clone stems turning to mush

[wsp]

I using a DIY bubble cloner with water at 7.0 ph 78 degrees which is regulated by an aquarium heater. The room temp is 73 degrees @ 62% RH. The stems on the clones are turning into a slimmy mush after a 3 days. I don't know if the stems are under water or above the bubble layer. Any thoughts?

 

[professordank]

sounds like you got some damping off issues. Try using hydrogen peroxide at about ~5 ml per gallon in your cloners res. Also try some B1, this stuff is always good and is availible in many forms everywhere.

 

[Woody Creek]

Advanced has a 32/35% hyd prox. Add 3 ml. per gallon 30 minutes before plugging. Sterlizes the water and the container it's in. With hydro sanitation is key.

It also sound like you have water a bit too warm. I did fine with hydro cloners with floor temps 68 ish. How big is the container. That's almost 80 no need for higher temps when your using a hydro cloner. Soil or rockwool it's cool, but not hydro unless your "dialed in" and know that your cool with those temps. Even then The growers that I know that go high have invested in UV light and reverse ozzie systems, etc,etc. Soil,plugs,etc. you want the temps a bit higher to create a humid climate in the intended root area. With a sealed hydro the humidity/moisture is always there.

Also are you keeping track of ph? too much? not enough? I'm still on temps for mushy stems.

Also bubble cloner? so your using an airstone. Soak that baby in hydrogen peroxide before you use it. 3% over night. 35% just dalude a bit and soak for 30 minutes. Sometimes the plastic disolves if you do it to long.

 

[wsp]

I cleaned everything this morning and added fresh water PH adjusted.
The container is 1 gallon with 2 ten inch air stones. I have added 3 ml of B-1 and 5 ml of hyd prox. Lets see what happens, I running a test on soil cloning vs bubbler. At this present time the soil is winning. I hope this will change with this info.

Thanks professordank and Woody Creek for the info.

 

[Levitikuz]

Ive never had that problem before with my bubbler cloner, i have 2 airstones running across the bottom of the cloner, i fill the cloner up about a centimeter belowe the stems, and then turn on the air pump....i may have to add a little bit of water 1 time but sometime non at all...i dont add anyhting to my water, just use tap water and adjust the ph...I never submerse the stems in the bubbling water ever...
In 5-10 days all my cuttings have roots, i have 100% success rate up to this point in time, and i have atleast cloned 60 cuttings this way....
I also make sure the bubbler cloner is FULLY light proof and water temps are in the mid 70's .....
Heres a pic so you can get an idea, if everything is done right there is no way soil should win this battle....

The Duct Tape you see on the top of the container is covering holes for other clones that have already etablished a good enough root system to place is w/e medium you choose.



I hope things turn around because a simple air stone in a small rubber maid made my cloning so so so much easier and basically worry free that i wont loose a strain....

GOOD LUCK

 

[Guest]

Sometimes the plastic disolves if you do it to long.

Now THAT"S gotta be good for plants.






I run my bubble cloners at 78-79 F., use straight tap water, ph 7.0

I watch my new cuttings closely, if there is much wilt at all, I recut the bottom - it seems to be an issue of uptaking water.

Good ventalation and subdued lighting also help.

 

[Guest]

You can avoid all this with some rooting hormone and peat pellets with a small greenhouse... you can even make one with plastic wrap. Some poeple like to make cloning real difficult yet it is so very easy. I always had problems with my cloner, wanted to try something new. But with pellets, its never failed, tried and true.

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

u can also try turning off the aquarium heater i think 78 is too warm...
closer to 65-70 would probably work better.

 

[wsp]

The water temps averaging around 70 degrres and added a little B-1.


Kinderfeld are these the peat pellets you refer to? How do you personally keep the clones vertical, do you squeeze the peat around the stem or make a small hoe and insert stem.

 

[Guest]

Kinderfeld are these the peat pellets you refer to? How do you personally keep the clones vertical, do you squeeze the peat around the stem or make a small hoe and insert stem.

Yep thats them, first of all soak them in warm water for an hour, I know it says a few minutes but do it for a long to get it soaked thoroughly. Then dip stem in water (or don't according to BOG, works better for me if I do), then dip and tap excess in hormone, stick it in the pellet, take a pen cap and twist a hole about half way down the cube (with pointy part of cap). If you twist you wont leave any weak spots in the soil and it will pack more loosely around the clone. Very gently squeeze the soil over the clone, make sure to pack gently as if you were packing the toil on top of a seed. Keep the net on, when you see roots, take them off, trim if need be and then plant.

Good thing about the pellets is by the tiem you see roots, they are ready to plant (see pic). Its not a big of a deal really but I like to make instructions via internet very clear. Long as teh pellets can stand up by themselves, your clones will too.

Rooted in a peat pellet/hormone powder... 1.5 weeks ready to plant. I like to remove most the peat after rooting with clones... I keep it with seedling though.:


one week later:

 

[Woody Creek]

Why do you ripp off the extra peat? Going to hydro?

As for the melted plastic part on an airstone.....you don't still use them.....or do you.....nah there trash.

 

[Grat3fulh3ad]

u can also try turning off the aquarium heater i think 78 is too warm...
closer to 65-70 would probably work better.

bingo...

 

[Guest]

Why do you ripp off the extra peat? Going to hydro?

because clones IME need nutes a lot faster than seedling. Peat is good for seedling because it is very bland, but a clone off of the same plant has the same hunger as the mother had. Just a theory mind you... just made sense. It also made clones grow faster... as they go straight to ocean forest and other goodies...but going hydro would work just as well.

 

[wsp]

Thanks Kinderfeld & Grat3fulh3ad, the water temps are lower now. Hope this helps. Also I loosened the fit around the stem where the backer rod and stem meet. I belive the backer rod was acting like tourniquet. I will check the clones and update in the morning.

 

[Guest]

vermiculite is good for cloning. The only use for it. All the luck I've had with the peat pellets is BAD.7 days in vermiculite.Wilted clones with peat pellets.Bubble cloning is good but time to adjust to my soil grow is not acceptable to me.I hate to admit this but...MG potting soil will root the hell out of plants.Kinda odd but try it and you will be surprised as myself.I still hate peat pellets.