drumsinttown
Well-Known Member
Don't know if there is anything on here like this posted.... But i thought since I have gotten a substantial amount of help already from these forums, I would share something I learned from the guy who used to manage a branch of general hydroponics where I live.
I was actually lucky enough to be a handy man for a dispensary owner who decked out his basement. He brought in this guy to consult and I had the priveledge of building a 30,000 dollar room and getting paid for it. It didn't suck, as I got to leave my 8 hour day working for him and go home and build my set up with his knowledge
Now, like a dick, I am sweating trying to learn patience in soil.
Now I am an organic guy at this point.... Except for my propagation.... and considering the amount of nutrients I end up feeding hydroponic before transplant, it is almost negligible....
The one that I run is good for about 20 clones, but the one that I built was designed for about 250. You can scale this up or down as you see fit.
This is by far the most effective cloner I have seen using rockwool for the cost and accessibility of materials.... You can buy every single component for this at home depot minus the water heater.
What this will require....
Fluorescent lights
Fountain pump
1/4 inch irrigation tubing
White plastic gutters and end caps
at least 10 gallon rubbermaid bin (or higher quality reservoir as you see fit)
Black painters plastic... Heavy mil preferred (you can use visquene if you have the money to spend)
Drip line manifold (http://www.rainbird.com/images/products/drip/emission/multi_xeri-bug_bg.jpg)
Something like that to distribute from the pump to multiple drip lines.
Aquarium heater.
2x3 or 2x2 or 2x4.... any will do
Adhesive velcro
Zip ties
What you are doing is building a box out of stick lumber to begin. should be about 1 1/2 feet deep by about 2 feet tall by about 3-4 feet long for a good 30 clone machine. just a frame .
You will also want to frame in some cross supports inside on the top for your lights to hang from
next I put in two supports running horizontally long ways just high enough that I can fit my reservoir underneath but low enough that when my clones are in the machine they have a little room to grow. Be sure that they have a slight downward angle in the direction you wish to flow water down into your reservoir. Put a couple of cross bars between the supports to attach the gutters to. Wrap all of this in plastic, leaving a hole for the gutters to drain into the reservoir.
You want to either paint the frame or wrap the entire thing in black plastic to completely cover the wood surface individually. My box has a plywood top on it to better support the weight of the veg chamber I built of a similar design on top at one point.
you are next going to wrap the entire frame in black plastic. I just used duct tape and staples to secure it.... Like wrapping a christmas present.
Next, cut off the entire section of plastic on one of the long sides. You are going to cut a peice slightly bigger for this hole and attach it at the top as a flap to open up the cloner. What I like to do is roll up a 1x1 length of wood on the bottom of the flap to weight it and keep the cloner shut but you can also use velcro if you so feel inclined.
Next, Cut three lengths of gutter for your trays and cut 6 short 2" lenghts of gutter. The two inch gutter lengths screw into the horizontal supports and hold the trays in place.
Attach the end caps to the gutter lengths and cut 3 lengths of
1/4 inch hose long enough to go from the top of the gutter to the reservoir with a good bit of slack.
Drill a few holes on the upper rim of each gutter going from the open end up to the cap. This is where you are going to insert zip ties to attach the hose to the gutter tightly. Don't zip tie too tight or it will cut off your hose's pressure. The hose should run up to the cap and just curve back so that it is pointing down the gutter from the top.
Next install your lights... Mine have brackets that allowed me to screw to some supports that I built into the frame. I like the T5s that you can daisy chain together without any wire nuts.
From there you put your reservoir in the bottom. Put your pump in your reservoir. connect your pump to the 1/4 inch distributor manifold. Hook up your drip lines, and put your aquarium heater in the reservoir.
I just cut a small hole in the side of the cloner for the wires to run out. Near the top so I don't get shocked.
Fill up the reservoir and turn it on.
I have never seen roots as good other than aeroponic mister, and those are just too much of a hassle for me. The heater not only warms up the medium but It creates 80-90 percent humidity combined with the gutters draining into the reservoir. it keeps humidity so well because it is like a little tent with the flap closed.
Note that I put a small tray to catch the drainage at the reservoir, as the splash became a bit of a problem.
This cloner typically roots my babies in 7 days
. The longest it has taken in there was 14.
Hope this was helpful. I am usually better at building stuff than telling people how to. Any questions... Let me know
I was actually lucky enough to be a handy man for a dispensary owner who decked out his basement. He brought in this guy to consult and I had the priveledge of building a 30,000 dollar room and getting paid for it. It didn't suck, as I got to leave my 8 hour day working for him and go home and build my set up with his knowledge
Now, like a dick, I am sweating trying to learn patience in soil.
Now I am an organic guy at this point.... Except for my propagation.... and considering the amount of nutrients I end up feeding hydroponic before transplant, it is almost negligible....
The one that I run is good for about 20 clones, but the one that I built was designed for about 250. You can scale this up or down as you see fit.
This is by far the most effective cloner I have seen using rockwool for the cost and accessibility of materials.... You can buy every single component for this at home depot minus the water heater.
What this will require....
Fluorescent lights
Fountain pump
1/4 inch irrigation tubing
White plastic gutters and end caps
at least 10 gallon rubbermaid bin (or higher quality reservoir as you see fit)
Black painters plastic... Heavy mil preferred (you can use visquene if you have the money to spend)
Drip line manifold (http://www.rainbird.com/images/products/drip/emission/multi_xeri-bug_bg.jpg)
Something like that to distribute from the pump to multiple drip lines.
Aquarium heater.
2x3 or 2x2 or 2x4.... any will do
Adhesive velcro
Zip ties
What you are doing is building a box out of stick lumber to begin. should be about 1 1/2 feet deep by about 2 feet tall by about 3-4 feet long for a good 30 clone machine. just a frame .
You will also want to frame in some cross supports inside on the top for your lights to hang from
next I put in two supports running horizontally long ways just high enough that I can fit my reservoir underneath but low enough that when my clones are in the machine they have a little room to grow. Be sure that they have a slight downward angle in the direction you wish to flow water down into your reservoir. Put a couple of cross bars between the supports to attach the gutters to. Wrap all of this in plastic, leaving a hole for the gutters to drain into the reservoir.
You want to either paint the frame or wrap the entire thing in black plastic to completely cover the wood surface individually. My box has a plywood top on it to better support the weight of the veg chamber I built of a similar design on top at one point.
you are next going to wrap the entire frame in black plastic. I just used duct tape and staples to secure it.... Like wrapping a christmas present.
Next, cut off the entire section of plastic on one of the long sides. You are going to cut a peice slightly bigger for this hole and attach it at the top as a flap to open up the cloner. What I like to do is roll up a 1x1 length of wood on the bottom of the flap to weight it and keep the cloner shut but you can also use velcro if you so feel inclined.
Next, Cut three lengths of gutter for your trays and cut 6 short 2" lenghts of gutter. The two inch gutter lengths screw into the horizontal supports and hold the trays in place.
Attach the end caps to the gutter lengths and cut 3 lengths of
1/4 inch hose long enough to go from the top of the gutter to the reservoir with a good bit of slack.
Drill a few holes on the upper rim of each gutter going from the open end up to the cap. This is where you are going to insert zip ties to attach the hose to the gutter tightly. Don't zip tie too tight or it will cut off your hose's pressure. The hose should run up to the cap and just curve back so that it is pointing down the gutter from the top.
Next install your lights... Mine have brackets that allowed me to screw to some supports that I built into the frame. I like the T5s that you can daisy chain together without any wire nuts.
From there you put your reservoir in the bottom. Put your pump in your reservoir. connect your pump to the 1/4 inch distributor manifold. Hook up your drip lines, and put your aquarium heater in the reservoir.
I just cut a small hole in the side of the cloner for the wires to run out. Near the top so I don't get shocked.
Fill up the reservoir and turn it on.
I have never seen roots as good other than aeroponic mister, and those are just too much of a hassle for me. The heater not only warms up the medium but It creates 80-90 percent humidity combined with the gutters draining into the reservoir. it keeps humidity so well because it is like a little tent with the flap closed.
Note that I put a small tray to catch the drainage at the reservoir, as the splash became a bit of a problem.
This cloner typically roots my babies in 7 days
. The longest it has taken in there was 14.Hope this was helpful. I am usually better at building stuff than telling people how to. Any questions... Let me know
