a lot of abuse. I grow at least a dozen species as bonsai and the root work I do would be considered extremely radical by some, yet they quickly recover, hardly missing a beat. "When you say "plant to the smaller pot and flush the remaining soil," do you mean to basically wash the root+soil?" Yes "If so, that would be an insurmountable task given I live in an apartment (bathtub is my only choice)." So do it in the tub then. ;o) The root mass will be as small as or smaller than it was before you potted up - so probably not as unmanageable as you think. The purpose of flushing the soil (flush 4-6 times after you saturate it with a volume of water approximately equal to the volume of water the container is in. The purpose of this exercise is to flush out soluble salts from fertilizer and tap water that have accumulated in the soil. These salts, when their levels get too high, prevent the plant from taking up water and the nutrients dissolved in it. This inability to absorb water can cause the plant to die of thirst in a sea of plenty. It actually causes a drought response - yellow, falling leaves. "What kind of fertilizer I must use for this type of tree and time of the year?"Easy to find, are Miracle-Gro 24-8-16 granular all-purpose fertilizer, or Miracle-Gro 12-4-8 liquid. Both are 3:1:2 ratio fertilizers and a very good choice for trees in containers. "I don't have smaller container and frankly the original one was way too small to handle tree of this size." Your tree - your call(s). I guess you're going to have to decide if you trust my judgment or not - and how far you're willing to go to nurse the tree back to good vitality again. I have several dozen perfectly healthy Ficus & lecture to bonsai and other garden-related clubs regularly about their care, if that makes any difference. "What is a "fast soil?" One that drains quickly, is durable/structurally stable, and is well aerated (see the link above). "I've noticed more and more of the leaves are starting to displaying withered (brownish) trait at their "tips" -- not all but enough to grab your attention. Does that signify anything?" If the leaves were falling as a result of a light issue, they would prolly lighten in color & fall when they are evenly green or yellowish green. Marginal (leaf edge) and tip necrosis generally signifies a drought response caused by one or more of: a high level of salts in the soil, under-watering, or over-watering. It could also indicate a nutritional deficiency or toxicity, but it's far less likely than a drought response. Al

I see you just posted your question to another thread addressing the same issue. Did you read through it? When did you last fertilize? with what? what strength? is leaf loss manifest in oldest leaves only? There are many possibilities. The most common cause of defoliation in benjamina is a reduction in the amount of light the (individual) leaves receive. Leaf loss can even occur when the tree is not really resited, but only turned so the side of the tree that was exposed to the brightest light is shaded by its own foliage. The likelihood is, it's related to your watering habits and is likely a drought response. A drought response can be precipitated by an increasing accumulations of soluble salts in the soil from fertilizer and/or irrigation water, under-watering, or over-watering. BTW - your watering habits should change/adjust, as the plant uses varying amounts of water with changes in cultural conditions and as it moves through its annual growth cycle. You should not water on a schedule, but on an "as needed" basis. Water when the soil feels dry at the drain holes. Each time you water, you should water thoroughly so the soil is well-moistened. Return a few minutes later and apply more water so that 10-15% of the total volume of water applied flows out of the drain holes. The first watering allows some time for the accumulated salts to go back into suspension and the second watering flushes the soil of the dissolved salts. High levels of soluble salts in the soil inhibits the plants ability to take up moisture, causing both water (the drought response) and nutritional deficiencies. If you cannot water in the manner I described because you fear there will be subsequent root rot issues, your soil is inappropriate. If you describe your watering habits & answer the fertilizing questions at the top of my post, we should be able to get pointed in the right direction. Al

As I said in your other post.... You’re over watering if you’re watering on a set schedule and can still detect moisture deeper in the pot. How much light does it get? What part of the world are you in? Repotting in December isn’t advisable if you’re in the northern hemisphere as this would be the time of year the tree is at its weakest state. Lastlg, did you fully repot or just pot up (where you only add new soil to the bottom and sides)? If the later, the extra layer of soil is likely helping to drown and smother the roots. If you potted up, I’d get it back in it’s original pot for now. Don’t fertilize now while the tree is in this state. A 10-10-10 fertilizer is not a good choice for this tree. A 9-3-6, 12-4-8, etc has the correct NPK ratio. read through these: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1476078/ficus-trees-in-containers-iv?n=223 http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/2842847/container-soils-water-movement-and-retention?n=8