When to remove Clone dome?

My clones are showing roots on the bottom of the rockwool and just wondering when I should remove the dome and by removing the dome will the roots grow faster?

Most domes have these little air-holes on the top and/or sides that you can slide open. You'd do this after 5 days to a week, so long as once you do the plants aren't beginning to wilt. If you have good visible root growth already then the dome can probably be removed entirely, or you could just transplant them into whatever medium you plan on using and start the veg period in earnest.

I'd say yes, roots will probably begin to grow a bit quicker once air exchange is occurring, as roots breath oxygen. The reason for the dome in the beginning is to keep the humidity high, since the cuttings don't yet have any root system to support themselves and will wilt otherwise. It also keeps everything sterile and helps prevent any pathogenic microbes from attacking the cutting, as fresh cuttings are extremely vulnerable to infections. Once they have good root-mass, however, they can pretty much fend for themselves.

So when I remove the dome and the clones don't wilt then I can leave it off and if the clones wilt put it back on?

AKDOGG said:

My clones are showing roots on the bottom of the rockwool and just wondering when I should remove the dome and by removing the dome will the roots grow faster?

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do u see a lot of roots or just a little i wait til roots are coming out the sides and bottom before transplanting seems to take off a lot faster and better

Just little not much root some are longer and some are shorter. Some are on the side and some on the bottom. I'll just put the dome back on and leave the vents open.

The dome should have been gone @ day 4.Every day you need to let them breathe more and more,start out at 15 mins and put the dome back on.I wait until I see the cutting start to show a slight distress and replace the dome.By day 4 roots should be developing and the humidity should not be a factor.If the plant starts to sag replace the dome.At no time should you spray your cuttings.If you supply moisture and nutrients through foliar spray the plant has no need to develop roots.

OK I'll try that.

It's been over 2 hours and none of the clones are wilting. Should I just keep the dome off from now on can I switch the lights from 24 to 18? I still have the heat mat on and it's over 80 degrees is it too hot and will the rockwool dry faster since the dome is off? Hydrotech you said don't spray the plants, How are the plants going to get water if I don't mist the plants?

Leave it off now and 80 is not too hot on the mat. You want the rw to dry quicker, if it stays wet for more than 1-2 days the clone will yellow, sag and probably fail. Only water the cubes 1/2 wet not drenched.

so just water the cubes and do I have to pH the water? I was thinking just spray the bottom of the cube.

AKDOGG said:

It's been over 2 hours and none of the clones are wilting. Should I just keep the dome off from now on can I switch the lights from 24 to 18? I still have the heat mat on and it's over 80 degrees is it too hot and will the rockwool dry faster since the dome is off? Hydrotech you said don't spray the plants, How are the plants going to get water if I don't mist the plants?

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I dont recall what day you are on, but at day 6 I go from 24 to 18/6 seems to root faster with the dark cycle.If you can leave the dome off without any wilt or droop, keep it off.To answer the other question.I dont even check the ph of the water.I do however soak the Rapid Rooters in a product called thrive alive B-1 red.Technafloura makes it.100% every time fellas.

The clones are not wilting and I change the light 24 to 20 might just drop it to 18 if it roots faster this is day 18.

Wow.Day 18, have you been spraying the cuttings?The longest I have ever waited was 10 days.Always have good roots by day 7.I hope they are alive...I twist the cutting gently and if it spins it doesnt have roots,shitcan and start over.Good luck and remember what I said and you'll be a Master in no time.

This is what me and my nephew did we soak the cube for like an hour with few drops of Sensi A and B grow should of use Sensi A and B bloom heard it will root a lot faster saw someone use it on youtube the sublbc clone style. Anyways we than took the cuttings and dip it in clonex gel and stick it in the cube I think the cuttings were too big that's why it took so long yes I mist the clones like 4 to 6 times during the whole 18 days and these will be transfer into plastic cups. Going to clone more in couple more days I also have superthrive not sure witch one works better but the next cuttings will be smaller and going I'm going to change the lighting like you did. All my clones are these big.

Nitrogen inhibits root growth, they shy away like a cold pecker.Nothing I have found works as good as the stuff I told you about.If they were mine I would start over but I dont know what your situation is.Did you do the twist test?The pic looks good but like I said roots hate nitrogen until the are showing and most rooting solutions for transplanting cuttings have very little nitrogen.Grow formulas usually have at least 5PPM of Nitrogen.Your call.

I didn't do the twist test all I did was after a week or so I tug it a bit and it's tight and I read somewhere that if you give a little tug and it's tight that means it's rooting.I just made 46 clones I used superthrive and this time the clones are smaller and in 6 days I will drop the light from 24 to 18. I think I did a good job on my first time cloning only 1 didn't root out of 23. Anymore suggestions would be great and thanks for all the help.

Only one that I can think of right now.The picture of the cutting had the leaves been snipped.Clipping leaves is a great tool for keeping cuttings small after they have rooted and not a good thing for a cutting that needs all of her fluids during the rooting process, cell division/transformation doesn't begin until day four so it allows moisture to seep from the exposed cells.I take fairly good sized cuttings and usually I will have a leaf that appears to be dying but is actually being used as a food source for the cutting.Most of the time they will regain there normal green so I keep them on until I think its been long enough.If and when a leaf is definitely dead I cut the branch about halfway from the stalk of the cutting.No Moisture leakage.Last but not least, Rockwool sucks Ballz.Get some Rapid Rooters.If ya decide to take some more cutting holla at me and I'll tell ya my cutting prep.It never takes more than seven days for healthy roots sticking out of a Rapid Rooter now.Peace
PS Superthrive is not Thrive alive B-1 Red.

I think I'm done cloning hopefully these ones will all root again like the first one. I've seen people use rapid rooter and their roots are like crazy.I was gonna try it but got rockwool instead the next time I'll use rapid rooter thrive alive. Thanks for all the help bro.

AKDOGG said:

I think I'm done cloning hopefully these ones will all root again like the first one. I've seen people use rapid rooter and their roots are like crazy.I was gonna try it but got rockwool instead the next time I'll use rapid rooter thrive alive. Thanks for all the help bro.

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dont give up im just starting off and having issues with rooting i use rapid rooters and just cant get cuttings to root faster they die before roots show i think im spraying to much i d k but theres alot of good people out there to help out you can only get better through tryal and error i now have one nice ww clone on its way and two blue dreams doing great keep trying you will get the right system down good luck

Do you have to run a 24 light schedule? Will a couple of cfl's work if so?