Diy bubble cloner question

Voidling

Well-Known Member
So I just want a little verification

I took one of those plastic shoeboxes from Walmart. Put two of the long square air blocks into it. End to end theyr3 as long as the tote.

I poked holes in the lid and put cuttings in.

Is that all that really needs to be done? Just wait?

Been 6 days and they all look like they did when first cut.
 

dbkick

Well-Known Member
probably take 2 weeks like that, some (including me) use a rooting hormone, temperature of the water plays a role in how long it takes to root.
 

Voidling

Well-Known Member
Yeah just came across the need for steady temps. I think an aquarium heater will be easier to find for me. Hope to get these.clones rooted asap
 

dbkick

Well-Known Member
another thing you may want to consider is adding a water pump and misters. Something like this. I built the one in the pictures for like 50 bux not counting neoprene inserts and net pots (with the bottoms cut off). Does the job with a hormone of some kind especially.
 

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Voidling

Well-Known Member
Two are in the water. The rest vary from nearly touching up to maybe a 1/4 in. It was an experiment started a week after putting cuts into coco. Lost 3 coco cuts so far. Need one clone of 10 plants for sexing and choosing.

I already have a water pump. Is it just PVC with holes cut in it?
 

dbkick

Well-Known Member
pvc with holes drilled and tapped with a 10/32 tap. the misters screw in, you can buy them at home depot. the best misters by far though are ez cloner replacement misters or something designed like that, less clogging but in a cloner there isn't much to clog the misters.
 

dbkick

Well-Known Member
I like coolers because they block out the light not to mention unwanted (in most cases) heat. The cloner I built in the photo above is a cooler not really for the insulation but to keep out light. I do switch it over to veg for a short time after roots are established so the insulation comes in handy there.
 

silverserf

Well-Known Member
Hey hey,

I would say keep them stems in the water I always do.

Make your cuts with a razor or exacto knife at an angle..to late now but next time.

Put a couple of slits in the stem...again to late now.

I use the rooting gel & powder..same results.

Try not to leave too many fan leaves as the plant will draw energy from them to live instead of growing roots.

If you just poke a hole in the lid you may have a hard time getting them out after there are roots on the end.

One of the best DIY tricks i learned here is to get a pool noodle and a hole saw attachment for your drill. Drill out a bunch of plugs, one per plant. Drill holes in the lid to match the plugs. Cut a slit in the plug so that it opens up like a pac-man, just cut from the hole in the center out. Put the cuttings in the plug so they are sticking out the bottom into the water...makes things a lot easier.

Cheers,
SilverSerf
 

Voidling

Well-Known Member
I cut at an angle but didn't make any extra cuts into it and did not use rooting gel on the ones that went into the bubble cloner. Trimmed back the couple of fans that I had left.

I've seen threads with the pool noodles, unfortunately it's only early spring and the store hasn't put those out yet.
 

silverserf

Well-Known Member
Ya, i had a hard time finding one when i needed one...stupid seasons...

styrofoam might work...if you did it right it could just float on the water keeping the level perfect all the time. THen you could just break it to get them out...

I cut the lid of my first bubble cloner up to get them out...but i let the roots go a little nuts...

I've had success just planting them with a tiny nub of a root started. Once they start to grow it doesn't take long for them to take off.

Cheers,
SilverSerf
 

LT1RX7 Drifter

Active Member
you can use a aquarium heaters but its kinda hit and miss as it takes time for the temps to stabilize between heat cycles, your better off running a pump just large enough to create the right amount of heat needed to keep the water at 68*, beside most aquarium heaters lowest setting is only 65*, if you size your pump to move 35-45 gal a minute for every gallon of cloner res capacity running a 1/2 pvc spray bar assembly with ez-cloner 360* sprayers.
 

Voidling

Well-Known Member
My cab is way to small to be putting in a reservoir of that size. I've got a little 6qt bin that I'm using. The aquarium heater is 78 I think. I read on others using that temp with the heaters, though they might of had bigger reservoirs. I have a 160 gph water pump, no idea what that'd heat the water up to though.

I'll have to see if I can find some stryofoam for a raft
 

dbkick

Well-Known Member
72-82 is good, colder is also good but it will take them longer to root. This is why I made my cloner out of an igloo cooler, I do want to maintain a precise temperature and its rock solid 73 . if I didn't cycle the pump the water would heat up way too much and I certainly wouldn't be in need of the aquarium heater I have in it. I run my pump on for 30 seconds and off for 3 minutes.
 

Voidling

Well-Known Member
Thanks. Throwing in the heater is easier than getting a minute timer and water thermometer and experimenting with times.if I had more space I could give it a shot. Will probably take new cuttings following tips people gave me here and my thread
 
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