40+ lbs with 12 Plants in 2 Rooms on a Flip

I used RootRiot cubes got good results. The only problem is the plug does not breakdown and I think it holds too much moisture and cause stem problems.
I go straight into coco from here.
I switched from these to straight coco, cut clone let sit in glass of water for 24 hrs then plant in a coco Solo's, that have been saturated with RO, CaliMagic and pH'ed, using rooting jell and then lightly water. I mist them daily and every two days water the stem column. After 4 days I begin watering the entire Solo cup using the same products along with SubCulture II and Great White. Have a full cup of roots within a couple of weeks.
Here is a coco cup 16 days after putting the clone in the cup. Ready to transplant into the coco filled SmartPots.

Renfro said:

that sucks. it's always been so easy I have taken it for granted.

do your attempts wilt or just not root or do they damp off?

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Some of all the above lol

Renfro said:

FWIW I keep the rapid rooters soaked, not wrung out.

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That's when they would damp off and rot on me.

growingforfun said:

I mean.. it's honestly the easiest part of growing... I used to struggle too, for like the first cycle or 3 but since then... meh.

Cut, soak it water 30 min or more then put in dirt an a dome. It's easy as can be. No gels needed...

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Yeah... I come back to dead cuts.

There's no doubt I'm overthinking it

I wish I could watch you do it, maybe I would catch something simple.

gr865 said:

The only problem is the plug does not breakdown and I think it holds too much moisture and cause stem problems.

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Not breaking down is one thing most hydro users love about them. As far as the moisture causing damp off, that wont be a problem once the stem "hardens". I personally have never in over 20 years had a rapid rooter damp off a cut.

ttystikk said:

Yeah... I come back to dead cuts.

There's no doubt I'm overthinking it

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Are you putting a humidity trap on them? I just put ziplock bags over the tops an it still works lolol i took a big ol 1 ft clone last week an put a plastic grocery bag over it an it's doing great. I think your trying too hard.

Try the growingforfun tech an dont give a shit.

Cloning came from plants breaking an hitting the dirt in nature and living. Humans saw this and learned. This isnt science learned in a high tech lab, but natives in huts.

ttystikk said:

I've struggled for a decade. I've tried different methods, different media, etc, etc. I just don't seem to have the knack.

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You are not dumb and I am sure someone has mentioned but....water cloner? I made my own, use RO water and 1-2ml of bleach per 10G and never have had any issue. So healthy, no stress for the plants. Sorry if this is out of place Renfro. No Media, baskets except the poly pucks.

Jefferson1977 said:

Sorry if this is out of place Renfro.

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Youre good bro. We can discuss anything in this thread so long as it's not politics or religion lol. Plus I would love to be able to figure out what @ttystikk needs to do differently so he can root cuts.

I feel that being able to reliably clone is one of the most important skills a grower can have. I know I couldn't do what I do without it. Honestly the last time I sprouted a bean was like 15 years ago.

I feel instinctively with no knowledge of his history that it is the composition of the water. Did you know that soluble forms of excess nutrients can go through an RO filter? My 2cents/.

To make pure water without distillation you can use ozone and a venturi effect. Make RO, then combine ozone with water using venturi let sit for 20 minutes. It will be as pure as can be and he will be able to root.

I do this with a submersible pump, ozone generator with air stone submerged in water. There are much better ways. I am a cheapo.

I wonder if he has a DI post filter.

Renfro said:

I wonder if he has a DI post filter.

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Please everyone do not drink DI water. It is bad for your health.. It is okay for plants but not for you because we add what plants need: Brawndo. LOL just kidding. Seriously do not drink DI water.

I have DI Renfro and it got used up super quick I have 500 X the EPA limit for manganese. How to rid ones water of soluable manganese that passes through RO filters? Haha...Ozone makes the soluable molecules fall out of solution so they can be filtered. Tada! Perfect water. Then I discovered i could use the lakewater I live on instead and no filters. Obviously that is better :-0

He should just try a good bottled water that comes from another source. Preferably one that doesn't have the salts added for flavor.

TBH I have rooted cuts reliably in my tap water and it's usually around 225 - 250 PPM. Of course it's about whats in the water, ours actually has a significant and varying amount of calcium and magnesium so it could be used for growing but I like to filter it and know exactly what I am adding and be able to produce reliable results.

I have had cuts that were mailed to me and wilty, rooted them. I love that antiwilt product with the humidity out here in Colorado being so low. I just wonder what part of the process that I am taking for granted is missing in his situation. It has to be something simple.

In fact Ozone makes all soluable molecules fall out of h2o solution. it is the most powerful oxidizer known to man. Using a venturi effect you can make ozone saturated water that is good for 20-40 minutes. This water is good to kill any mold on your plants, and some bugs as well. Any form of rust etc.

On your roots it will work wonders. Pythium and other bacteria cannot survive ozonated water. In hydro one practice is to have a water ozone generator and turn it on 5x 2 minutes a day or something like that depending on size of your reservoir.

Anyways, bottled water did not work for my 100gallons. No one could tell me what to do to fix my water to grow hydroponically, but I figured it out and these are my suggestions.

As for simple, yeah it is simple. It's the water.

Renfro said:

Not breaking down is one thing most hydro users love about them. As far as the moisture causing damp off, that wont be a problem once the stem "hardens". I personally have never in over 20 years had a rapid rooter damp off a cut.

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I have not either, but lost a lot of sleep over it.

Jefferson1977 said:

You are not dumb and I am sure someone has mentioned but....water cloner? I made my own, use RO water and 1-2ml of bleach per 10G and never have had any issue. So healthy, no stress for the plants. Sorry if this is out of place Renfro. No Media, baskets except the poly pucks.

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Built it, ran it, poor results. Bought one, ran it, inconsistent results.

I'm hopeless! Lol

Renfro said:

Youre good bro. We can discuss anything in this thread so long as it's not politics or religion lol. Plus I would love to be able to figure out what @ttystikk needs to do differently so he can root cuts.

I feel that being able to reliably clone is one of the most important skills a grower can have. I know I couldn't do what I do without it. Honestly the last time I sprouted a bean was like 15 years ago.

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Agreed. It's very frustrating.

ttystikk said:

Agreed. It's very frustrating.

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Use ozone from RO to make real water and use that. It will work 100%.

Jefferson1977 said:

I feel instinctively with no knowledge of his history that it is the composition of the water. Did you know that soluble forms of excess nutrients can go through an RO filter? My 2cents/.

To make pure water without distillation you can use ozone and a venturi effect. Make RO, then combine ozone with water using venturi let sit for 20 minutes. It will be as pure as can be and he will be able to root.

I do this with a submersible pump, ozone generator with air stone submerged in water. There are much better ways. I am a cheapo.

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Water here is extremely clean right from the tap; only EC .05