help an old head update his process

probably my first post, hello
been here a few years but reading has never failed me, guess im trying to aquire a few different perspectives about certain critical processes ive never been anything but satisfactory on.I have a very good comprehension of growing n soil both indoor and out over the last 30 years...that probably my comfort zone but im 100% indoor at this point and trying various strain based on what I read here.

a couple questions if you don't mind:

Cloning - all my buddies have roots in 5-9 days , I might take 15 clones and over the last 2 years the same process yields me a 15% success rate or about 2 per 15 equally shoots. I sed to average 80% success and I was never the best father but I got it done. City water ph? its the only thing I can think of that's changed....well water.vs.city water - ive used fish bowel water stabilizers/ ph tabs that act like alka seltzer but im not sure it helps on any significant level nor do I see much different when I incorporate an air line into the tray.

acidic soil-
prolly from the water as I use a nice fox farms organic blend or ocean forest but by the time im in mid vegative stage the leaves start wacking out it seems gratuitous amounts of lime seems to correct this....any harm in using plenty...nut not to much lime.

being a lifelong stoner there really isn't must that impresses me...GSC or blue dream good but not ass kicking....im looking for a strain that makes you forget you still have the bat in your hand./...any recommendations. thanx for your time to type a response.

Are you cloning hydroponically, with a bubble cloner?

Bud Tipps said:

Are you cloning hydroponically, with a bubble cloner?

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no im afraid I come from an era in which there was no bubble cloner and the old ways worked as well or better...simple grodan cubes and a tray of water...when the water gets low I add some, a few days later most shoots have rooted. something changed over the last 18 months and the success has been crap using the same method. the only thing I can think of is water ph but I never tested it b4 so I don't have a sample to compare to...what would be the optimum ph? different strains seems to be either clone friendly or unfriendly as well.

Is there unknown contaminants, like mold or some bacteria microscopically messing with your clones that you just can't see? Also, most cities have municipal water reports available to the public, you can try searching one to see quality reports. Ppm of total dissolved solids and ph should be in there.

R.o. water, aeroponic cloner,calmag(30ml per 4gal is my ratio)..roots in 7,beards in 10-14..
Use promix...p.h. problems gone ime..
Look for a good sativa...I suggest Kali mist,sugarpunch,the REAL blue dream( sat Dom),or a good ol skunk...

forenzsick said:

no im afraid I come from an era in which there was no bubble cloner and the old ways worked as well or better...simple grodan cubes and a tray of water...when the water gets low I add some, a few days later most shoots have rooted. something changed over the last 18 months and the success has been crap using the same method. the only thing I can think of is water ph but I never tested it b4 so I don't have a sample to compare to...what would be the optimum ph? different strains seems to be either clone friendly or unfriendly as well.

Click to expand...

Never heard of grodan cubes. But if there are similar to Rockwoll or root riot plugs sounds like you are putting to much water. Just keep the medium moist never wet with standing water. And warm!

I bought and airoponic cloner and switched back to plugs. May take a few extra days but goin into dirt is easier with cubes or plugs IMO. I can't remember losing a clone.
Humidity dome. Root riot cubes. Heat pad underneath dome. Also a rooting hormone will help

never heard of Grodan cubes? Forenzsick, we were also having trouble with our clones (approx. 30-50% success rate). It was very irritating. We're out in the country in Oregon and are on a spring-fed well, not city water. At a local garden store we mentioned this to them and they said not to use well water for clones or seedlings. There is too much metal in the water coming off the mountains unfiltered. Well, there is a filter, but apparently not good enough. Anyway, we switched to straight bottled water for about a month and were instantly up to 80-100%. Now we're using a R/O filter on our house and everything is gooooood.

forenzsick said:

no im afraid I come from an era in which there was no bubble cloner and the old ways worked as well or better...simple grodan cubes and a tray of water...when the water gets low I add some, a few days later most shoots have rooted. something changed over the last 18 months and the success has been crap using the same method. the only thing I can think of is water ph but I never tested it b4 so I don't have a sample to compare to...what would be the optimum ph? different strains seems to be either clone friendly or unfriendly as well.

Click to expand...

I hate to have someone make a major change from something that used to work and now does not so well....

With that said.....I have never been a fan of Grodan cubes/plugs......Even so. I suggest you move to use only RO water for your cloning. In Grodan I would target my pH to 6.0 and you seem to have a handle on it from there.
BUT
If the problem continues with the Grodan.....I suggest you switch to Root Riot plugs and RO water at 6.5 pH. Any feed would be the same as the rockwool.
I also suggest if you don't.....Use a seedling heat mat....That could up your success rate also.

This one is my fav.
https://4hydroponics.com/hf-seedling-heat-mat

Good luck man! Always nice to see another "old timer" about..

Doc

Oh snap, I almost forgot about part 2....

I might suggest Ghost cut OG from Dr. Greenthumb, Run it out long and you get "stupid gas" weed as one patient calls it. You will forget what you were saying mid sentence!

http://www.drgreenthumb.com

Black Russian from Delicious seeds. Don't be fooled by the claim of 80% indica, as the high is very Sativa influenced and you can get 2 pheno's from the seeds. One being way more Sativa like in structure but with the shorter grow time of an Indica.....another patient favorite in the "makes you stupid" catagory, just like above.....

https://www.cannabis-seeds-bank.co.uk/delicious-seeds-black-russian/prod_408.html

Try those for what your looking for in effect.

Doc

Here is a lot of ideas..Try an experiment and add mycorrhiza to your cubes a few days before you insert the clone so they are pre colonized. I assume you are using a screwdriver to prepare the hole so it goes 3/4 of way into cube. Sometimes the hole In grodan cubes are not that great. Try bottled spring water. To reduce waterlogging "throw" the cube in the shower repeatedly so centrifugal force removes the water. This is better than squeezing out water. Make sure your trays are on a shelf not on floor. Put hygrometer and thermometer in tray under dome to monitor RH and temp. Try adding B1 to water. Try cloning in pure perlite. Make sure if you use rockwool you presoak and pretreat/flush them in ph neutral water, some batches are different than others. Many towns are switching from chlorine to chloramine. If using tap water use SeaChem to remove chloramine and other problems with tap water instantly. Make sure you are only taking cuts at fresh green growth not old woody growth. From the 2 sucessful clones make one your new mother, retire the old woody mom by flowering her. Put the second clone in veg and acclimate it to outdoor light to make it stronger and healthier. Make sure your dome has vent holes you can experiment with. Try root riot plugs and other mediums. Change cloning gels, try no cloning gel. try 45 degree angle cuts, notch cuts, etc. cut to pretreated cube as fast as possible. This video is great and shows 3 ways to clone.


Good luck.