Unsual or abnormal

hello guys, i cut clones from my mother plant every 2-3 weeks.
i use SERADIX B cloning powder and normally hava a success of about 80% in total clones which get roots.

but this week, i cut the clones and do same steps as before. but after four days the clones started to crack at 90degress. see the picture below. today all my clones died.







all of my 40 clones are showing the same characteristics = bending at 90degress.

could anyone help me with this issue. your advices are really appreciated.

more information =
mother plant is under a 400w hps.
cut the clones every 2-3 weeks, dip them in the seradix powder, place them in the jiffy pellets, finally put them under a dome exposing them to a 400w hps about 2-3 metres away for 18hours everyday.

troubles =
small clones starting to tilt down, but after 2weeks, some are straight and others are as if broken at 90degrees.

could anyone tell me when am i doing it wrong,
i don't want to loose more clones.

2-3 metres away sounds kinda far for these little guys ? im no expert so dont quote me , im just learning myself..

not sure what is causing it, but i would just make them a stake and tie them up, just to help them along. make sure not to tie it too tight. try it adn see what happens, it could just be that they are too weak to hold themselves up. give it a try adn go from tehre.

Looks like "damping off".

I would try 3 things for more successful cloning that have helped me in the past with even difficult to clone strains.

1. Be sure the water that you use is pH'd to 5.3-5.5 using products such as "pH down" as it is relatively benign in comparison to vinegar or lemon juice. This includes the water you mist with.

2. Add 4-8 drops of household Hydrogen Peroxide/gal of your water. This helps control the pathogens rhizoctonia and pythium that cause damping off.

3. Take your cuttings from the bottom 3rd of the mother plant. The older growth is more resistant to disease issues and contains more of the growth hormones responsible for propagation. Newer, top-growth is too tender and is prone to damping off and contains little of these hormones.

A final note: I have taken excellent cuttings with as little as 2, 1/2" leaves. Minimizing the amount of vegetation that the immature root system has to support ( as long as enough is there for photosynthesis to take place) is a great way to jump start your roots.