Doco's Mother/Cloning Cabinet

[dusto2k3]

i have a 6 times 2 feet. Works great. I use it with some T12 tubes as well.

[doco]

So think the new t5 HO 2feet times 4 would be enough to veg two or three plants?

I'm thinking of picking one up next week. Not sure if I should push for the 8 times 2feet if it will even fit.. Note have a small space so the the better 4 feet ones wont fit. Too bad too since they seem to be a better buy for the buck.

I think with additional T-8 side lighting ($15 a 2 bulb fixture) the 2' 4 bulb T5s would do the trick for a couple of plants. Kdspecial has a great cab going where he uses T5's...check his log out: http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?t=80001

I've only used this for a week so my opinion is based on limited experience but so far it's working fine - the plants are very healthy and the 120mm fans are enough to keep the cab cool.

BTW, I got my 4 bulb T5 for $140 delivered with 6500K bulbs - they also have 2700K flowering bulbs or you can mix them. I think thats a decent price for a genuine New Wave T5.

[canuck grower]

Hey doco, awesome cab! I'm putting one together right now and can use all the ideas and visuals I can get, so thanks for posting this here. I was thinking about some holes in the bottom since I have passive intake as well, and after seeing yours I think I'll do it for sure. My cab is for flowering so the rest of it should be fairly sealed and the holes are probably even more essential for me.

[doco]

Hiya Canuck - I'm glad if my experiences can help benefit someone else - all of my (minimal) knowledge came from others sharing here too.

One thing I have noticed is that when I light proofed the doors (just cause I didn't like the light coming through - this cab is just for cloning/mothering so I don't really need light proof) it did cause more negative pressure on the fan so I'm planning on drilling some more holes, maybe in the bottom front and back. You could also use a larger intake hole (like 4") and just use an 45 degree elbow on it to help keep the light out.

In the next month or so I am building another cabinet just for initial vegging after they are cloned and before they go into the flowering hut. It will hold 4 plants, two on top, two on bottom. Stay tuned......

Good Luck and Happy Growing!!!

[doco]

Last night I was in the hydro hut changing the speed controller for the fans when I dropped it right into the plants. When I started checking the plants for damage, I found one small lower branch broken off, about 6" in length from one of the beautiful Mango's.

I had wanted to experiment with cloning but not for a month or so and I really didn't have my new aerocloner gear setup yet...so this is Plan B.

I had the dome and rapid-rooters already and by a stroke of luck my Clonex has arrived by UPS that day. I first trimmed off some leaves near the node I wanted to plant, cut it with a razor diagonally, dipped it in the Clonex for 30 seconds and plopped it in the RR. I misted it with ph'd water (with a drop of Superthrive) and then misted the inside of the dome.

This morning the poor thing looked terrible, all wilted and sad. I misted again. Tonight (approx 20 hrs after the incident) it still looks sad but the stem isn't all wilted over so it may have a chance, I dunno.

I have never cloned before and have no idea how long it may take to recover (or die) but it will be a good learning experience in any event.

Any and all comments appreciated since I have never done this and can use all the help I can get!

[dusto2k3]

Doco, what i do is trim the fan leaves down to about half the size. It seems to work better. They look funny tho. Otherwise looks great. I cut off the little domes on the lid to the humidity dome however.

[canuck grower]

Maybe you were meant to drop it so you could try out cloning a little early? Cool coincidence that your clonex arrived that day. It's still green so that's a good sign! Best of luck to you and your accidental cutting. When she gets older don't tell her that she was a mistake or she might have psychological issues! :jointsmile:

[doco]

Hey Dusto, Do you think it's too late to trim off parts of the fan leaves? I'm at work now and once I get home tonight, it will be nearly 48hrs since the accident. What do you think? Also, should I have a heat pad underneath the tray?

[doco]

Well the clone still looks the same as it did last night but at least it's not worse.

Meanwhile I've been having fun with LST on the Jedi. When I had it pulled over to one side it just took up too much horizontal space so now I'm curling it back around into an "S". I'm gonna have this thing into a pretzel in no time!!

[doco]

The poor Mango victim/clone looks like it's going to make it after all. For the first few days it was pathetic and just limp on the tray. The larger leaves were curling up so I cut them all off except the top. A couple of days ago I fed her a few drops of 1/4 strength nutes and yesterday she raised up off the tray and looks like she is trying to stand up on her own. There is also some tiny new growth at the nodes where I chopped the fan leaves so I am encouraged.

Its only been a week and given the situation & conditions, I think she will be OK eventually. If I would have had the aerocloner setup and ready when the accident happened she would already be fully rooted and ready to transplant by now but I had to John Wayne it with what I had.

I'm pretty stoked actually...the flowering Mango's are doing great in the hut and this will become a new mother plant and I'll just flower the Troublemaker - it's too Indica dom for my tastes - with mothering space so limited anyway.

Another shot of the first-time LST experimental Jedi which is working great, and other of the Troublemaker bush.

I hope to start taking some clones from the Jedi next weekend. I need to end up with three good ones. That will put me on track to veg them for 4-5 weeks and put them, along with that TroubleMaker bush, into the flowering hut just about when the current hut grow is being harvested.