DIY - Cheap-O Wick Cloner How-To

Heya People
I have noticed in searches some posts from people that have problems with propagating clones, so I figured I'd post my DIY wick cloner method, and see if I can help anyone out. It's not my original idea concept, but this is how I built/modified it. Its cheap, easy and literally idiot-proof.

Materials List
3 identical sized containers - Size/shape does not really matter, as long as they are the same.
2 packs of Tiki torch wicks, or something similar.
Perlite
Tools
Drill with bit slightly smaller than wick diameter
Knife/jigsaw â?? something to cut the container with
Scissors to cut wicks

1.) Paint one black (Omit if you can find dark containers) - leave a piece of tape on it when you paint it and then pull it to make a "window" so you can see into the bottom container at the liquid level

2.) Drill 12 (or 9 or whatever number, just symmetrical) holes in another one - slightly smaller than the wicks diameter. be careful when dirilling as I cracked mine a couple of times

3.) Cut the "lip" off the last container - the lip is used as a spacer so when you stack them, theres more room between the bottom of the top container and the bottom black container

4.) Measure and Cut the wicks to length and push them down through the holes you drilled, making sure they go all the way to the bottom of the black tub, touching it. Make sure the spacer is in between the top and bottom trays to gain more clearance/depth.. Measure twice, cut once. Wash your hands real good before playing with the wicks

5.) Fill the top container (now with wicks sticking out) to the top of the wicks with new clean perlite only.

6.) Fill the bottom container (black) with ph'ed water

7). Put the spacer on the bottom container and set the perlite filled tray on it - the wicks draw up the water and spread through the perlite til everything is the same wetness with perfect air content.This may take a couple of hours to initially wet the all the perlite. The wicks then keep it there as long as theres water in the bottom container.

And thats it.

Now its ready to load up with cuttings.
Poke a small hole in the perlite with a chopstick (or anything that is clean and makes a deep straight hole - paper clip, etc etc) dont poke all the way to the bottom of the tray, you want a little layer of perlite underneath the clone still.

Cut clones as normal, use rooting gel/hormone, insert in hole, and kind of gently but firmly push the perlite together around the stem.

Put in a warm place with a smaller cfl light on 24/7 checking water every few days until you get used to its consumption rate - only add ph'ed water if empty/very close to empty.

I set the entire unit on a $10 heating pad in a rubbermaid container with 1 13W T-5 floro tube - the water gets warm and is wicked up, as well as heats the bottom of the perlite tray gently - not too hot.. 80-85 ish perfect

If you need a humidity dome, the bottom of the cut-off container is a perfect fit (if clearish). If you need one, take the lid off once or twice a day for a few minutes to exchange air - no need to mist them, as you will see, the dome gets plenty of humidity. Start taking the lid off for a couple of hours each day, increasing the time its off during the last half of week two - called "hardening off" and toughens them up to live in not such a cushy humid atmosphere

In 10-14 days you should have rooted clones...gently tug on one that you see new growth/leaves on, and see if theres resistance at all. if so then "dig " out around it real carefully to check roots. If rooted then insert in your system

I put rooted clones straight into a rapid rooter or a 16 oz cup filled with my grow medium, and keep an eye on them - if wilting then mist/put in humidity dome til they get used to the outside, but I have not had this problem

I have found that I don't even need a dome anymore, which makes the clones stronger from the start. No reason to baby them, you want to weed out inferior ones.

Easiest way I've done it yet, - I don't even usually have to refill my reservoir but once if its been real dry out. This rooted clone is 8 days from cutting, and the other 13 all survived.

You can reuse the perlite as long as you washed your hands before messing with the clones and its pretty clean. I'm on my 3rd run with this perlite

Since I have started using this method I have 90-100% success (and the failures are usually due to a bad/weak cutting to start with.) and best of all, no misting/maintenance at all. I literally take cuttings and check them once at about 6 days to make sure they still have water.

Hopefully this helps some people out, and if you you have any questions or build one, post up and let me know how it worked out for ya! My total cost for everything, including the light, perlite and heating pad was just over $20 US

Thanks for all the great info and photos! I am just getting ready to do some clones...

The one or two questions I have...

How deep is the water in the black tray and how deep does the clear tray sit in the water? Is the water actually into the perlite or is there space between the water and the bottom of the clear tray? So that ONLY the wicks are touching the water?

thats really good im gonna make one soon thank you laters peace!

you don't want your water level too high, or the perlite will become the wick, and it can become too moist, imo...

you should have 1 1/2 inch as a resivoir, this is plenty; the wicks pull up the moisture, and the perlite soaks it in.

kp:p

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HighSeekerz

Thanks for all the great info and photos! I am just getting ready to do some clones...

The one or two questions I have...

How deep is the water in the black tray and how deep does the clear tray sit in the water? Is the water actually into the perlite or is there space between the water and the bottom of the clear tray? So that ONLY the wicks are touching the water?

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^Yep, exactly as KP mentioned. Thats why I made the spacer from the lip of the 3rd tray, to make that space between the clear and black trays larger

9 days in the cloner - almost forgot about them

11/11 success rate with zero maintenance/upkeep.