Bubble Cloner Is Not Working, How Can This Be Possible?

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fractal

fractal

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I made an inexpensive bubble cloner from a 12 qt plastic container with sections of foam pipe insulation to hold the cuts, and a Tetra dual outlet airpump with two 10" airstones. The airpump is rated for 30-60 gallon tanks and it puts out plenty of bubbles, no doubt about that.

The thing is, the cuts start getting this weird slime on the ends instead of root nodules when they should be blasting out roots within 5 days. My temps are in the 60's, not warm but not cold. I'm not using any rooting hormone, and I have tried it once with plain tap water (good water where I'm at) and once with nutrient solution mixed to the same strength the mother plants were getting.

Both times they just started yellowing, crisping up and not rooting. I have been fighting a spider mite infestation with Hot Shotz hangers and the cuts had mites, could it be that they just do not have the energy reserves to fight off mites and at the same time develop roots?

These are resilient phenos of Blockhead, they are hardy plants. The mothers have been in 4x4x4 rockwool cubes for like 2 months or more, getting pruned back each time I try to clone them.

Would an aquarium heater help things if I set it to like 75 degrees?
Bubbles
Bubbles 2
Bubbles 3
Bubbles 4
 
Tnelz

Tnelz

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Ur res is clear? That could be an issue right there. Light getting in causing nasty shot to grow. I'd start by covering that up with some duct tape or something. I use an aeroponic closer from time to time and my res stays around 70 so I don't think its ur temps. Someone with more knowledge than myself can probably jump in but I'm sure most will tell u to cover that res. Also cloning a plant is the most stressful thing a plant goes through. Considering the cut is stressed from a mite infestation isn't helping things. Nothing to do with slime but Def decreases ur chances. I'd work on getting rid of the mite problem and covering up the res and I bet u will increase urban chances right there. In any case good luck bro!
 
miko

miko

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I have the clone king machine and also having some trouble.
Does yours spray them or do they stay in the water all the time?
 
Medusa

Medusa

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Are u talking slime on the clones ..could be a bacteria ..unclean scissors ..razor ..possibly your clone has a bacteria from the mites ... dutch master makes a product will clear that right up called zone ... Your better off recloning as they will take longer than the growing process u might end up with one leaf plants for a few sections of the plant but it will grow out of it.. Zone will kill it with in 12 hrs ..perhaps your not giving them enough time...and a clone hormone I have never done with out...aquarim heater no... a pump that sprays yes. thats what a ezcloner or turbo uses
 
fractal

fractal

2,009
163
I'm feeling like a noob here lol it's been a LONG time since I did any hydroponic cloning. I wanted to see the bubbles and roots but duh, should have used an opaque container. As it is I'll probably just gorilla tape it to black it out.

And yea taking cuts from mite infested plants would definitely be a hindrance to their rooting, spending all their energy fighting off mites. I think I got that nailed, though. New growth on the mothers is clean but they are SOOOO rootbound they are trying to flower I gotta make this happen fast.

Thanks for the tips everyone.
 
Tnelz

Tnelz

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My cloner
fractal said:
I'm feeling like a noob here lol it's been a LONG time since I did any hydroponic cloning. I wanted to see the bubbles and roots but duh, should have used an opaque container. As it is I'll probably just gorilla tape it to black it out.

And yea taking cuts from mite infested plants would definitely be a hindrance to their rooting, spending all their energy fighting off mites. I think I got that nailed, though. New growth on the mothers is clean but they are SOOOO rootbound they are trying to flower I gotta make this happen fast.

Thanks for the tips everyone.
Click to expand...
Didn't even realize it was u bro. Lol. I have no doubt u will be up and running just fine in no time!
 
MGRox

MGRox

597
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Looks like I used a similar rubbermaid as @fractal. I've not had any issues, though I prefer using a medium with bubble cloner as opposed to without. If I were using any type that was designed for direct spray (EZ, aero, fog etc); then I would stick to bare.

with mine I just spray painted the OUTSIDE with plastic paint : http://www.krylon.com/products/fusion-for-plastic/
The paint still is perfectly adhered after 4 years with the rubbermaid. Think I did scuff the outside up a bit with some sandpaper though as a prep (200 grit +)

I typically run 70-71 (25-50w aquarium heater and don't skimp on price), but haven't had issues in the range of 68-75. I "feel" 68 may be a bit low for rooting and stay more 70+.

In that space, I ended up using 4 - 4" stones facing (front to back) instead of 2 down the length; as it gave a more even bubbling to the surface.

several things here were already pointed out, just wanted to provide some similar experience here.
Hope this helps
 
jumpincactus

jumpincactus

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@fractal As others stated, it is imperative to eliminate any light leaking into the rez. I have found I get better rooting action at 70 deg as opposed to lower temps. Peace
 
fractal

fractal

2,009
163
Damn I was just at WalMart, shoulda remembered to get an aquarium heater. Fuck the pet stores like petco and petsmart their air pumps and aquarium accessories are such a ripoff!

So I found a 3 gallon rubbermaid sturdy container that is dark blue. No light leaks now. I shoulda known that nutrients + light + h2o = slime and mold. I was just like I said, wanted to watch the bubbles and the rooting clones.

ATTENTION ALL HYDRO CLONERS! You can spend a lot of cash on neoprene discs to hold the clones in place, or you can buy pipe insulation, foam insulation for 1/2" pipe and use a 1 1/4 inch drill for a perfect fit and a sturdier collar for the clones.
 
fractal

fractal

2,009
163
One more thing: 100% silicone is 4 bucks for a smallish tube at the Casa DePot. I tried hot glue, it is not waterproof. You want to use silicone if attaching the airstones to the container, in this case because they float if not held down.

Silicone is also non toxic, anyways that's what I found to work in my situation.
 
hunterfisher

hunterfisher

29
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they wont root without darkness
and mites have to be hand rubbed off . no treatments , they screw up the water
use root hormone or it takes to long and you get the slime
change water in the cloner every 3 days or so if you don't have a water chiller hooked up
temp flux will do that also and every degree the room changes in a day the water does also
don't use treated chlorine water
cut the tips off fan leave so they can stand up easyer plus encourages root growth
 
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