flytrap007
Member
Heya Klx,
An update for you , and a further question!
Latest batch of clones put in the aqua cloner (which were put in late on the 17th) are now just starting to show root nubs on the two fastest to root strains after 4 1/2 days. And the system is still looking spotless. So it seems that problem has been over come at last thankfully.
Key factors for me seem to have been cleaning system properly and then setting up with clean water with 4-5ppm ( according to test strips) of chlorine/bleach. (still haven't got my hands on the Hydrogen peroxide).Water has been maintaned at 28degC, but was not PHed, nor any clone start type products added.
Failure on previous runs and the clone wilting continually experienced when pump was cycled off appears to be due to the slime that developed on the ends of the stems that I experienced when using non chlorinated water. I have since read elsewhere that this slime actually prevents the clones taking up water ( florists apparently also experience this with cut flowers). It seems that as long as the system is set up clean and kept clean, the clones do not end up with this problem. Where as if the system is not clean/sterile the slime very quickly appears and once its in its all down hill from there regardless of trying to add in any chorine etc after the slime appears.
It has also been interesting to monitor and view the clones cut ends under both scenarios with low power microscope - without bleach the slime was very quickly visible and you could not really see the vascular structure of the cut ends. Whereas with the chlorine the ends have stayed spotless and you can clearly see the structure.
Now the question, did you cut your own foam inserts for your net pots? Mine turned up yesterday and while the pots are exactly the same as yours, the foam inserts are not. The inserts that came with it are just cheap open cell foam which I can imagine causing problems - particularly at the cloning stage as the will be prone to becoming water logged. So I'm thinking to cut my own out of some neoprene.
But being lazy where ever possible *grin* I'd though i'd ask just in case you had manged to source some!
Hope things are going well for you and you are staying safe despite all the corona unfoldings.
An update for you , and a further question!
Latest batch of clones put in the aqua cloner (which were put in late on the 17th) are now just starting to show root nubs on the two fastest to root strains after 4 1/2 days. And the system is still looking spotless. So it seems that problem has been over come at last thankfully.
Key factors for me seem to have been cleaning system properly and then setting up with clean water with 4-5ppm ( according to test strips) of chlorine/bleach. (still haven't got my hands on the Hydrogen peroxide).Water has been maintaned at 28degC, but was not PHed, nor any clone start type products added.
Failure on previous runs and the clone wilting continually experienced when pump was cycled off appears to be due to the slime that developed on the ends of the stems that I experienced when using non chlorinated water. I have since read elsewhere that this slime actually prevents the clones taking up water ( florists apparently also experience this with cut flowers). It seems that as long as the system is set up clean and kept clean, the clones do not end up with this problem. Where as if the system is not clean/sterile the slime very quickly appears and once its in its all down hill from there regardless of trying to add in any chorine etc after the slime appears.
It has also been interesting to monitor and view the clones cut ends under both scenarios with low power microscope - without bleach the slime was very quickly visible and you could not really see the vascular structure of the cut ends. Whereas with the chlorine the ends have stayed spotless and you can clearly see the structure.
Now the question, did you cut your own foam inserts for your net pots? Mine turned up yesterday and while the pots are exactly the same as yours, the foam inserts are not. The inserts that came with it are just cheap open cell foam which I can imagine causing problems - particularly at the cloning stage as the will be prone to becoming water logged. So I'm thinking to cut my own out of some neoprene.
But being lazy where ever possible *grin* I'd though i'd ask just in case you had manged to source some!
Hope things are going well for you and you are staying safe despite all the corona unfoldings.
