DWC without Rockwool? // Germinating in an Aeroponic Cloner?

G

gliese581g

Member
Two questions.

Rather than germinate in rockwool, I was wondering if I could germinate in a paper towel and then once the tap root is an inch or so I'd place the seedling in a neoprene collar above an aeroponic mister/cloner (I'd obviously take care not to crush the tap root).

I'd then continue to let the roots grow in the cloner for a few days and then transfer to a DWC bucket once a healthy root system is established. I'd very carefully place the seedling in a netpot and then surround with hydroton.

Is there anything wrong with what I'm proposing? I'm new to hydro. Have always grown in coco and hand watered. I don't like rockwool and am looking to avoid using it.

If the aeroponic method works great for clone roots, I can't see why it wouldn't be equally good for seed.

Thanks for the input.
 
superstoner1 said:
I do it that way and also use the jiffy pucks.
Click to expand...

How do the jiffy pucks fit into your process? I've never used them. If you could elaborate a bit more I'd appreciate it :D

Do you just use the puck in place of a neoprene collar (assuming it's appropriately sized for your aeroponic system)? My aeroponic cloner uses neoprene inserts with a diameter of 4cm so if the jiffy plugs are also this size then they'd work well I imagine. This route is probably superior to simply dangling the stem in a neoprene insert (the tap root is just so fragile I'm worried about damaging it by accident).

Thanks.
 
gliese581g said:
How do the jiffy pucks fit into your process? I've never used them. If you could elaborate a bit more I'd appreciate it :D

Do you just use the puck in place of a neoprene collar (assuming it's appropriately sized for your aeroponic system)? My aeroponic cloner uses neoprene inserts with a diameter of 4cm so if the jiffy plugs are also this size then they'd work well I imagine. This route is probably superior to simply dangling the stem in a neoprene insert (the tap root is just so fragile I'm worried about damaging it by accident).

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I've done exactly the same. Started seeds in jiffy pellets then transferred to a net pot for dwc. The way I did it I waited until the first true set of leaves came through, then basically stuck the seedling in a bowl of water and washed the jiffy pellet shit away. Leaves you with some surprisingly good amounts of root mass to work with if done well. From there suspended it with a neoprene collar and let the roots secure their spot on the net pot.
In retrospect it does seem a bit messy, but I hate rockwool with passion also... Coco has worked well for this method as it seems easier to wash away than soil or peat.
Currently I'm working with a homemade netpot that has a rooted clone in coco sitting right in it. Running a 5 gallon bucket dwc with minimal if none at all of the coco escaping into my res. It's awesome seeing the roots flow down and out of the netcup from the coco. You can also easily hand water the base of the coco filled pot if it dries out.
 
Why all the rockwool hate? I've read a few people don't like using it, but never heard why. I have been using it but so far nothing stands out as negative about it.

I understand not being a big fan of hydroton or something, being dusty and potentially rolling/moving and damaging roots.
 
I germ in the pucks and i used to remove the seedling and wash it off then put it in system but now i just leave them alone. I put the puck in a net pot and stretch a collar open and slide it on the stem to cover the puck.
 
I recommend not to do it. I had success to the fact that it did yeid, but not as much as others. It obvious worth the try. I have experimented every which way possible. To my surprise they are very hardy plants. As long as they get water they aren't going to die.
 
I dont really concern myself with finishing a new strain i am only concerned about sex then i concentrate on the clones i took before i flowered for sex.
 
superstoner1 said:
I germ in the pucks and i used to remove the seedling and wash it off then put it in system but now i just leave them alone. I put the puck in a net pot and stretch a collar open and slide it on the stem to cover the puck.
Click to expand...

Have you had any problems with the pucks breaking down and going into the res?
 
Eliminating anything that isn't necessary is the definition of KISS. RW ain't necessary.

Instead of hydroton, I now use a combination of lava rock in the bottom 2/3 of the net pot with a cap of ornamental rock that I buy from the Dollar Store. LR is infinitely reusable, a much better root anchor than hydroton, PLUS, not near as messy to clean.

I have also used just the neoprene pucks in PVC cloners, but going to start using netpot lids for plant stability

Come by my threads for some DIY ideas
 
I rooted cuttings by dropping them in 2" net pots suspended in a bubble bucket and nothing else. Once they started barely rooting (w/ 1/4" - 1/2" protrusions), I transferred each into their own 6" net pot buckets w/ shale rock medium and nothing else. The cuttings are held in place just as well as witha plug and the roots are shooting from the basket into the bucket no different than normal.

I use a top-drip (15min on / 45min off) to keep the shale medium wet with fresh nutrients and oxygen. There's definitely more oxygen getting through the medium than there would be with a rockwool plug. And probably less of a chance for salt buildup as well, but I am just speculating there.
 
PetFlora said:
going to start using netpot lids for plant stability
Click to expand...

Exactly. Was thinking of them putting a twig in a netpot full of hydroton, will be hard for the plant to hold itself up until the roots start grabbing hold of the net pot and clay pellets.
 
as you may not like rockwool, i like the ease of cloning with it. you just soak it in water, dose a lil teeny bit of nutes and calmag in, maybe some root excel, and put the gel cuts in, throw the dome over and wait, misting occasionally. (i know you know this already) My point is , although rockwool seems useless , i only use it to clone with. Although i dont use dwc or aero systems , i use a "hempy" system. If unfamiliar check out world of hempy. When i transplant the clones, i leave some rockwool poking out of the top. the medium for this hempy is coco so the coco draws the roots down and then the rockwool eventually ends up being drier then the coco, and i can just peel it off. I save up the rockwool, and plan to re use the strips in a mapito medium hempy, that is semi organic ! :D i know aero cloners are nice i just dont want to rely on a puimp system
edit: 1" rockwool starter plugs then into the hempy bucket
 
and also on a side note, are these lava rocks the same as growstones? i got a free sample and am going to make a hempy like medium with it and wasnt sure if it was the same as lavarock
 
You call cloning that way easy? Thats a lot of steps compared to my cut it and put it in netpot with collar and done. Misting? Domes? Feeding?
 
I'm new but will throw my 2 cents in here. I am switching from dirt to hydro. I had some rooted clones in dirt, took them out, rinsed them really good with a hose to get all the dirt off and put them in the net pots with hydroton. They are growing great, big stalks for a month. I will say I don't like the hydroton so I have switched two to the growstones. Way less messy than the hydroton. If you don't rinse that good it will get into the bucket. So far I am happy with grow stones. I start my clones in a rubbermaid container that is essentially a dwc. I take the cutting, put it into a puck and right into the holes I cut into the top. I am using Supernatural nutes and going 200 or so ppm. So far two weeks out I have 8 inches or so of root hanging. I started a chernobyl in rock wool and it was looking good but today I think it's dead so I may start in dirt and rinse when using seeds. I try to use clones and will by them veg and clone from there since I don't really like seeds. Us girls are picky :-)
IMG_8466.jpgIMG_8467.jpg
 
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