Is anyone here using an aerponic cloner?

bowlfullofbliss said:

I have an ez-cloner, and don't any of that stuff bro. I have 100% success.

All I do is take my cuttings, each dipped into clonex, and laid out on a plate for a while, while I cut the next batch. Than once the next few are cut, I take the first ones, put them into the collars, and continue until all sites are used. The cuttings don't need to be put into water, or any of that. Just dip them in gel, and they're fine out of water for over an hour.

I then fill my clone machine with HARD water. The directions clearly tell you NOT to use RO, or distilled water. If you have city water, just fill some buckets the day before and let them stand to evaporate the chlorine.

All I put in my water is a drop per gallon superthrive, and a small amount of rooting stimulant. I use House and Garden nutes, so I just put a little of their root stuff in that. It's super expensive, so don't feel like you need that spendy stuff. Root 66 works fine.

I also have an oxygen stone on an airpump in my cloner. It takes me at least 10 days to have good roots. I leave them in for longer to get them good and healthy.

Works every time.

As for cleaning, when done, I fill up a 5 gallon bucket, put 1 cup of bleach in it, and put that in my machine. I run it for 1/2 hr or so with the sprayers in, take them out, run some more. Than I do 3 flushes of clean water, throw away the old collars, and always use new ones for the next run.

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Julie Sofonea said:

Hi, Do you mind me asking what you mean by filling buckets of city water, and leaving, will this bring down the ph? Mine is 8 in the tap

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FennarioMike said:

They mean leaving it out long enough to let the chlorine in the city water off-gas. He's saying that you should be using a source water that has enough ca/mg already in it.

I also use city water in an EZ Cloner - but I leave the chlorine in it and add UC Roots in it every 2 days to keep pathogens away. The company that makes EZ Clone also makes Clear Rez - same thing as UC Roots. They're a buffered hypochlorous acid disinfectant. Good stuff.

Make sure your clones are from fresh still soft shoots. These clone the best I find - the harder the stem, the tougher it it for it to grow roots. I just pop them into the neoprene with Life cloning gel and let it do it's thing. After about a week it begins to show roots. Once a few good roots have sprouted, I use a Q Tip with the Life gel on it and paint those roots and put it back in the cloner. Within a few days it become furious with roots. I'm doing RDWC, so I'm making them get a good head start on roots before transplanting.

I also leave the pump on 24 x 7

Initially I had issues when I was trying to add too much stuff to the solution. plain old city water and UC Roots now - 100% success. A week to show roots and another week to grow them out.

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Julie Sofonea said:

Thank you, great advice. So you don't worry about the Ph? I hear of so many good products, but can not get them in France. I am struggling now, with temperature and Ph. My cloner was in the house, and water was getting to warm at 73, so moved to garage , and put in a heater, now can't get over 61, Think I need a more powerful heater, or a heating mat. Only my basil has rooted. I am doing massive of research on peoples recommended products. Seems France has lots of rules, can't even get clones, formula, root it gels, as well as ones you recommended . Ps What is RDWC?

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FennarioMike said:

Oh and the cloner can be in the 70's even in the 80's - that's fine for clones. Too cold is much worse. As long as there are no nutrients in your water, the warmer temps are good for rooting.

RDWC is Recirculating Deep Water Culture. Like bubble buckets but larger, connected and a constant flow ripping through each module - and lots of aeration.

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mjinc said:

I love these Current culture systems. Just ordered two Current Culture Under Current 8XL and can't wait to get started with them. Might keep them to run mothers in as there just seem to get such excellent root development that seems to translate to amazing vegetative growth.

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