Clonex alternative?

I had been using Clonex in an aerocloner with pretty good success but it is very expensive. Especially when you are unemployed!!!

I am interested to read what RIU members think is a less expensive alternative??

There's quite a few out there that cost less than Clonex: Rootech, Dip 'N Grow, EZ-Clone, Olivia's, Earth Juice, etc. But, seeing as how Clonex is the only gel that's ever given me a 100% success rate, I'll stick with it despite the cost.

Buy the auxins in bulk here. http://www.super-grow.biz/IndoleButiricAcidPlantRootingHormone.jsp

Additional useful information: http://www.rooting-hormones.com/IPPS1009/IPPS_Presentation1009_VERBAL.pdf_VERBAL.pdf Gel is simply ausixins in water with cellulose added to cause the gelling. Gel formsa re made for cloning in soil. They most effective use of cloning auxins is the actual submergence and short term soaking of the cuttings in an auxin solution.

eBay Cellulose $3.99 : http://cgi.ebay.com/Microcrystallin...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2eaada557a

I use the Clonex solution not gel. I didnt think you could use a gel in an aerocloner

gcvt420 said:

There's quite a few out there that cost less than Clonex: Rootech, Dip 'N Grow, EZ-Clone, Olivia's, Earth Juice, etc. But, seeing as how Clonex is the only gel that's ever given me a 100% success rate, I'll stick with it despite the cost.

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With Clonex gel using Jiffy-7's I was reaching about a 90% success rate, I switched to Olivia's gel, it's a bit thicker stuff but... From there on out I reached a 100% success rate aside a couple times when I got to sloppy (overly stoned and tired). I havn't found any contradictory information on using gel's in an aerocloner, it'd seem to me as long as it's thuroughly mixed in the water it'd be fine. Note: I used an EZ-Cloner when I first started my medical grow, boy... I sure had trouble getting any roots. I did my cuttings dipped in clonex and put them in there spot's doing all the right methods (the bleaching, rinsing, and reverse osmosised water from my merlin)... Except I later found out light bloom fertilizer doesn't work so well to replace the rooting hormone in the water for the aeroponic system. My bad, too bad I got rid of it before I tried it the other way!

Also, manage your water an ambient air temps well with the aerocloner, keep a clear hood over those clones while managing humidity, and it's good to aireate the water with a stone or two.

Gel is just solution with cellulose added. It is nothing special. It is a small growers way of using auxins. A commercial grower or commercial green n house operator simply dips/soaks the entire cutting in an auxin solution. Auxins are hormones produced primarily in plant shoot meristems that stimulate root initiation and development. Auxins are transported down the stems to other plant parts. Apply the auxin to the whole cutting assures that the stem end is continually sent auxins down the stem as need to promote root development. It is the fast and easy method that mimic nature better than simply dipping the stem end. Which way worlks best. Dipping/soaking by far works best.

I know that some of the rooting hormones work well, but... Lately I haven't used anything at all! I do ph the water to 6.0 in the cloner (homemade ez cloner) but that's it with 100% success. It may just be these strains I have? or something else, but I use no powder or gels or solutions of any sort. Usually takes about 3 weeks from mother to being in flower with a 8 inch tall clone and they finish at about 18 inches.

Metalarc Lemon said:

I know that some of the rooting hormones work well, but... Lately I haven't used anything at all! I do ph the water to 6.0 in the cloner (homemade ez cloner) but that's it with 100% success. It may just be these strains I have? or something else, but I use no powder or gels or solutions of any sort. Usually takes about 3 weeks from mother to being in flower with a 8 inch tall clone and they finish at about 18 inches.

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I've never used anything but water and never had a problem cloning in aero with any strain.

That's quick for hormone free rooting. What strain, and about what age are the branches your cloning. ie new growth or older growth from the mother plants). What are you pH balancing with? Aerated RO water should be very near a 7 pH. From any particular place off the mother or is it a varied major chop off the mother(s). Even with good dipping the whole cuttings in a fairly strong concentration of mixed auxins and a small amount of ammoniacal nitrogen I only get it down to 12 to 16 days to roots old enough to take a low concentration of balanced nutrients. It then takes a week to ramp them up to intense lighting and full nutrients.

Your saying you do that with straight pH adjusted RO water and go to full lighting and fertilization at 12/12 in the same time frame.
Wow!

truthfully the dip and grow has given me the best results and the best part is that its prob the cheapest one you mentioned

jakeman311 said:

truthfully the dip and grow has given me the best results and the best part is that its prob the cheapest one you mentioned

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It is the most widely used method in the commercial industry and has worked very well for me for over 30 years. I have tried every method I have heard of and have found no better method. It is also as you say a very economical method. I know personally several dozen very large scale MJ growers who use the method exclusively and they have the resources and money to use any method but use the dip and soak method.