Critique/Modify my bubble/aero cloning solution

Vonkins

Well-Known Member
Dechlorinated water
5 ml/gal Earth Juice bloom
2.5/gal Earth Juice Microblast
10ml/gal Earth Juice Catalyst (molasses)
5 ml/gal dyna gro protekt
15ml/gal dyna gro kln
10ml/gal hygrozyme
4 tsp/gal og biowar root pack
This is the first time i won't be running a sterile res. Seems like a sterile res is harder to control. I could be totally wrong. My new solution should be full of beneficial microbes. I heat this solution to 72-75 degrees with 3 8 inch airstones in my bubble cloner. I figured this same solution would be just as good in my aerocloner as well. I have 3 12 inch airstones in there along with my eco plus 633. I only noticed one problem with my bubble cloner. The froth from the airstones bubbling seems to block the spray from the bubbles bursting in the solution. The froth is simply bubbles to so I could be wrong. I have had terrible success with bubble/aerocloning. When I first got my bubble cloner it was perfect, then it got to were nothing would root. I'm trying this solution in the bubble cloner first just because I know everything is clean and it only requres 1.5 gal of water vs 15 gal in my aerocloner. Don't want to be wasteful in case this solution doesnt work. I have new air line and stones in the bubble cloner. Cloner was cleaned with bleach 3 times and rinsed thoroughly. I can say that after 3 days my ph is staying fairly stable with no slime or soft stems what so ever. Please chime in so I can get the aero/bubble cloning down.
 
Last edited:

dstroy

Well-Known Member
Dechlorinated water
5 ml/gal Earth Juice bloom
2.5/gal Earth Juice Microblast
10ml/gal Earth Juice Catalyst (molasses)
5 ml/gal dyna gro protekt
15ml/gal dyna gro kln
10ml/gal hygrozyme
4 tsp/gal og biowar root pack
This is the first time i won't be running a sterile res. Seems like a sterile res is harder to control. I could be totally wrong. My new solution should be full of beneficial microbes. I heat this solution to 72-75 degrees with 3 8 inch airstones in my bubble cloner. I figured this same solution would be just as good in my aerocloner as well. I have 3 12 inch airstones in there along with my eco plus 633. I only noticed one problem with my bubble cloner. The froth from the airstones bubbling seems to block the spray from the bubbles bursting in the solution. The froth is simply bubbles to so I could be wrong. I have had terrible success with bubble/aerocloning. When I first got my bubble cloner it was perfect, then it got to were nothing would root. I'm trying this solution in the bubble cloner first just because I know everything is clean and it only requres 1.5 gal of water vs 15 gal in my aerocloner. Don't want to be wasteful in case this solution doesnt work. I have new air line and stones in the bubble cloner. Cloner was cleaned with bleach 3 times and rinsed thoroughly. I can say that after 3 days my ph is staying fairly stable with no slime or soft stems what so ever. Please chime in so I can get the aero/bubble cloning down.
If it's just for cloning, and you don't veg plants in it then ditch all of that stuff you put into it, that's asking for trouble and long rooting times.

You could maybe put the rooting hormone back in, and maybe a little bit of a veg formula if your tap water is low ppm < 100.

I've used aerocloners since I started, and have had 100% success rate with tapwater (two different locations), and clonex and tapwater. (the only part of my garden that can be called truly successful)

I'm still a newb, but what I do seems to be in line with what the manufacturers recommend, which is tapwater, maybe a little bit of nutrients < 400ppm and a sterile res.
 

JSB99

Well-Known Member
Dechlorinated water
5 ml/gal Earth Juice bloom
2.5/gal Earth Juice Microblast
10ml/gal Earth Juice Catalyst (molasses)
5 ml/gal dyna gro protekt
15ml/gal dyna gro kln
10ml/gal hygrozyme
4 tsp/gal og biowar root pack
This is the first time i won't be running a sterile res. Seems like a sterile res is harder to control. I could be totally wrong. My new solution should be full of beneficial microbes. I heat this solution to 72-75 degrees with 3 8 inch airstones in my bubble cloner. I figured this same solution would be just as good in my aerocloner as well. I have 3 12 inch airstones in there along with my eco plus 633. I only noticed one problem with my bubble cloner. The froth from the airstones bubbling seems to block the spray from the bubbles bursting in the solution. The froth is simply bubbles to so I could be wrong. I have had terrible success with bubble/aerocloning. When I first got my bubble cloner it was perfect, then it got to were nothing would root. I'm trying this solution in the bubble cloner first just because I know everything is clean and it only requres 1.5 gal of water vs 15 gal in my aerocloner. Don't want to be wasteful in case this solution doesnt work. I have new air line and stones in the bubble cloner. Cloner was cleaned with bleach 3 times and rinsed thoroughly. I can say that after 3 days my ph is staying fairly stable with no slime or soft stems what so ever. Please chime in so I can get the aero/bubble cloning down.
You may be over thinking this a bit. Straight, unbalanced tap water, in a clean bubble Cloner is all you need. Throwing chemicals at it probably won't help. To increase your odds, use uncontaminated RootTech Cloning gel on new cuttings.

If you browse around, I doubt you'll see anyone trying to root clones using this much work, especially the seasoned growers.

One thing I had a little trouble with was giving too much light to the clones. Too much light will cause the clones to try and grow, instead of root. I use a single T8 daylight floro, about 12" away, and it works well.

Also, don't worry about using dechlorinated water. Makes no difference. In fact, it might help keep your res clean.

The number of airstones is overkill. Just use one or two to get some bubbles popping on the surface.
 

Cold$moke

Well-Known Member
Imo thats too much for cloner...... and i thought i put some shit in mine.

Tap water phed or plain Will do Just fine.

Currently im using a mix. But im not new to this.

But im only adding 4 things and testing for specific results.

My defalt has always been plain well water 150 ish ppm @ph of 6.

It sounds like a good recipe for gunk stew.
Not to be mean but u must have a good baseline before you go tweaking stuff.

Cause then you wont knownwhich thing gave you the gunk :)

Whats hard about putting 4-8 drops per gallon of bleach every 3 days?
 

JSB99

Well-Known Member
Imo thats too much for cloner...... and i thought i put some shit in mine.

Tap water phed or plain Will do Just fine.

Currently im using a mix. But im not new to this.

But im only adding 4 things and testing for specific results.

My defalt has always been plain well water 150 ish ppm @ph of 6.

It sounds like a good recipe for gunk stew.
Not to be mean but u must have a good baseline before you go tweaking stuff.

Cause then you wont knownwhich thing gave you the gunk :)

Whats hard about putting 4-8 drops per gallon of bleach every 3 days?
To add to what cold$smoke said, you can root clones with plain ol' unbalanced tap water in a plain ol' glass. This takes practice and learning from others, not a chemical brew. I can't recall reading anything like what you're doing, which is an indicator that it's not only not necessary, but it distracts from the actual problem.

Even though I've rooted clones with no additional additives, my most successful cloning method is as follows:
  1. Using alcohol sterilized sheers, take your cuttings at a 45° angle
  2. Lightly scrape a little of the stock, near the cut, to expose a little more flesh
  3. Dip the cutting in RootTech clone gel
  4. Fill your bubble Cloner* one or two inches below the level of the cuttings, with plain, unbalanced tap water (unless you have really hard water)
  5. Keep a single CFL or Floro tube 12" above the cuttings, and put them on an 18/6 light schedule
  6. And finally, leave them alone to do their thing. PATIENCE is essential!
*With a bubble Cloner, the rooting gel doesn't wash away right away, so it has time to work. If using an aero-cloner, don't bother with the gel because it'll wash right off. Instead of gel, you can add CloneX cloning solution to the water. But, plain tap water will also work, but may take a bit longer.

Take a look at some vids, from Jorge Cervantes, on YouTube. He doesn't use anything special, but obviously has years experience.

Hope that helps!
 

Cold$moke

Well-Known Member
^textbook way to take clones. :)

Ive done it all ways from being like a scientist to pinching it off with my fingers and tossing in a bubbler lol.


The only thing ill add to JSB99s post.

Is take your cuts from your plant and immediately drop in a cup of water.

This prevents embolism. ....

Get all your cloner nets plugs ect. Together and ready before you cut your cup full of cuts


Then do what JSB99 said but ill add.
That after you take your cuts out of the cup of water and scrape your stem. .

Then cut at least 1/4 inch off fhe bottom and IMMEDIATELY dip the cut in Rooting compound.
This also helps with embolism

Heres the tips for using clonex with a sprayer set up.

Is leave the cuts in a plastic sandwich bag
(i use these so im not contaminating my bottle never dip in the bottle)

Leave the clone to soak up some of the clonex
While you get your plug and net cup.

Then scrap another cut and swap out the cut in the baggie this way the cut is sitting in the clonex for a min . It will wash off in the system but not too immediately. Especially if you have your mist just kissing the stems.

But as jsb99 said no rooting compounds are really necessary in these set ups but can help trigger roots a bit faster especially in hard to clone varieties
Just my 2
 
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