G
Guest
Hey Guys, just thought I'd post up my mass cloning method, and equipment. I have been cloning this way for a couple of years now, and due to the ease, low maintanance, effectiveness, and cost effective material, have decided to upgrade myself to my new deluxe version. I have used a pair of smaller units, which will hold about 30 cuttings each, for a long time, and will take this upgrade as an opportunity to share with you guys. The new cloner should do 50 - 60 depending on cutting size.
My wife found these containers at the dollar store. The black ones are lightproof, and they nest with about 3/4" between container bottoms. They are 12qt dishpans, and are about 12" x 16" x 7" roughly. They were $1.00 each.
I bought 2 packages of tiki torch wicks for about $1.50 each. I cut each of the four wicks in half, drilled 7 equally spaced 1/2" holes in the bottom of one black container and inserted the wicks. Also, to increase the depth of the resivoir, I cut the top ring from the white dishpan to use as a lift, giving an 1 1/2" deep res.
This is how it nests together. I adjusted the wicks to touch the bottom of the unit.
Next I filled the bottom res 2"deep with water, re-nested the unit and filled with pearlite to the tops of the wicks. I waited for the water to all wick into the pearlite ( an hour or two) and refill the res to 1 1/2". I am now ready to poke holes with a small dowell and insert cuttings. I use plain tapwater, the chlorine keeps bacteria down. Top off the res to 1 1/2" every 5 - 7 days, change or clean pearlite between batches, and she will be fairly 'hands free'. I gently tug the cuttings every couple of days after the first 5 and if they have rooted, I work it out gently using the point of a shis-ka-bob skewer. Then I have cuttings ready for soil or hydro.
The white tub can be inverted and inserted snugly as a humidity dome and light diffuser.
This has long worked well for me, with about 98% of the hundreds of cuttings I have made rooting within 14 days.
The tubs were $3.00
The wicks $3.00
The pearlite $3.00
The 50 site wick cloner for under $10.00
My wife found these containers at the dollar store. The black ones are lightproof, and they nest with about 3/4" between container bottoms. They are 12qt dishpans, and are about 12" x 16" x 7" roughly. They were $1.00 each.
I bought 2 packages of tiki torch wicks for about $1.50 each. I cut each of the four wicks in half, drilled 7 equally spaced 1/2" holes in the bottom of one black container and inserted the wicks. Also, to increase the depth of the resivoir, I cut the top ring from the white dishpan to use as a lift, giving an 1 1/2" deep res.
This is how it nests together. I adjusted the wicks to touch the bottom of the unit.
Next I filled the bottom res 2"deep with water, re-nested the unit and filled with pearlite to the tops of the wicks. I waited for the water to all wick into the pearlite ( an hour or two) and refill the res to 1 1/2". I am now ready to poke holes with a small dowell and insert cuttings. I use plain tapwater, the chlorine keeps bacteria down. Top off the res to 1 1/2" every 5 - 7 days, change or clean pearlite between batches, and she will be fairly 'hands free'. I gently tug the cuttings every couple of days after the first 5 and if they have rooted, I work it out gently using the point of a shis-ka-bob skewer. Then I have cuttings ready for soil or hydro.
The white tub can be inverted and inserted snugly as a humidity dome and light diffuser.
This has long worked well for me, with about 98% of the hundreds of cuttings I have made rooting within 14 days.
The tubs were $3.00
The wicks $3.00
The pearlite $3.00
The 50 site wick cloner for under $10.00
