building a good cloning machine!!??

[slowthestone]

A little light is OK, but remember light on the roots stunts growth.

I've noticed that, even though theres no photo cells, the roots tend to shy away from light as much as foliage bends over backwards to reach it.

I like that the roots have more vertical development in the process. I mean to only transplant them but one time. Doing that at 21 days.




I really dig being able to exchange info around here! :thumbsup:

[Opie Yutts]

slowthestone:
You are probably fine. I don't think that it will hurt much. I used to do it that way in sport drink bottles, and everything worked out fine. Once I started reading up, everyone said "no lights to the roots.", so I started using yogurt containers. I know what you mean about seeing the roots; that was really cool watching them first appear, and growing too.

some after thoughts about the cloner:
Most people say something like change the water every day for the first three days, then every three days after that. Some also worry about the temperature. I do neither and enjoy about a 99% success rate. I don't even check PH (once they're in the cloner) or anything else like that. I suppose if I wanted to follow everyone's advice I could get a 100% success rate, but to me it's not worth the effort. I just clone a couple extra, then I feel like crap when I have to throw good ones away.

If you want to worry about temperature, you can buy either an aquarium heater or chiller, and a floating thermometer. Too hot and they will mold and rot, too cold and they will hybernate and take forever to root or not root at all. Search the forums for the perfect temp, since I forgot what it is. I started out with a heater in the bottom, but found that I didn't need it. Seems like my grow room temp is fine for cloning. I recommend not buying one and see how they do first, unless the cloner environment will be unusually cold or hot.

Watch out for mold. I've never seen any under the lid, but sometimes it's appeared on top within the clones. Pick off anything that is completely dead. The mold usually appears where dead or dying stuff is touching the lid. It's always been towards the end, so I just picked it out and tried to get more air flow to them, and they were fine. I think there is an anti-mold spray you can use too.

The above reminds me of an important step I left out: You must take off the lid at least twice a day and blow some fresh air over the clones (with your lungs, not a hair dryer) and into the lid before putting it back on. This will help prevent mold and rot, and give them some nice fresh air and co2 to breath. Also give them 1 spritss with the spray bottle unless you feel there is already enough moisture in there. If you can do it more than twice per day it would be better. More often means less chance of mold, but I do it twice each day and rarely (but occasionally) get mold. After the first roots show up, this is also a good time to start hardening. If you have some time to spare, leave the lid off for a few minutes, just until you see them start to wilt. Don't walk away for long, because it won't take long to see signs of wilt.

Happy cloning.

[Opie Yutts]

You know, sometimes I put a lot of time and effort into my posts and never really find out if it helped anyone. I enjoy it, but only if people find it helpful.

This time, could someone please respond if they decide to try my method? It wouldn't take long for you to drop a reply here saying, "hey thanks, that was really helpful and it worked out great," or "you suck!!!, your advice stinks and all my plants died."

[KHAN]

Thanks Opie I come back to find this thread and learnt a lot

[sacred haze]

The way that I clone is go out to wal mart and buy some rotting hormone and jiffy peat pellets with the greenhouse they come in. One clone per peat pellet and then in about 5 days they are rooted.

[Jdog7000]

Word.
I get 100% success with my Dyna Grow gel and Humidity Dome.
Sometime one wont root.
Most are rooted in about a week.

[busteruk7]

hello everyone i have a question about the bubbler
im gonna make one i have all the materials for it like tub and lid and a cheap aquarium air pump
but the question i have is , when you insert the clones in the holes in the lid should they be submerged in the water or just above it
thanks
cheers all

[busteruk7]

bump

[Opie Yutts]

You do not want the stems in the water, even though they will still root this way. Some people put a cutting in a glass of water and that's it. The point of the bubble cloner though is to make a cheap version of an aerocloner, which produces some fantastic results. The distance above the water is not critical, and you probably won't be able to get them all the same. Some lean over a little and this is ok. Some stems end up curling and putting themselves on the roof of the cloner and they root too. I try for about 1 to 2 inches above the water. You just want the little sprits from the bubbles popping to fly up onto the stems and eventually roots once they appear. This should happen throughout the space above the water. You need to have a little moisture ending up on the roof of the cloner or the water level is too low. Eventually some roots may grow into the water and that's ok too. Good luck. Glad your trying it. Keep us posted.

[chrisdl805]

just saying thanks Opie for your shared info, great advice!