Aero cloning machine on the way, should I bother with rooting agents?

[caregiver420]

I'm a dirt grower but I'm going to be cloning in aero and moving to dirt once root growth starts.

Some years back I briefly used a so-called aeroponic cloning machine, and I recall having an almost 100% success rate with using nothing but distilled water in the thing. This one was built out of a 5 gallon bucket and the streams it sprayed out were pretty solid and stationary, but it worked like a charm.

With that experience I'm making this one much slimmer, as it will be built out of two flat 7 gallon 'Tupperware' style tubs - one lower reservoir with an airstone in it and an upper reservoir with the sprayers. This is not DWC, it's aero sprayers up top with a heater and air-stone in the lower reservoir for extra oomph.

Does this kind of cloning system just kick so much ass that it can initiate rooting without the use of fancy gels and other rooting agents? I don't mind if 1 out of every 10 of the cuttings don't root since I only plan to use 18-21 of the 30 I'll be able to fit in the thing at once (plan to donate any extras that take to the local medicinal co-op).

Anyone else here clone in aero without chemicals? If the opinion is that I should use chemicals, which products work best with this kind of system?

caregiver420 Reviewed by caregiver420 on 01-05-2010. Aero cloning machine on the way, should I bother with rooting agents? I'm a dirt grower but I'm going to be cloning in aero and moving to dirt once root growth starts. Some years back I briefly used a so-called aeroponic cloning machine, and I recall having an almost 100% success rate with using nothing but distilled water in the thing. This one was built out of a 5 gallon bucket and the streams it sprayed out were pretty solid and stationary, but it worked like a charm. With that experience I'm making this one much slimmer, as it will be built out of two Rating: 5

[caregiver420]

I'm an idiot and I can't seem to figure out how to edit/delete my previous post.

Some of the details of the cloning machine have changed, but my inquiry regarding the necessity of cloning solutions/gels/powders is still something I'm curious about.

[Deejay2163]

I would advise to use the cloning gel and superthrive.I usually put a couple drops of cloning gel in the water of my cloner also ,just for good measure.

[tinytoon]

Nothing or nobody says anything has to be put in water to clone something. Hell when I was a kid we use to take cuttings of house plants and stick them in a coffee cup on the window sill with just tap water in it to get roots. Cloning gels, powders and solutions are not required but have been proven to AID cuttings in producing roots. Superthrive is Basically a vitamin booster that aids in stress relief and making uptake of basics easier for the plant. If you want to try and cut down on the time it takes to get roots from your clones and also possibly increase in success rate then use the additives. If you just want to use that ol coffee cup you can do that to. there is no set in concrete way to clone just a bunch of different roads that end up going to the same place.

[couplescaddy]

Hey brah, right meow i'm cloning with an ez cloner 60 site and just been using the roottech cloning gel on the stems, put them in there, wait 10-15 days, and cash money comes out. no solutions needed, but if you wanna get a little more aggro on the rooting, you can use the Clonex solution, comes in a black bottle, works like gold. Not really necessary, but it'll keep the green in the plants and help them stay healthy and reduce stress.

hope this helps!

[caregiver420]

Thanks for the advice and experience, everyone! I grabbed a quarter ounce of the root-tech gel to try it out.

Cloner ended up being 38 sites and a 10 gallon reservoir. I'm excited to get its first generation of babies going!

Next project: endomycorrhizal inoculant...