All-in-one DIY Aero Cloner/Veg/Flower Systems.....

All-in-one DIY Aero Cloner/Veg/Flower Systems.....

Good day and how do all.........

I've posted numerous DIY's for my cloners,
Well.........
I built another smaller one again, and i built Veg and Flower systems too...
So instead of doing a seperate DIY for each of the systems,

I'll just do an All-in-one!.... it'll be 3 posts, one for each... updates will follow with growth pics....


So, First we gonna build the cloner.

Parts....

- 4' 1/2" black poly tube
- 4 1/2" 90's
- 3 1/2" T's
- 35 1 1/2" Neoprean plugs (i found they were too thick so i cut each into 2, leave 1 full size to hold cords tho)
- 12 Red misters
- 1 Pump (i used a 240gph)
- 1 Air Pump with Stone
- 1 Jug (i used a Rubbermaid Roughneck 68L 2'x16"x16")
- 1 Roll of Weather Stripping

Tools....

- Knife
- Drill
- 1 1/4" hole saw (yes i mean 1 1/4", by the time it's drilled it'll fit the 1 1/2" Neoprean puck, learned that the hard way)
- Long sharp pin

Step 1....

Figure out ware you gonna drill the holes on the lid, i used 35 (34 for plants and 1 for cords)
What i do is put the amount of pucks ya want to use on the lid and start moving them around till it works for ya,
Then, using a sharp pin of some sorts, poke thro the centre of the puck and make marks for all your puck centres,
Try not to move any pucks till you well past markin them, just incase you knock things out wack,
Remove all the pucks and with the lid on the Jug, to contain the mess, start drilling your holes,
After all holes are drilled it's time to trim the edges, just use the tip of the knife, it follows curves better like that,
Now the Lid is done......oh ya, empty the drilling leftovers into the trash, so eacy just dumping the jug!








Step 2....

Time to make the Mister system, it's only a cloner so needs to spray everyware,
I won't go into Tubing lengths to much because it all depends on pump size and jug size/depth,
The idea is to have the actual mist just hitting the bottom of the stems....
Figure out how big ya want the main sprayer bar,
Mines about 16" x 8" with 2 T's in the centre of the 16" runs attaching to a nuther T with a 1/2" tube holding it all up from the Pump,
Secret to remember when working with rolled tubbing,
When putting everything together, if you make the bend face the outside, not up or down, it will be straight in the end!
I put 2 Misters per section of tubbing, 6 sections.
this part can be a pain if you use to small a Pump, so exspariment, if the misters barley work, you need bigger pump....






Step 3....

Run a nice line of Weather striping around the top of the jug.....




Step 4....

Place the pump into the jug,
connect the sprayer bar and get it and the pump lined up,
Figure out what 1 1/4" hole on the lid the cords are gonna be feed thro,
Feed the pump cord thro the lid hole and put the lid on,
Feed the Air line and Stone tho the same hole,
Take the big Neoprean plug and put it in the hole with the cord and air hose in it's centre....






Step 5....

Put all the Neoprean plugs into there holes and get it fired up so you can aim the misters for best coverage,
To aim misters, you just turn them a bit and check again, real eacy but real WET too, so be ready to get wet...





Step 6....

Well, this step is up to you, get some clones, put them a few inch's downin the pucks, and have fun!
I do Suggest that use just water in the cloner tho, seems to work best.....
i also find i have best luck with the Pump runnin 24/7....





I will post Daily updates when i get it stocked, don't need no clones for a bit tho....



...........................................................................

Now, onto my Vegative Stage Aero system,
I use it to Veg my lady'z for a few weeks before they go into the 12h system...

Parts....

- 8' 1/2" black poly tube
- 4 1/2" 90's
- 1 1/2" Rubber Gromet
- 1 1/2" tap end
- 6 Sprayers (spinners)
- 1 1" drain fitting
- 1 Pump (i used a 240gph)
- 1 Rez (i used a Rubbermaid 50L Double Hinged Storage bin)
- 1 Main grow Jug (i used Rubbermaid Roughneck Hinged storage box 32" x 20" x 16")
- 1 Sheet of Coragated Plastic to fit as the jug's top (or you could use the lid)
- 24 3 1/2" net pots
- 24 3 1/2" Neoprean Plugs
- 1 Roll of Weather Stripping
- 6 Zip Ties
- 1 Air Pump with Stone
- 20' 2" x 2" boards for the frame (i used 6 - 8' lengths)
- 1 Box Screws for the Frame

Tools....

- Knife
- Hand Saw or Skill Saw
- Drill
- 3 1/2" hole saw (and ya i mean the right size this time, just how it works, don't know why, but learned it the hard way)
- 1 1/4" hole saw
- Screw driver
- 1/2" drill bit
- Duct Taper or what not so you can mark your holes
- Ruler
- Tape mesure

Step 1....

Build the Lid,
Turn the Main Grow Jug upside down on the Corigated Plastic and trace it out,
Cut it out and put it on top of the jug to figure your holes, on top so the mess goes inside the jug again, plastic just sucks cleaning up,
best to keep them inline for eaciest sprayer placement,
I found it made it eacier to put tape down and mark the centres up and down and across, basically a centred cross,
Align the pots so they will fit using the centre lines to space off of, leave room from the edges,
When they all look good it's time to pull out the ruler and figure out the spacing,
Remove the pots and lay more tape ware the marks will be and make your centre points to drill out,
Take your 3 1/2" hole drill and make all your holes,
Trim the holes up with the Knife, once again, use the tip and even lighter for this stuff,
Thats the Lid....






Step 2....

Build your Frame.

The jug will just sit in it, using it's edges to hold it up over the rez,
Eaciest to use the tape mesure and mesure the inside about 1" down from the top, then add a 1/4" to that number,
For the hieght, just put the grow jug on the rez and mesure it's hieght, then add 2" for clearence,
Make your mesurments, do your cut's and screw it together




Step 3....

Time for the Sprayer system,

With these Spinner Sprayers you wanna have them evenly spaced between pots and the spray just reach the bottom of the pots,
Turn the Lid upside down, mesure and cut your lengths so they fit between the pots,
I suggest using 1/2" couplers if the tube run bends to much, insert the couplers halfway,
I used a Squared U shape, in one end, to a 90, the a nuther 90, then into a tap,
When it's all cut to fit and put together, time to mark the holes on the upside down lid for the Zip Ties to hold the hose,
Put lines ware you gonna poke tro the Corigated plastic with the screw driver to insert the Zip Ties,
I suggest putting the Zip Ties ware the 90's and couplers are, tends to bend the Hose,
Patiently, slowly start tigtening the Zip Straps, make sure it's in place and finish tigtening it,
Now for Sprayer Placement, i used 1 sprayer per 4 potz, seems to give good coverage,
just make sure the sprayers are centred and tight,
And thats it for the Lid's Sprayer system, it'll be attached to the rest soon....
REGRETFULLY I ONLY TOOK A PIC OF THE SPRAYER BAR AFTER I HAD POTZ IN, SORRY....




Step 4....

Time for Water in/out holes in the Main Grow Jug,
Before you Drill any holes,
get it all setup in the frame to see exactly ware the holes need to be in order to match the rez,
You need 2 holes, 1 near the top on the side ware the Spayer Tube would connect and 1 in the bottom for the drain,
When you have the spots figured out, Drill a 1/2" hole for the Sprayer feed and insert the 1/2" rubber Gromet,
Drill a 1" hole thro the bottom for the drain, insert and tigten the Drain fitting,
Using something sharp again, scar the lid of the rez thro the drain fitting for the exact hole position,
That's it for the Grow Jug holes....






Step 5....

Getting the Rez Ready,
With the Rez i selected, it open's from the centre,
so i had to cut off a few overlap flaps off, and remove 1 sides Hinge Pin for single side access,
Then Drill a 1 1/4" hole for the Drain, you marked the spot in step 4,
Now Drill another 1 1/4" hole for the Pump and air hose,
rougly under ware the Pump line goes to the Main Grow Jug's sprayer line,
Thats it for the Rez....






Step 6....

Pollish it off....
Apply Weather stripping to the Main Grow Jug's top rim,
Put everything together and place the Pump,
Mesure/cut and attach the remaning Pump tubes, (90's on eithet end with 1/2" tubbing thro the 1/2" Rubber Gromet you installed in step 4)
Put the Air Stone in the rez and your ready to test it!
Fire it up and make sure it works good, once again, if all the sprayers don't pump good, get a bigger pimp!





I got this running now in the Room, so here's some pics of it in action.....










...................................................

And Now onto the Flower Aero system....
I will have 3 of these system in time, got everything for 2 right now,

Parts....

- 12' 1/2" black poly tube
- 6 1/2" 90's
- 1 1/2" Rubber Gromet
- 1 1/2" tap end
- 10 Sprayers (spinners)
- 1 1" drain fitting
- 1 Pump (i used a 440gph)
- 1 Rez (black poly 24" x 20" x 12" deep)
- 1 Main grow Tray (black poly 42" x 26" x 12" deep)
- 1 Sheet of Coragated Plastic to fit as the Tray's top
- 24 3 1/2" net pots
- 24 3 1/2" Neoprean Plugs
- 1 Roll of Weather Stripping
- 6 Zip Ties
- 1 Air Pump with Stone
- 22' 2" x 2" boards for the frame (i used 7 - 8' lengths)
- 1 Box Screws for the Frame

Tools....

- Knife
- Hand Saw or Skill Saw
- Drill
- 3 1/2" hole saw (and ya i mean the right size this time, just how it works, don't know why, but learned it the hard way)
- 1 1/4" hole saw
- Screw driver
- 1/2" drill bit
- Duct Taper or what not so you can mark your holes
- Tape mesure
_ Pin or Needle or something snarp

Step 1....

Build the Lid,
Turn the Main Grow Tray upside down on the Corigated Plastic and trace it out,
Cut it out and put it on top of the tray to figure your holes, on top so the mess goes inside the tray again, plastic just sucks cleaning up,
best to keep them inline for eaciest sprayer placement,
I found it made it eacier to put tape down and mark the centres up and down and across, basically a centred cross,
Align the pucks so they will fit using the centre lines to space off of, leave room from the edges,
When they all look good, it's time mark the centres, using a sharp pin of some sorts, poke thro the centre of the puck and make marks for all your puck centres,
Try not to move any pucks till you well past markin them, just incase you knock things out wack,
Remove all the pucks and with the lid on the tray,
Take your 3 1/2" hole drill and make all your holes,
Trim the holes up with the Knife, once again, use the tip and even lighter for this stuff,
Thats the Lid.... (i made 2 at once, seemed eacier to do it that way)






Step 2....

Build your Frame.

The Tray will just sit in it, using it's edges to hold it up over the rez,
Eaciest to use the tape mesure and mesure the inside about 1" down from the top, then add a 1/4" to that number,
For the hieght, just put the grow tray on the rez and mesure it's hieght, then add 2" for clearence,
Make your mesurments, do your cut's and screw it together




Step 3....

Time for the Sprayer system,

With these Spinner Sprayers you wanna have them evenly spaced between pots and the spray just reach the bottom of the pots,
Turn the Lid upside down, mesure and cut your lengths so they fit between the pots,
I suggest using 1/2" couplers if the tube run bends to much, insert the couplers halfway,
I used a Squared U shape, in one end, to a 90, then a nuther 90, then into a tap,
works best with the Tube length as short as posible,
When it's all cut to fit and put together, time to mark the holes on the upside down lid for the Zip Ties to hold the hose,
Put lines ware you gonna poke tro the Corigated plastic with the screw driver to insert the Zip Ties,
I suggest putting the Zip Ties ware the 90's and couplers are, tends to bend the Hose,
Patiently, slowly start tigtening the Zip Straps, make sure it's in place and finish tigtening it,
Now for Sprayer Placement, i used 5 sprayers beteween 6 potz, seems to give good coverage, just make sure the sprayers are centred and tight,
And thats it for the Lid's Sprayer system, it'll be attached to the rest soon....








Step 4....

Time for Water in/out holes in the Main Grow Tray,
Before you Drill any holes,
get it all setup in the frame to see exactly ware the holes need to be in order to match the rez,
You need 2 holes, 1 near the top on the side ware the Spayer Tube would connect and 1 in the bottom for the drain,
When you have the spots figured out, Drill a 1/2" hole for the Sprayer feed and insert the 1/2" rubber Gromet,
Drill a 1" hole thro the bottom for the drain, insert and tigten the Drain fitting,
Using something sharp again, scar the lid of the rez thro the drain fitting for the exact hole position,
That's it for the Grow Tray holes....







Step 5....

Getting the Rez Ready,
With the Rez i selected, it's one big lid, so i opted to cut it in half,
First Drill a 1 1/4" hole for the Drain, you marked the spot in step 4,
Now Drill another 1 1/4" hole for the Pump and air hose,
rougly under ware the Pump line goes to the Main Grow Tray's sprayer line,
Now i cut the Lid in half, i did some fancy cutting ware some lines went, but you don't have to,
Cutting the Lid in half makes for eacier access to it when under the Grow Tray,
Thats it for the Rez....




Step 6....

Pollish it off....
Apply Weather stripping to the Main Grow Tray's top rim,
Put everything together and place the Pump,
Mesure/cut and attach the remaning Pump tubes, (90's on eithet end with 1/2" tubbing thro the 1/2" Rubber Gromet you installed in step 4)
Put the Air Stone in the rez and your ready to test it!
Fire it up and make sure it works good, once again, if all the sprayers don't pump good, get a bigger pimp!








I got this running now in the Room, so here's some pics of it in action.....









.................... And those are my grow systems, i hope this DIY helps some peeps.....



......................................................................

I hope i Have covered everything, if there are any Q's just ask'm.........

man you got some serious time onyour hands. Looks killer hope they work well

You are my hero as of right now I am building my first 50 site cloner. I am very interested in your flower and veg systems. Do you think you could help me build a system that could flower 50 sites at a time. 2 Tables like u have for 100 total. I am setting up a SOG grow to start in august and I want to set up my flowering room with an aero setup
Thanks for all the help
Piggy

mrduke said:

man you got some serious time onyour hands. Looks killer hope they work well

Click to expand...

Thankz man, and i'm just using my vacation to make my rooms better and eacier to maintain, get a month payed off each year, started it all last year at this time, in soil tho... here's my journal if ya wanna look.. https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/107075-ak-47-x-super-silver.html
And sofar i've managed to kill a batch in Aero, but only cause i didn't check my rez before a 3 day trip... live and learn!

pigpen said:

You are my hero as of right now I am building my first 50 site cloner. I am very interested in your flower and veg systems. Do you think you could help me build a system that could flower 50 sites at a time. 2 Tables like u have for 100 total. I am setting up a SOG grow to start in august and I want to set up my flowering room with an aero setup
Thanks for all the help
Piggy

Click to expand...

Hay man, thankz,
and ya i can help ya with that, eacy, just put the pots closer!
I only chose to do 24 till i get the hang of it, Aerophonics i mean,
then i'm gonna advance to smaller pots and Lotz more!
Advantage to the eacy availibility and eace of use of the Coragated Plastic...
But i'm a soil man at heart, so takin it slowly....
SOG is my aim, but i wanna try less first in aero....

And the reason i did a veg system too is cause i'm gonna have 3 of those flower systems in the end, and don't have much room left after that! so i made something compact enough that'll only be used for a week or 2 at a time and not hog the Mother's space or vica versa... much eacier then 3 seperate room to veg at dif times...



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Right on epixbud! Well, you sure did this up first class!! +rep4u!! Those are some killer looking roots you have and will be so happy in the aero set-ups! I still use a bubbler(dwc) to veg, and I need this upgrade of yours. My cuts go from a diy aero-cloner, to a dwc veg unit, back to an GH AF20..... I really need to get the veg aero. this is a cool looking set-up and I think I 'll use your idea!!

Thanks for all the help you always are willing to share!!

gman

growinman said:

Right on epixbud! Well, you sure did this up first class!! +rep4u!! Those are some killer looking roots you have and will be so happy in the aero set-ups! I still use a bubbler(dwc) to veg, and I need this upgrade of yours. My cuts go from a diy aero-cloner, to a dwc veg unit, back to an GH AF20..... I really need to get the veg aero. this is a cool looking set-up and I think I 'll use your idea!!

Thanks for all the help you always are willing to share!!

gman

Click to expand...

Hay there growinman, Thank ya kindly sir.... And these setups all work awsome, had the flower and veg system going for a few weeks now, just didn't wanna post the DIY till it wuz all tested, but they work so now they posted!

And i'll tell ya, it's week 2 for the veg system and i gotta get the other flower aero system built and setup today, those vegging roots are gonna start tangling soon if i don't hurry up!


............................................

Hey, great posts.
Ill be using your designs as a base but refabbing it with PVC all through instead of that poly tube and changing a few other things.
Could you possibly supply me with what nutes you use in veg and flowering?
And what sort of yield have you gotten off that size flowering station?
What light are those plants under?
Also do you usually cut off the bottom of the net pots so that the roots dont tangle?

I've already built my first home made clone box just today and it works alright but Im going to redo it proper with a Rubbermaid Roughneck box instead of sterilite.

wtfh4xx said:

Hey, great posts.
Ill be using your designs as a base but refabbing it with PVC all through instead of that poly tube and changing a few other things.
Could you possibly supply me with what nutes you use in veg and flowering?
And what sort of yield have you gotten off that size flowering station?
What light are those plants under?
Also do you usually cut off the bottom of the net pots so that the roots dont tangle?

I've already built my first home made clone box just today and it works alright but Im going to redo it proper with a Rubbermaid Roughneck box instead of sterilite.

Click to expand...

thankz man.....

for the Veg and Flower i use Holland Secret Bada Bing/Bang/Bloom.....




as for a yeild, havn't finished a batch in the Aero yet so can't say, tho i wuz pulling 1LB out same amount in soil, so hopefullt Aerophonics lives up to it's self and makes more buds...

The lights i use are 600w HPS in light tubes, they stay cool enough that the lights can be kept about 4" over the canopy and no burns....

Cut the bottoms outa the potz? never herd of that, herd of net pots bottom breaking from the weight, but not people actually cutting the bottoms out, short of another plants roots strangling anothers out, the actuall netting on the pot won't hurt the roots...

And i must say, i have found Rubbermaid the best to use! Strongest and most Durable brand out there...

...............................

Good day all,

well here are some update pics of the cloner in action,
i had to cut back some moms yesterday so i used 8 tops and trimmed them up....

How i Prep my clones and what i mix in my Rez....

First i trim my clones all up and Pre soak them in a container with KLN Rooting Horomone for 1 hour,
it comes in concentrate form so use what the lable mix tells ya...
pre soak any longer and the stems suck in too many rooting nutz and take forever to send roots out!






While i'm waiting for the pre soak to finish,
i fill the Rez and add just a Teaspoon of Growzyme,
helps keep the rez and rootz healthy,
make sure the PH is between 5-6...
Fire the pump up, i run it 24/7.....

After the 1 hour pre soak, into the Neoprean pucks they go...








Thats all there is to that, don't ask me wich is wich in the clones, they are in the clones purly for the purpose of showing it in action, didn't lable them....

I will Keep updating so you all can see the progress of each....

..................................................................................

So when you put the plants into veg into those 3.5" nets, do they stay in the same net pots all the way through till harvest, or do you transfer them out of the 3.5" veg station ones and into flowering station ones?
And do you usually cut out the roots and reuse the net pots or just chuck em with the roots in em?

The reason why I asked about cutting the 3.5" ones is because I cut my 2" net pots in my cloner so that the clones fragile new roots dont get tangled in the net and break when transferring them to veg 3.5" pots. I think I wouldnt really care about the .50 cent cost of the 3.5" nets if the roots were too tangled at harvest to reuse.

Do you ever add any H202(hydrogen peroxide) to your reservoirs to prevent bacteria? if so what type and how much?

Edit- oh yeah, forgot about my trellis comment!
Also, have you thought about extending the 2x2" vertical wood corners to be about 3' above the flower stations cover and building a trellis?
I think it could help the plants add on some buds and not be stressed when their top heavy.
Would be pretty simple and I could show you some plans. Just make the base for it out of some drywalling metal and put some screws into it. Then tie string around the first screw and wrap aroudn to others to make 2"x2" trellis.

This will be my first time doing aeroponics, is there any other info I should know?
Some stuff about PPM or something?

wtfh4xx said:

So when you put the plants into veg into those 3.5" nets, do they stay in the same net pots all the way through till harvest, or do you transfer them out of the 3.5" veg station ones and into flowering station ones?
And do you usually cut out the roots and reuse the net pots or just chuck em with the roots in em?

The reason why I asked about cutting the 3.5" ones is because I cut my 2" net pots in my cloner so that the clones fragile new roots dont get tangled in the net and break when transferring them to veg 3.5" pots. I think I wouldnt really care about the .50 cent cost of the 3.5" nets if the roots were too tangled at harvest to reuse.

Edit- oh yeah, forgot about my trellis comment!
Also, have you thought about extending the 2x2" vertical wood corners to be about 3' above the flower stations cover and building a trellis?
I think it could help the plants add on some buds and not be stressed when their top heavy.
Would be pretty simple and I could show you some plans. Just make the base for it out of some drywalling metal and put some screws into it. Then tie string around the first screw and wrap aroudn to others to make 2"x2" trellis.

This will be my first time doing aeroponics, is there any other info I should know?
Some stuff about PPM or something?

Click to expand...

how do again wtfh4xx,

Yes i use the same pots all the way thro, i just transfer the pots from the veg system to a flower system when it's time, i only use the veg system for a few weeks, and the roots are way to tangled in the pots by then to seperate them, as for worring bout them roots, lol, they can go thro almost anthing anysize and be fine, plus leaving the neting on gives the plants more stability...

I personally reuse the pots till the break too much, cleaning them roots is noware near the pain and mess of soil, and if ya make sure you have more potz then you need then you can let the cropped pots dryout, and the roots basically wipe away!

Great idea on the trelis....
but i'm using a very simple trelis setup i made using Velcro Plant tie roll, made it so the velcro sticks together giving them each a 6"x6" square for support, just rigged it up today, looks promising and not in the way cause i ain't got much room in the flower room, not to mention i just setup the second flower aero system a few min's ago, so way less room now!

..........................

Nice! Im going to go buy all the stuff to build a new cloner and also a veg system.
That trellis setup was pretty smart, but will it hold up when the plants put on their weight?

Yeah, and with he pots only being 50 cents it seems easier to just buy new ones every harvest.

Ill put up some pics as I build.

thats a well nice set up ill have ago at it 2 looks amazzing... i'll defo give this a try if i get stuck man ill ask ya epixbud cheers

Just giving you a headsup, Im starting on my rebuild of the clonebox and a brand new veg right now. Ill be taking pics and putting it up to share.

I got basically the same system, you find you have leaking water where the weather stripping connects? I do.. it's enough to piss me off, but my system sits inside another rubbermaid so it just goes there... no-big-deal... Anyways just wanted to know.

wtfh4xx said:

Nice! Im going to go buy all the stuff to build a new cloner and also a veg system.
That trellis setup was pretty smart, but will it hold up when the plants put on their weight?

Yeah, and with he pots only being 50 cents it seems easier to just buy new ones every harvest.

Ill put up some pics as I build.

Click to expand...

Well, glad you gonna do cloner and veg system builds, look forward to sein some pics....

as for the trellis, it'll work fine, i use that same velcro stuff to tie everything down/back and up in my grow, and as it will only need to keep the plants from falling over, it'll take the wieght.....

JACQO said:

thats a well nice set up ill have ago at it 2 looks amazzing... i'll defo give this a try if i get stuck man ill ask ya epixbud cheers

Click to expand...

Well, good luck then sir, and ask any Q's you want, if i ain't got the answere, i'll try to find it out for ya!

Fuzzotany said:

I got basically the same system, you find you have leaking water where the weather stripping connects? I do.. it's enough to piss me off, but my system sits inside another rubbermaid so it just goes there... no-big-deal... Anyways just wanted to know.

Click to expand...

good day sir, and ya i've had that exact problem in the past, not recently,
had that problem with the first cloner i made, even made a Tray under it to catch the water....
the best way to fix that problem i found is to wait till it's not in use, Dry the rim and wash it well with alcohol,
and using some Emery Cloth, lightly sand all round the rim, just nuf to get the shinny off the plastic,
that'll give the weather stripping a way better grip and allow it to last longer,
i also found using a wide enough weather strip to just cover the rim,
trim it after it's on if you have too, but that seems to help it stay on longer too,
less places for water to sit around it and eventually soak thro...

I also find myself way choicier on the jugs i buy, try not to get a jug with holes in the bottoms of the handles, Thats a pain in the ass!




............................

here's some piture updates of the system today......

Clone






Veg, al tops cut a few days ago...






Flower








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