First time using an Aerocloner..

[Balzo905]

whats up MP

have a 14spot mister DIY aerocloner here, curious to those who have used these before, what's the best temp, solution, timing, etc to get my girls rooting;

ive heard 74F is prime temp, and ive heard many different things regarding the water. I have an endless supply of distilled water (snow), healthy well water, and a case of Nestle PureLife(?) H20. Was planning on a pretty sparatic time schedule for mist/drip as the only timers i could get my hands on where the programmable, 20prog timers. Set up to average 15min mist/hour.

 

[Joe420Camel]

I pored a gallon of distilled water and a ml or two of rapid start root booster (http://generalhydroponics.com/site/index.php/products/supplements/rapidstart/) in the bucket.
There is a fish tank heater set to 70-72F (hard to tell on those things)
both the pump and heater are "on" 24/7 (heater obviously only when needed)
I cut and prepped the cuttings like any number of guides will tell/show you (I used CloneX gel)
sit back and watch

I do NOT always get these great results but most times its very close

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[Joe420Camel]

yes (mist 24/7)

mine just shoots streams of water that splash against the bucket and splash the roots/stem

had to sound proof it a little, the sound of splashing/running water made me have to pee every time I got close.

practice practice practice
I've made close to 20 clones over this past year I didn't want or need just to practice.

:48:

 

[Balzo905]

Thanks again Joe! Reprep!

 

[Balzo905]

Been running (without clones) for the last 3/4 hours, took the lid off and found a bit of "foam" or bubbles collecting on the surface of the water... This is just plain tap well water for now is this normal or is there maybe some soap or something in my pump?

 

[skyhighatrist]

If its building up like soap water then it could be that or something else. The point is it shouldn't foam!

 

[Balzo905]

I hear ya;

It's almost the weekend, and I'd rather not take 14 cuttings and have them all die. So, I'm just going to use a new 5gal and make a new one. My stuffs 100% food grade but maybe there was a bit of residue from a dishwater or the like.. Won't take too long I'll try and take a couple pics of the simple setup I've got going here..

C+Gv

 

[skyhighatrist]

As it's well water, could it be bacteria?

 

[Balzo905]

Could be a possibility, going with the RO for the second go.

 

[skyhighatrist]

Good idea. Then you'll know if it's the water or the tub

 

[Balzo905]

Whats up MP

thanks for the help JOECAMEL and SKYHIGH

Cloner#2

Started with a new 5 Gal Bucket, and covered the outside of the lid in GorillaTape to keep the light out
then i traced out my net pot map on the underside, and made a pilot hole for each location using the 11/64" drill bit -helps guide the hole saw (2")
*found that initially drilling in reverse lead to a smoother saw when cutting through the tape, then when i hit plastic switched back to forward and it cut through no problem.

Made an additional, smaller hole (hole saw 1 1/4") in the lid suitable to fit -cram- a neoprene puck through sealed nicely for my power cords.

Used Isoprohyl(?) Alcohol to remove the marker on the underside of the lid, might not have been an issue if left alone but safe than sorry eh.

Exactoknife to clean up the underside of the lid.

Put all the guts in, ran the powers through the neoprene, plugged in and spraying.

Cut up a thick black garbage bag and "wrapped" the outside of the barrel, less light penetration through the side.

Using styrofoam cups for the night to run a cleanse and see how long it will take to get my heaters pumping that sweet 74...

...Cuttings tomorrow.

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[skyhighatrist]

Looking good

 

[Balzo905]

So the RO water characteristically has a lower pH apparently, something between 6-5, but I've been reading that that is only because of the low number of hydrogen molecules that are present in the water. Says it would only take miniscule amounts of pH up (baking soda) to throw it off completely.

SO, do I attempt to raise the pH or leave her where she lies.. On my way home now with the pH meter in hand to get some exact numbers but if you were in my situation would you author attempt to raise it from a 5.5 to a 6 6.5?

 

[Balzo905]

Went to the store for Netpots,
Left the store with Netpots, Cloner solution (Grotek KickStart), RAW Nitrogen, New pH meter, Measuring droppers aand a new spray bottle.


RO had a pH of 5.8 and a ppm of 0.09; ran with it.

Added the KickStart formula at half the recommended dosage, water has a nice blue tint to it now that makes it look all the more fertile.

Did the usual, make the cutting at a 45, let sit in a cup of RO i had out for a minute or two while i made a few more cuts. I bought a couple packs of cheap disposable razors and after sterilizing with the Isoprophyl i shave deep into the plant and leave a few sets of notches from the razor blade. After the shave, I like to make a second chop under the water at a higher angle (looks around 70 in some of the pics I took) so that more of the inner "meristem" come in contact with the spray from the aerocloner.
After the second cut, I dried the the ends with a bit of paper towel and then dipped them in clonex and then into the neoprene+netpots+aerocloner.

Water Temp is a nice 74
pH is at 5.8 (tested before and after adding the KickStart)
Air Temp is sitting around 65

In the last pic I've got a travel humidifier. If anyone has any negative experience using these AS SEEN ON TV items with plants in any vegetative stage, please do not hesitate; kicks my veg box up to at least 70% in a few hours and the plants sweat like crazy. Giving it a random hour per day for the cloner at the moment.

Think this is it, hope other people find advice from this post and if you have any questions on how i built this thing let me know!

Will post pics of my babes' babes in 2 weeks if not sooner;
C+Gv

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[skyhighatrist]

Looking good

 

[techrons78]

Nice set up..but I dont have the time or knowledge of tools..plus I double my octocloner that I paid 49 bucks for no stress no mess..rooting gel plus hormone kept light 2 feet away 18-6 all rooted and are looking great. My clones I just transplanted into 2 gal yesterday..tech

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[Balzo905]

Nice set up..but I dont have the time or knowledge of tools..plus I double my octocloner that I paid 49 bucks for no stress no mess..rooting gel plus hormone kept light 2 feet away 18-6 all rooted and are looking great. My clones I just transplanted into 2 gal yesterday..tech

Beautiful

 

[orangesunshine]

great DIY :cool2:

 

[techrons78]

Beautiful

Thank you..get looking bucket bro...im sure it will serve u well..tech

 

[Balzo905]

Whats up MP

quick update here, as about half of the cuttings have shown roots, and every cutting has grey/white bulbous growths near the bottom that i can only assume to be "preroots"

here's a few pics, enjoy and leave me a nice one

C+Gv

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