Indoor/Outdoor Hydro - Comments Welcome

This is going to be focused on my Indoor/Outdoor hydro plants.

Stats:
Nighttime Light - 600W HPS (air cooled) + 2 - 65W Fluorescent
Fox Farm Nutes
Dutch Master Liquid Gold / Penetrator Foliar Sphray
Tap Water
Cardboard Reflectors (made from mylar)
2 - 5 Gallon buckets, painted black and covered with aluminum back tape

During the day, I move the plants around the yard to maximize the amount of time spent in the sunlight. So, they are usually in the sun from about 7-7:30 AM to 6:30-7:30 PM. I also set up a couple large reflectors around the plants to reflect extra light towards the plant. At night they get moved into my shed for the night under the lights.

I'm in SoCal and I've tried this before and had trouble with the heat. But that was before I covered the buckets in the shiney tape. Since then, the buckets stay a lot cooler, however, we have a long way to go until the hottest summer months come.

Plants:

The really big dwc plant is Pre-98 Bubba. I've had it for about 1.5 months, got as a clone. I started leaving it outdoors 24/7 about a week ago to induce flowering. I have noticed more pistils and a stronger odor, so I think its getting a long enough dark period. pH = 6.0, ppm 1750+-.

I did actually burn a couple leaves on this guy the other day; reflected too much sunlight onto it in combination with the foliar spray (which by labeled direction is supposed to be applied when the plant will be in direct light for at least 3 hrs, counterintuitive).

The smaller dwc is OG Kush. I got that as a clone plant 2-3 weeks ago. Its been under 24/7 lights since then. pH = 6.0, ppm 1500

I have a few soil plants going too, pictured is a Blue Dream. It's soil mixed with homemade comepost. I was having some pH issues with it earlier, but I think its mostly resolved now as I've noticed the plant is starting to take off.

Finally, these pics are pretty bad. I took them to illistrate the amount of light these suckers are getting, and honestly, I couldn't really see what I was taking pictures of, it was too bright. Tomorrow, I will take some better, clearer pics.

great plants hope the bud is great to

New Pics.

Big Bushy plant - pre 98 Bubba - 12/12 for about 6 days
Smaller plant - OG Kush

The potted plant is Blue Dream.

Pic updates.

I changed the res for Pre-98 Bubba. Running it at 1600 ppm 6.0 pH with FF Nutes.
The OG Kush is running at around 1300 ppm and 6.1 pH, and its almost time to change its water. I have a bucket of 1500 ppm 6.0 pH ready to go.

I also bought an aquarium filter with suction cups that ive been placing in my different res's and its doing a nice job picking up broken roots.

I've also taken pictures of a Blue Dream and a Night Shade clones that I got last week. They had a little trouble adjusting to the setup but seem to be stabilizing now. pH is still a little out of whack though, around 6.9 and 7.8 respectively.

Pic Updates.

Pre-98 Bubba is about 10 days into flower. Smell is noticably stronger (but still pretty faint). I'm getting the nutes up to about 2000 ppm, pH = 6.0.

The OG Kush plant (smaller of the bigger plants), is really starting to take off. I'm running its nutes at around 2000 ppm right now too, pH = 6.0.

My two new clones are doing much better. I've had very bad luck with clones and rockwool in the past, so this time, I carefully removed it from the rooted clones. They were flopped over, but are now recovering very nicely. pH for 1 is almost at 6, and pH for the other is almost at 6. PPM running at appx 500.

I also applied the Liquid Gold Combo spray on them this morning. Thats one thing I really look forward too as it really makes the leaves much more perky.

Pic Updates.

OG Kush and Pre-98 Bubba are doing great. Both are running around 2200 PPM and pH is 5.9. Applying the foliar spray again today, waiting for the sun to come out.

My night shade (not pictured) decided to keel over yesterday, not sure, why. I dropped the nute level and raised the pH a little in hopes of reviving it, but it still looks very sad.

My Blue Dream (smallest plant pictured) is doing fantastic and will be looking a lot like the OG Kush in a week or so. Nutes are about 800, pH = 6.1.

Looking great man. I'll be following this thread. I've thought about trying outdoor hydro myself.

Go for it man. These are by far and away the best plants I've ever had. And theyre growth rate is insane.

Couple tips I've found so far...

Don't use white buckets (even if you paint them black). Doesn't work, get black buckets. Also, wrap the buckets in foil tape. This will reflect sunlight that hits the bucket, and reduce the amount of res heating. lol, and defintely don't convert your plant to hydro at the same time you move it outside, that will be bad.

Also, I'm finding that my roots are really loving the tap water showers I give them. I notice the roots always get whiter after the shower. I'm thinking it works 2fold by washing away an loose debris and also the low level of chlorine should help steralize the roots. Either way, I am noticing a difference, and it is helping my roots stay healthy. Any thoughts on this?

Pic updates. Applied my Liquid Light again today. I eased down a little on the amount since I keep burning the leaves applying too much sunlight with my reflectors.

Anyways, I've dropped my pH a little, keeping it at a constant 5.8, checking twice a day. Nute levels for both the bigger plants are running around 2400 PPM. And they look happy as hell.

I wasn't sure if the flowering stage was taking foot, so I've started putting my plant in darkness around 7PM and I can see a major difference in the buds now starting to fatten up a little.

Also, I think my lids were letting in some light, so I layered the top with cardboard, and covered the cardboard with aluminum foil tape. I then took some dark fabric and stapled it the underside of the lid to help form a good light seal. It seems like its a lot darker in there now. I am going to watch the cloth for mold/mildew because it is getting damp.

Plants are doing great. The Pre-98 Bubba is now starting to grow buds. It's extremely dense with leaves. Nutes are around 3000 PPM and pH is about 5.7.

The OG Kush is now growing VERY fast. It's looking bushier everyday. I've been tying down the branches on the plant to make it extra bushy. PPM is at about 2500 and pH is about 5.9.

I think I lost my Night Shade clone, not really sure why. But I clipped 3 branches off of another Blue Dream that I have, and stuck them into a single 5 gal pot. The other blue dream that I already had in Hydro is really starting to take off. PPM = 1000 and pH is around 6.1

Buds are starting to come in on the pre-98 bubba. It does look like crap from the sun burn, but it is doing great, see the bud pic. I've been putting a lot of bottled ice in the tank lately, and I can really tell the roots appreciate it, lots of new, bright white sprouts growing out of the brownish mass. Nutes are around 2500-3000 PPM and pH 5.7.

The OG Kush is freakin fat as hell. I snipped off 3 branches to go for clones, I'm going to let it grow another week or so and then put her into bloom. Currently, I have her flattened out to about a 3ft wide x 2ft deep x 6-8" tall, wicked SOG. Just using twine to tie it down to the lid over and over. Nutes I've cranked up to about 4000 PPM and pH is at about 5.7. Interestingly, I would say the OG Kush, which is getting 24/7 light smells much stronger than the Bubba; I can't wait to put this baby in bloom.

Also, is a pic of a Blue Dream. It is starting to take off. Nutes are around 1200 ppm and pH is at 5.7. I predict in about 2 weeks, it will look a lot like my OG Kush. hehehe.

Finally, a pic of some new Blue Dream Hydro clones I took from another plant. They got a little dry today, hence the droopiness, nothing a little water won't fix (I hope). I through them in some pH'd tap water and will start moving the pH down once I see they have recovered.

I do have 3 pre-98 bubba clones going now, didn't feel like taking a pic, but I assure you, they look fantastic.

So Bubba Kush is about 3 1/2 weeks into bloom and looking great. Roots are really starting to recover from the bout of root rot I had earlier. Nutes are around 25-3000 PPM and pH is about 5.7.

OG Kush is doing fantastic. I just made a halo out of 2 metal clothes hangars, layed it over the plant, and used it to do some LST/SoG. This one plant is now about a 3ft diameter circle x 8'' thick. Nutes are around 45000 PPM and pH is about 5.7. I'm going to Veg it for another week or so and then put her in bloom. So excited for this one.

So its been a little bit since I last posted. I have family in town, so I'm going a little stealth right now.

Pre-98 Bubba is doing really good now. My pH kept dropping over the 4th weekend, and I didn't have any pH up, so I had to wait until Monday to go get some. Blah. Anyways, its doing much better now, pH is around 5.5, still trying to raise it up to 5.7-5.8, PPM is around 3500.

OG Kush is looking a little droopy, not really sure why. I'm hoping its an root oxygen issue, I did notice my "airstone" (which brings me to another point, see below) had come loose and was floating at the surface. PPM is around 4500 (pulled back from around 5500 and was doing fine), and pH is about 6.0. I'll be putting it into flower as soon as my family leaves.

The original Blue Dream is now doing great and is in full growth mode. PPM is about 1600 and pH is about 5.7. I've started LST on it, won't be long until it looks like my OG Kush, hehe.

Finally, the OG Kush and Blue Dream clone transplants are doing OK. Not roots yet though.

Oh yeah, and has anyone else had a hard time finding the 6" long blue airstones? I can't find them anywhere; I've been to a couple different Walmart and pet stores and can't find them. Only the stupid 1" white nobs that float to the surface. I had to buy mini suction cups with hooks on them to stick them to the bottom. But then they get dislodged sometimes and float to the surface, slowly drowning my roots.