Cloning lights

[Dave_the_stoner]

I currently have a 1000w HPS, and a 400w MH that I would like to use for perpetual harvest. However I'm unsure how many t-5's I should get for for cloning.
I'm picturing using the 400w MH to keep 4 or so mothers alive. Take as many cuttings as I can without butchering the plants too bad, place these under t-5's for cloning. Then they would go under the 1000w w/ a MH conversion bulb on a 18/6 until they fill out the 4'x4' area, then switch the light cycle and bulb. Once finished start again cloning off the mothers.
So what do you guys/gals think? How much t-5 lighting should I get, and how large of an area would you think my cloning would require?
Thanks

 

[FreezerBoy]

A 23 watt cfl from several feet away will handle at least 4 sq ft of clones. Lots of light is bad for them.

 

[magiccannabus]

I have found that real daylight is by far the best cloning light, especially during the summer. So whatever is most similar to that should help. "Daylight" CFL lamps DO NOT work as well as the real sun. Hortilux Blue lamps, or maybe CMH lamps might have a closer spectrum, but they can definitely tell CFLs are not as good as the sun for cloning. I've had clones root from start to finish in 3 days, but always when getting sunlight, not fake light. Fake light has never done faster than 4 days for me, and rarely that fast.

He's right though, the light level needs to be very low. It's a tricky balance. Too low and they're toast, too much and they're toast. Frustrating if you don't have it dialed-in.

 

[Pirate]

Let the pictures tell the story:

2 foot floros I have used "Daylight" CFLs with fantastic results as well. We're talking indoors here.

10 Days. Ready for transplant:

 

[Dave_the_stoner]

Thanks pirate, just what I needed to know. So heat mats, 2 bulb-2' T-5 fixtures, and some of those plastic plant starter trays are going on my shopping list. I looked at the link to your cave, what a beautiful setup.

 

[Pirate]

No problem. Your welcome.

By the way, You can save yourself a bunch of cash and just get the cheap 2 footers at home depot. They'll do the job for cloning. Those T-5s are quite pricey and you could use that cash for something else.

Just a though.

 

[FreezerBoy]

NOT to start a war, cloning trays with domes are how I started and gave me my first success. Weaning plants from the domes high RH successfully was another matter. Once I threw away the dome, I stopped losing clones. You'll note here RH is at 28%. I've cloned as low as 15%.



There's NO area of growing where identical methods lead to completely different results. If our methods don't work for you, try perlite, air cloning, the stem in a glass of water ... Don't give up.

 

[Dave_the_stoner]

Thanks for the advice and encoragment, I'm still a little ways away from starting my perpetual harvest setup, but it'll be much better than my old method of going start to finish under a 1000w, then having to start from seed again.

 

[Pirate]

WAR !!!!!

Just kidding.

I have used both methods and YES, the cloner machine method does work good and I would probably go that route if I was set up different. I am adding another area to my entire system and the machine method is on the agenda. But I must device a way to use the rapid rooters (similar to your rockwool method) otherwise I'd need to revamp my entire set up right through flower. (and that's not likely)

NOTE:
With my dome and tray, I took 150 clones and only lost 4 on my last run which is 97.5% success. All 146 rooted within 10 days.

Both ways, as well as others work well. Trial and error is the ticket to success.