Cloner/Bubbler FAILED...any suggestions?

Hi folks,

After a few soil grows, I thought I would try a little aero cloner/bubbler thing.
This is what i used

Bubbler case
I cut 8 holes and put net pots and neoprene collars (2 is for the airstone tubing)




Filled it with water so the bottom on the cuttings just touch the water

covered the box (which is plastic btw) with metal silver tape all over...which made it light proof

Left it for two weeks...pump on constant. No rooting gel or solutions were used...just water.

It wasnt a normal airstone which I see here or on google...it was one which doesnt degrade (so it says anway)...looks very similar...seemed to work vey well!

No roots appeared...so after almost 3 weeks I put them into jiffy plugs and they rooted after a few weeks. Only 1 died during this process.

Can anybody tell me where i went wrong?

imanoob said:

Hi folks,

After a few soil grows, I thought I would try a little aero cloner/bubbler thing.
This is what i used

Bubbler case
I cut 8 holes and put net pots and neoprene collars (2 is for the airstone tubing)

Filled it with water so the bottom on the cuttings just touch the water

covered the box (which is plastic btw) with metal silver tape all over...which made it light proof

Left it for two weeks...pump on constant. No rooting gel or solutions were used...just water.

It wasnt a normal airstone which I see here or on google...it was one which doesnt degrade (so it says anway)...looks very similar...seemed to work vey well!

No roots appeared...so after almost 3 weeks I put them into jiffy plugs and they rooted after a few weeks. Only 1 died during this process.

Can anybody tell me where i went wrong?

Click to expand...

make sure the ph of the water is 5.5-6.0 and some kind of rooting stimulator would help,i prefer gel rooting agents myself.and a heating mat under the cloner could speed things up as well.

litljohn said:

make sure the ph of the water is 5.5-6.0 and some kind of rooting stimulator would help,i prefer gel rooting agents myself.and a heating mat under the cloner could speed things up as well.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I ph'd the water to 6...but didnt use any stimulators etc as I thought it created a barrier between the clones root area and the the mist in the tub?

I didnt use a heating matt...but thats a good idea...maybe it was too cold (didnt even meause the temp of the water! doh)

Cheers man

imanoob said:

Yeah, I ph'd the water to 6...but didnt use any stimulators etc as I thought it created a barrier between the clones root area and the the mist in the tub?

I didnt use a heating matt...but thats a good idea...maybe it was too cold (didnt even meause the temp of the water! doh)

Cheers man

Click to expand...

the rooting agent seals the cut so air or bacteria doesnt get in and kill the cutting.it also has chemicals,enzymes,or whatever to stimulate the rooting process

I run a ez clone 30. First try at cloning ever, i went 30 for 30!!! The bottom of the clone should be stleast 2-3 inches above the water table and then the sprayers keep those moist. Thats the way the cloning machines I checked out all worked. And then as to the clones, use EZ-Clone rooting gel, its extra thick and hangs on longer. As to the water, you need to add some sort of a slica additive, I use Rhino Skin from Adv. nutes but any should work and Clonex rooting liquid. Thats what I used, Ph around 6.5. The instructions that came with the machine ask for you to use KLN Grow and KLN ProTekt. Which are the silica and rooting solutions. Now it said put under fluor. and run the water at 72/74. I ran mine under HPS and the temps were 80-84 but after 14 days I had 30 clones with roots 6-8 inches long and each clone must have had between 30-60 root shoots. They were so long, I went right into a 3 gallon pot. And the clones themselves Doubled in size in the 2 weeks in the machine. If you can afford to get a ez cloner, its worth the investment. If not, just build it along the same lines it is designed and use the solutions and youll be the happiest cloner ever. Im on my second batch and they are all going again already. A little quicker this time, a friend showed me a trick were after you make the 45 degree cut, cut straight up into the bottom of the stem and split it in half about 1/2 inch upward. This time Im getting roots after just a few days, last time it took almost 10 days to show roots, and like I said after 2 weeks so 4 days laer the roots went from itty bitty, that they got so long and thick that I had to transplant them because they were laying in the bottom of the reservoir and started intertwining. So dont give up, buy the 40-60$ worth of solutions and theyll last you for a long time!!! Lots a little ladies. Good Luck.......Ps: Dont give up on a clone if it shows a black spot at the cutting site, with the silica and rooting solution in there, IT WILL ROOT!!!!! Just make sure you mist the top of them once or twice a week!!!
Happy Growing!!!

Also, skip the net cups, just use the neoprene collar. And make sure you have atleast 2-3 inches of stem coming out of the bottom of the neoprene collar!! Sorry for the long previous post, I justed wanted you to know exactly how the ez clone 30 works, because it worked wonders for this rookie!!!!

nice one, that is exactly what i was searching for! i couldnt see how high to leave the cuttings above the watter and if i was to use gel/solutions to the mix...thanks for the advice man!

didnt even think to leave the net pots, i was thinking they could block water a little!