Aeroponic cloner questions

Microracer87

Well-Known Member
Ok getting ready to receive my aero cloner and had acouple simple question. I'm going to be using clonex rooting gel and rooting solution. Do I put some of the rooting gel in the water? I've read some places you do. Also I'm using house and gardens nute line so should I use some of the root excellerator in the water? Also some people say to use and air stone in the aero cloner to keep the solution mixed, is that a yay or a nay? Also read about using an aquarium heater what exactly should the water temps be? thanks
 

reefcouple

Well-Known Member
I use an aero cloner..

I reccomend rootech, but they are all close to the same.. I do go heavy on it and let it drip off the cutting into the water.. I usually dip twice (the 2nd one about 4-5 days after the first dip)..

No need to add directly to water.. You're gonna love your aero cloner!! I have a 100% survival rate with mine...

Once in awhile let it run with bleach water to clean thoroughly.. then let it run without the bleach for many hours, keep rinsing using clean water etc etc until all bleach is removed, let it sit for a day to dry for good measure.
 

Microracer87

Well-Known Member
So I should using the rooting solution though in the water right?(clonex) What about the roots excel.. when do I use that? And you let the mister run 24/7 right?
 

gcvt420

Well-Known Member
I never bothered purposely adding any gel to my solution...mostly because some will end up in there anyway. I try to keep my solution temp at 70° or below, which can be difficult when using a submersible pump. In other words, a heater wasn't needed. Opinions differ on the air stone idea. I've never used one because I think the pump and sprayers keep the water adequately oxygenated and mixed.
 

reefcouple

Well-Known Member
Yeah just use the rooting gel on the clones and the clonex in the water.. easy cheesy japaneesy!!! And yup, i keep it running 24/7/365 :)

also i highly recommend botanicaires cloning solution vs clonex.. I've used both extensively and have noted a huge difference in the 2... Big time..
 

Microracer87

Well-Known Member
Hmm to bad I just ordered new cloning gel. I'll have to try them next time. So the Roots excell I'll start using when I transplants them into soil i take it. Thanks guy +rep
 

pdillo

Well-Known Member
my aero cloner usually takes about 2 weeks to get nice roots w 90% of the cuttings, and thats just PHed tap water, no cloning solution… I've used clonex, and it worked fine from what I can remember… sped things up 3-4 days i seem to recall. I do a 2wk perpetual cycle, so I dont really need the hormones, but if yer in a hurry, gel wont hurt. Stinkbuddies.com has info on aerocloners and clonex as well.
 

xceptional

Active Member
man you could just hack cuts off with a pair of dull sissors and drop them in a aero with tap water and get a good number to survive, i've done it!


here is what i do. use some rooting gel and dip the cuts. this helps seal up the wound. i score all my cuts all the way up making perpendicular cuts to promote root growth in these areas.

i use a tap/ro mix only to keep the system from getting a hard water build up. when i run just tap it works fine (250-300 ppm) but then i get that hard water build up and it looks like crap. i'll switch to all ro now only because i installed one in my grow room so it will be easier to use ro now then to use tap.

KEEP IT COLD!!!! if you have temp issues freeze some 20oz water bottles and put them in the res morning and night. a hot res will prevent rooting! i had some cuts survive over a month in a cloner in a room that was 80 degrees and they never popped roots. as soon as i took them out of that room the popped roots in 5 days.

also use Vita Grow Anti- Wilt that stuff is amazing!
 

HARDBODYyadig

Active Member
So what have we learned here? You can pretty much do whatever you want to do with an aerocloner and it will work for you. pH'd/not tap water, gel/solution, nothing at all 24/7 spraying or 1min on/5min off cycle timed sprayer (what i use). Its really all up to whatever you think works best i'd say. I germed some seeds for 2 days, got a 1/4 inch of a taproot and put it in my aerocloner with a mixture of straight tap water and clonex solution. 9 days later I have this:



 

meowmix

Active Member
I have a homemade aero cloner and learned some important stuff.

first - I use clonex too, I just dipped them all in the gel as usual, knowing itd all get sprayed into the res. I thought nothing of this, they still get some solution. I was an idiot and didnt know I needed the clonex solution as well, so my plants are a lil ugly right now.

Second. Hydrogen peroxide. If there is any chance of any water seeping above the top of your container, AT ALL - Be sure to add hydrogen peroxide to your res. I am battling powdery white mildew, I cant seem to get rid of it, and it is not fun. Had no problem like this with dirt. If I press down on a Neoprene sleeve a little, I can see the moisture, so i know this is the source.

I know you want your res temp not to exceed 75 degrees for sure. Also ensure no light is getting through to your res. If your PH continually rises, you may have something growing in the res (light coming thru) - i had this issue and fixed it by correcting the light/thoroughly cleaning everything.

Get an aquarium thermometer. I know my res has been down to 60 degrees with no problems. You may not need the heater.

You're going to love the growth. I almost feel useless now since nothing is depending on me for water on a daily basis. lol
 

reefcouple

Well-Known Member
I have a homemade aero cloner and learned some important stuff.

first - I use clonex too, I just dipped them all in the gel as usual, knowing itd all get sprayed into the res. I thought nothing of this, they still get some solution. I was an idiot and didnt know I needed the clonex solution as well, so my plants are a lil ugly right now.

Second. Hydrogen peroxide. If there is any chance of any water seeping above the top of your container, AT ALL - Be sure to add hydrogen peroxide to your res. I am battling powdery white mildew, I cant seem to get rid of it, and it is not fun. Had no problem like this with dirt. If I press down on a Neoprene sleeve a little, I can see the moisture, so i know this is the source.

I know you want your res temp not to exceed 75 degrees for sure. Also ensure no light is getting through to your res. If your PH continually rises, you may have something growing in the res (light coming thru) - i had this issue and fixed it by correcting the light/thoroughly cleaning everything.

Get an aquarium thermometer. I know my res has been down to 60 degrees with no problems. You may not need the heater.

You're going to love the growth. I almost feel useless now since nothing is depending on me for water on a daily basis. lol
Make sure to never use the hydrogen peroxide before you have roots, you'll actually slow everything down and possibly kill the clone.. I used to do the same thing awhile back until i did a little more research.. But once the roots are about an inch long or so I start adding my hydrogen peroxide and they grow like crazy..

~cheers
 

Fluffyhead22

Well-Known Member
It's been 8 days and no roots. I didn't use clones root gel. Nothing no roots yet. How long should it take. Or am I dead in the water. I heard you didn't have to use anything
 

BleedsGreen

Well-Known Member
It's been 8 days and no roots. I didn't use clones root gel. Nothing no roots yet. How long should it take. Or am I dead in the water. I heard you didn't have to use anything
Let it go you don't need any additives, some will speed it up but not at all required, be patient young Jedi!
 
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