Problem cloningn with a aerocloner, need assistance.

I recently got a aeroclonr, it's a 3.5 gallon bucket with four jet sprayers and 8 (eight) sights for clones.I placed three clones in it and after day two one fell over at the base where it is inserted into the inert.It seemed as if the inner part of the stem washed out from where the nodes that got trimmed off were through to the forty five degree cut on the stem, I checked the other two and they were the same.I went to removing the one that fell over and the part of the stem that was in the inert just fell off.The rest of the stem seems okay so I retrimmed it above that re-aplied rooting hormone and stuck in rockwool.
In the aerocloner I used Schultz Starter Plus Root Stimulator solution as well as a very week solution of nutriants.Before placing the cuttings into the cloner they were treated withe Schultz Take Root rootting hormone powder wich washed off in the cloner.
If any one knows what caused the problem or just how to avoid the problem please reply.

stinky?

I'd say don't put nutes in there yet. I like using dip n gro, but a lot of the people using aero cloners don't use anything. The other reason for the plant drooping can be due to how close the light is to the plant. ONe overlooked point in cloning sometimes is light intensity. The plant can't handle a lot of light until it has roots. I also like using pure perlite for my cloning look up wick cloners. They work great as well.

Do you have a dome covering your plants?

It sounds like the stem just rotted away, but it's kind of unusual for it to happen in only two days. :wtf:

A tray, dome, rapid rooters and Clonex can be bought for around $40. Using those materrials, if you are as dumb as dirt you can get about a 50% success rate. If you can walk and chew gum at the same time, you should be able to get your success rate up to around 80%. If you can actually read and follow instructions, 95% - 100% success is possible.

I know that's not what you wanted to hear, but cloning in a dome with rapid rooters is almost foolproof, while your aerocloner obviously isn't. If you must stick with the aerocloner, get rid of the nutes and use some Clonex in with your water ...and make sure to use some kind of humidity dome.

PC :smokin:

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Originally Posted by PharmaCan

Do you have a dome covering your plants?

It sounds like the stem just rotted away, but it's kind of unusual for it to happen in only two days. :wtf:

A tray, dome, rapid rooters and Clonex can be bought for around $40. Using those materrials, if you are as dumb as dirt you can get about a 50% success rate. If you can walk and chew gum at the same time, you should be able to get your success rate up to around 80%. If you can actually read and follow instructions, 95% - 100% success is possible.

I know that's not what you wanted to hear, but cloning in a dome with rapid rooters is almost foolproof, while your aerocloner obviously isn't. If you must stick with the aerocloner, get rid of the nutes and use some Clonex in with your water ...and make sure to use some kind of humidity dome.

PC :smokin:

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Currently I got them trimmed repowdered(rooting hormone),put in rockwool and in a humidity dome.Hope they recover and it works.
Thanks though.The clonex is a solution or the cloning gel??

gel
and in my eyes gels are the best

Would adding Dina Grow K-L-N to the water in the aerocloner be okay?
Here's a link to the stuff,I'm not sure how to add a link so if this doesn't work then search it in ebay for details.

Dyna-Gro K-L-N 8 oz. Root Stimulator KLN 8oz Hormone - (eBay item 190161090708 end time Oct-15-07 16:10:30 PDT)

Clonex is a solution - you use it to soak the rapid rooters in. With a hydro set-up you would mix it with the water in the res.

I don't know what dyna-gro is - never used it.

PC :smokin:

Stop adding stuff to your clones. It may be one of your problems. The only way that you can kind of figure it out is to start isolating products. I also didn't think to ask. Did you clean your aero cloner before using it? Domes are a nice safety item as well. I just don't need them where I am. How are your clones doing since being under the dome with the rockwool? Are they in rockwool in the aero cloner?

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Originally Posted by lmdesade

Stop adding stuff to your clones. It may be one of your problems. The only way that you can kind of figure it out is to start isolating products. I also didn't think to ask. Did you clean your aero cloner before using it? Domes are a nice safety item as well. I just don't need them where I am. How are your clones doing since being under the dome with the rockwool? Are they in rockwool in the aero cloner?

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I'm not just adding stuff to the clones.I was following the directions that came with the cloner and if I'm correct it's better to add a rooting hormone solution to the water in the aero cloner.Since it was put in the dome, only one survived so far and it is on a tray with a dome cover.Simular to that of a cake container you'd get from the store when purchasing a cake.It seems to be doing kind of okay.I just ordered superthrive since Zandors cloning 101 states "You do feed them with a very week nutrient mix I use the GH 3 part w/B-1 or superthrive".It's in the forums if you'd like to check it out.As for the problem with the aerocloner I was thinking that maybe the sprayers might of been hitting it too hard.If any one agrees let me know till then I'm just sticking to rockwool and plain ole water.

Thanks for letting me know that clonex also gots a solution as well as cloning gel.I use to only see the clonex gel now that I searched for the solution I found it and will probably use it next time for clones.

Here are photos I just took of 36 White Widow clones in one tray.

Results speak for themself. ...and I get these consistent results week in and week out.

If you'd like to know the process I use, I'll be glad to tell you. However, if you aren't interested in following step-by-step directions, please don't waste my time.

Truly, cloning is easy. You just need to experiment a little and find a technique that works for you. If your aerocloner is shooting the spray directly on the cuttings, that could be your problem. I think that with that kind of cloner, the water should only be splashing on the stems, not hitting them directly. If you think about it, the cuttings have no roots, so what good is any water on the stems doing at first? Nothing more than keeping the stems from drying out - and that takes only moisture in the air. At first, the cuttings are using their leaves to intake the water they need for survival. For nutrition, they are eating their fan leaves. So, for the first five - six days, your primary focus should be to keep the upper growth thriving. You do this by providing a nice humid environment inside your dome. It is a good practice to mist the inside of your dome, rather than misting the plants. You'll get less rot that way.

BTW - I use Clonex solution @ 5ml/l w/ one drop of Superthrive. Nothing more - nothing less.

PC :smokin:

I've only used my bubble-cloner twice, but got 100% results both times ... I took my cuttings bare, dipped in Schultz rooting powder, and put them into Rapid-Rooter plugs ... kept the water level about an inch below the plugs ... NO light first couple days, 24-hours on the airpump ... ONE drop Superthive per gallon of water, for rooting ... 85-degree heater ... NO nutes of any kind ... I don't know if any of this pertains to your setup, but hope it helps :smokin:

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Originally Posted by the image reaper

I've only used my bubble-cloner twice, but got 100% results both times ... I took my cuttings bare, dipped in Schultz rooting powder, and put them into Rapid-Rooter plugs ... kept the water level about an inch below the plugs ... NO light first couple days, 24-hours on the airpump ... ONE drop Superthive per gallon of water, for rooting ... 85-degree heater ... NO nutes of any kind ... I don't know if any of this pertains to your setup, but hope it helps :smokin:

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That helps out alot. I'll try it as soonas the superthrive I ordered arrives.I'll only use one cutting first to make sure that it works.Thanks

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Originally Posted by Grow_4_us

That helps out alot. I'll try it as soonas the superthrive I ordered arrives.I'll only use one cutting first to make sure that it works.Thanks

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... Superthrive is the most over-hyped stuff in the world, but it does aid in rooting, so it's useful for cloning ... one drop per gallon, the stuff is concentrated ... :smokin:

Some people do use a weak nute solution. Yet, in your case you don't know what your problem is yet. The nutes aren't taken in by the plant until there are roots. Don't use the nute solution in order to remove some of the variables. The reason for the weak solution is to keep the plants growing once they root at maximum speed. Once you have cloning down, you can add things and see how they work. That's the reason for removing the nute solution. Cloning isn't hard but you just have to see what works for you. Using a rooting hormone will speed rooting up but it's not needed. Yet, I would definitely use a rooting hormone. In many cases the longer a plant takes to root, the more likely that the poor little cuts won't make it. I'm not trying to be mean to you. I am trying to allow you to better organize your variables and see what's going on in your case.
Nice looking widows Pharma!!!

Problem solved.I stopped the Schultz Starter Plus root stimulator and just went with superthrive and added the little bit of water with slight bit of liquid bloom fet in it that I soak the cut tip of the cuttling in after taking it also still used the rooting powder hormone..I know have already had two of the cuttlings sprout roots and three sre forming them.Thanks.

Glad to see you found a technique that works for you.:thumbsup:

Good luck with your new grow!

PC :smokin:

Goes to show you should take the advice of people that have done it dozens of times, regardless of what your directions say. NO NUTES. Why do I have to keep typing it?

I too enjoy 100% success in my DIY cheapo aerocloner. I don't use rapid rooters however. I take a cutting, dip it in powdered rooting hormone, and put it in the cloner. The solution in the cloner has a very small amount of B1, in my case SuperThrive. Most of the powder gets washed off, but some remains, which cannot help but be beneficial. Within 10 days there's usually 3 or 4 inches of big fluffy roots. I have the bubbles on 24 hours until the first signs of roots show up, then 5 minutes on, 45 off. Water level below the roots by 2 inches or so. Extremely low level of light, like one small fluorescent.

Also if they rot, temps may be too high. Good luck. Please send pictures.

Don't forget to scarify. It'll double your roots, at least.