the res can be changed every 2 or 3 weeks. if you have hard water, you might want to filter it or use bottled water. get good chemical nutrience, don't use anything like miracle grow or anything organic in hydroponics. good nutes have ph stabilizer in it so the ph shouldn't stray to far. just check it once a day and it should be good. you'll get the hang of it.
The best DIY EZ walmart DWC CLONER for MICRO grows. Zen style
- Thread starter Wolfman Zen
- Start date
the res can be changed every 2 or 3 weeks. if you have hard water, you might want to filter it or use bottled water. get good chemical nutrience, don't use anything like miracle grow or anything organic in hydroponics. good nutes have ph stabilizer in it so the ph shouldn't stray to far. just check it once a day and it should be good. you'll get the hang of it.
BigggBuddd420
Active Member
Does everyone use nutes in these cloners? I'm just asking because Zen doesn't say he used nutes and I've heard people cloning in straight water before without hormone or nutes. Also, I've heard of people using vinegar to adjust water pH for watering soil. Would it be a bad idea to use vinegar to adjust pH in a DWC? Zen, I sent you a PM but no reply 
Does everyone use nutes in these cloners? I'm just asking because Zen doesn't say he used nutes and I've heard people cloning in straight water before without hormone or nutes. Also, I've heard of people using vinegar to adjust water pH for watering soil. Would it be a bad idea to use vinegar to adjust pH in a DWC? Zen, I sent you a PM but no reply
anything organic in a hydroponic system is usually a bad idea. it's best to get the right ph adjusting chemicals. 75f might grow roots, but it may take some time. I usually see the pro's getting roots at day 10-14, so one week is a little early yet. very mild nutes are ok to use as far as I know, but the plants can't use the nutes until they have roots anyway, so it's not needed, unless they will be staying in the cloner for a while longer to get some good long healthy roots.
homerdog
Well-Known Member
My feed back on the system after 6 months.
This system is very easy to use near 100% sucess. Don't worry about the light penetration, clear tubs work for 3+ weeks with out changing water and no algae, as long as you have enough air moving thu the air stone (you can add a little hydrogen peroxide to help, don't buy the cheaper bubbler brand at wallyworld). I pH at ~6 and get roots in 7-10 days. If using soil transplant when roots are ~ 1/4" to minimize shock. No nutes needed in the water, the clone powder seems to work well. I use cheap styrafoam cups with a small hole in the bottom that can be broken away from the clone when rooted, easy to label too, oh and you can usually get away with 2 clones per cup. Some strains can be cloned at up to 2 weeks 12+12.
Wish i had thought of the hole saw and smaller container,would have been much easier and neater, next time i guess.
Why are you you running ebb and flow and not DWC for flower, seems like you could get more verticle height. Very nice tutorial.
This system is very easy to use near 100% sucess. Don't worry about the light penetration, clear tubs work for 3+ weeks with out changing water and no algae, as long as you have enough air moving thu the air stone (you can add a little hydrogen peroxide to help, don't buy the cheaper bubbler brand at wallyworld). I pH at ~6 and get roots in 7-10 days. If using soil transplant when roots are ~ 1/4" to minimize shock. No nutes needed in the water, the clone powder seems to work well. I use cheap styrafoam cups with a small hole in the bottom that can be broken away from the clone when rooted, easy to label too, oh and you can usually get away with 2 clones per cup. Some strains can be cloned at up to 2 weeks 12+12.
Wish i had thought of the hole saw and smaller container,would have been much easier and neater, next time i guess.
Why are you you running ebb and flow and not DWC for flower, seems like you could get more verticle height. Very nice tutorial.
BigggBuddd420
Active Member
Damn styrofoam cups are a good idea! I might just go get some of those tmrw.
BlazeDeezNutz420
Active Member
wolf, First I have to rep you on the cloning setup. It is a great and easy idea/setup. The best I have seen on here so far. I was just wondering because I have been using soil. Am I able to transplant them to soil when they start rooting? If so, when would be the best time to do it. The reason I ask is because I have a couple diff places where I do everything from the veg to cloning to flowering and I dont want to move the setup to go to flowering. I just want to keep it for clones. So I can keep my cycle like clockwork, ya know? Thanks.
BigggBuddd420
Active Member
This was answered two posts up by homerdog.
Zen also answered it on post 26 here:
https://www.rollitup.org/1298091-post26.html
BigggBuddd420
Active Member
On another note, is it really bad if a little light gets through the foam on the sides? I'm having trouble getting full light blockage. But if so I figured I could just cover the gaps with the reflective tape.
BlazeDeezNutz420
Active Member
good lookin out Bud. I would have seen that but i kinda spaced out after ready the first 2 pages. thats what being high can do to ya. but thanks again.
homerdog
Well-Known Member
Big bud
"On another note, is it really bad if a little light gets through the foam on the sides? I'm having trouble getting full light blockage. But if so I figured I could just cover the gaps with the reflective tape."
Can't resist being a smart ass here. I answered this in my last thread. The one I have seen is a completely clear container with the cups hanging down through the top and about 1 1/2" of the stem sitting in the water. If you use a large enough airstone and pump you shouldn't need to block out the light to prevent mold, just change the water (Ph it) every 2-3 weeks. Getting 7-10 day rooting times, just like the blacked out one.
"On another note, is it really bad if a little light gets through the foam on the sides? I'm having trouble getting full light blockage. But if so I figured I could just cover the gaps with the reflective tape."
Can't resist being a smart ass here. I answered this in my last thread. The one I have seen is a completely clear container with the cups hanging down through the top and about 1 1/2" of the stem sitting in the water. If you use a large enough airstone and pump you shouldn't need to block out the light to prevent mold, just change the water (Ph it) every 2-3 weeks. Getting 7-10 day rooting times, just like the blacked out one.
BigggBuddd420
Active Member
haha shit I skipped that part I guess. I always thought the roots being exposed to light was a bad thing but I guess you proved it doesn't. I might just tape it up anyways or spray paint it black on the outside anyways just for the hell of it haha. I think my airstone should be sufficient. It's a 10" I got at walmart so it pretty much stretches across the whole tub. I only have a 10 gallon pump tho. I don't see this being a problem tho but I guess I'll find out tonight when I test it out.
no prob. I didn't really read the whole thread either I just happened to remember reading about that part somewhere in it.
no prob. I didn't really read the whole thread either I just happened to remember reading about that part somewhere in it.
homerdog
Well-Known Member
For that small of tube the size air stone you have should be fine. I prefer the more expensive brand of bubbler, not that much more and have better out put and the cheap ones seem to break kinda easy. Good luck. I like the clear tub so I can watch the action without having to pull the stems out of water. Just my two cents. Good luck you should be very happy with it.
Impulse718
Active Member
Hey zen, can you take a picture of the inside of your cloner when its in action and when its dry.
i want to see where you placed the airstones and the place you put the hole.
also how do you keep from leakage from the hole you drilled in the tub.
also is your water level right up to the bottom of the net baskets?
are the pictures of your dwc main grow similar to your cloner?
i want to see where you placed the airstones and the place you put the hole.
also how do you keep from leakage from the hole you drilled in the tub.
also is your water level right up to the bottom of the net baskets?
are the pictures of your dwc main grow similar to your cloner?
I also have these same questions,
+ rep though,
i will be building this for my next cloning trial to try and shorten my rooting times
BigggBuddd420
Active Member
Question: I used vinegar in the water to lower the pH. Is this a bad idea? I figured pH Down probably is an acidic solution so vinegar couldn't hurt. What do you guys think?
The water pH in my house is around 7.3; I was trying to get it somewhere around 5.5 or 6 in the rez.
The water pH in my house is around 7.3; I was trying to get it somewhere around 5.5 or 6 in the rez.
