Bubble Cloning: Techniques , Tips & Tricks

Beachwalker · Jun 2, 2019

First time bubble cloning, I made this bubble cloner several years ago but have never used it

I run into a cloning issue with a white fuzz in the spring and the fall quite frequently, and I have recently, so this bubble cloner is what I'm going to use until late fall

I suspect I could alleviate the white fuzz in my other cloning method (root-riots/domed tray) by reducing humidity and/or adding a bit of hydrogen peroxide to the standing water in tray, but I wanted to try out this bubbler for fun anyway!

-It holds nine quartz with 6 drops of hydrogen peroxide, pH 6.5 at 80° (inkbird controled)

Some of these cuts are smaller than I would have liked but it's what I had to work with at the moment, if they fail I'll take more

The cuts are Gorilla Glue, Black D.O.G., Indian Bubblegum, and Romberry

All the cut tips were dipped in clonex and are underwater about 1/2 inch or more, standard aquarium pump & air tube

tl'dr / Questions:

Would a pH of 5.8 - 6 be better?

I have one of those cheesy air tubes, would a better air stone give water more oxygen saturation, or is the level I have adequate? (there's lots of bubbles)

I'm planning on adding three or four drops of hydrogen peroxide per day (yes, no, why & how much?)

Is clonex necessary on cuttings in Hydro?

Any critique, tips or techniques you can add are appreciated, thanks for reading

Aqua Man · Jun 2, 2019

I haven't cloned with this method but if it's any help I have found 5.8 to be the sweet spot for my hydro. I do let it drift up to 6 but at 5.8 I have had no ph related issues.

I have always cut the fan leaves to cut down on photosynthesis and focus more on root growth. Works for me but I can't tell you how much of a difference it makes

Beachwalker · Jun 2, 2019

Aqua Man said:
I haven't cloned with this method but if it's any help I have found 5.8 to be the sweet spot for my hydro. I do let it drift up to 6 but at 5.8 I have had no ph related issues.

I have always cut the fan leaves to cut down on photosynthesis and focus more on root growth. Works for me but I can't tell you how much of a difference it makes

Thanks for the input, considered that but whereas there are no roots I'm not sure if it matters? LOL My first impulse was 7.0, but I wanted to see what other bubbleheads were doing

Since you're a hydro grow could you recommend a safe ratio of hydrogen peroxide per gallon?

I've always cut my fan tips as well in the tray but I've heard it doesn't matter in bubble cloning? Hoping to get input on that too

Aqua Man · Jun 2, 2019

I don't run sterile. If I were to try a bubble cloner I would add 2ml per gallon of hydrogaurd. Personally adding hydrogen peroxide would be to much of a pita for me since you have to do it so often but probably a decent option for just cloning. I have read 5ml a gallon for hydrogen peroxide but also that the pharmacy stuff and the stuff sold for it are a little different? Don't know never tried it

MIMedGrower · Jun 2, 2019

I always thought the leaf tips were cut to avoid crowding in a dome tray. ?

Beachwalker · Jun 3, 2019

MIMedGrower said:
I always thought the leaf tips were cut to avoid crowding in a dome tray. ?

That's basically why I cut mine LOL (and it's still a challenge!). I've heard that too much leaf area makes for too large of a water demand on a cut trying to root

Mr Bee · Jun 3, 2019

I used a bubble kloner for a good while and it worked great.i just used un ph,d tap water.i would adjust the tip of the stems so they just slightly brush the surface of the water.the splashes from the bubbles are what gets the roots going.i would change the water every 3 or 4 days.i used an aquarium thermometer in the water but I can't remember what temps I kept though.lol.the bubble cloners work well wen set up right.i never ever used a dome which will help u keep that mould off your rooting clones.
Also don't use rooting powder.use clonex gel.its stays on the stem much longer than any other rooting gel or powder I,v used.

Beachwalker · Jun 3, 2019

Mr Bee said:
I used a bubble kroner for a good while and it worked great.i just used un ph,d tap water.i would adjust the tip of the stems so they just slightly brush the surface of the water.the splashes from the bubbles are what gets the roots going.i would change the water every 3 or 4 days.i used an aquarium thermometer in the water but I can't remember what temps I kept though.lol.the bubble cloners work well wen set up right.i never ever used a dome which will help u keep that mould off your rooting clones.
Also don't use rooting powder.use clonex gel.its stays on the stem much longer than any other rooting gel or powder I,v used.

I used Clonex, and no dome.

I have my tips about 1/4 to 1/2 inch under water, this is the first I've heard of tips above the surface of the water in a bubbler?

Also should I still mist these cuts a few times a day in a bubbler??

Mr Bee · Jun 3, 2019

Beachwalker said:
I have my tips about 1/4 to 1/2 inch under water, this is the first I've heard of tips above the surface of the water in a bubbler?

You want the tip just brushing the surface so the very small splashes from the bursting bubbles are hitting the stem were u want the roots from.
I'm not saying having the stems in the bubbling water won't work,obviously it does or u wouldn't be doing it.u should try a couple in the water and a couple just brushing the surface to see which roots first

Beachwalker · Jun 3, 2019

Mr Bee said:
You want the tip just brushing the surface so the very small splashes from the bursting bubbles are hitting the stem were u want the roots from.
I'm not saying having the stems in the bubbling water won't work,obviously it does or u wouldn't be doing it.u should try a couple in the water and a couple just brushing the surface to see which roots first

Thanks for explaining that, they're different strains so I'm not sure that their rate of rooting would be representative this run?

However I'm going to be using this cloner for the next five or six months so I will try that down the road, thanks again for your input, hoping to get a bunch of great tips and info in this thread

Beachwalker · Jun 5, 2019

Nothing new LOL? One came out of the water and died but I replaced it with something else, otherwise they look good

Beachwalker · Jun 11, 2019

Success! Pulled three pucks out, two of the three had more than nubs, but not quite roots! So 10 days ..not bad! I'll toss some pics up when I transplant. Will transplant into ffof this weekend, by then they'll hopefully have more established roots.

The pH has risen from 6.5 to 7.1, I'll try to keep it around 7, stopped adding hydrogen peroxide because I haven't changed the water, that's one thing I'm not exactly sure how I'll do but I imagine I'll do it at least once every couple weeks, likely this weekend after I transplant all with roots, and before the new set goes in

So I guess there weren't too many tips?! Maybe cause it's pretty straightforward I guess, don't know, all I know is root-riots in the domed tray stopped working & the white fuzz made its ugly re-appearance, so a bubbler will be my go-to in the hot and humid months. Overall very impressed with bubble cloning so far

Beachwalker · Jun 11, 2019

I did think of a question, now that many have nubs should I feed them, and if so what NPK and PPM? (using tap water at 150 ppm)

Beachwalker · Jun 11, 2019

So the first attempt with my homemade bubbler went well! This little black dog has more than nubs now! :)

MIMedGrower · Jun 11, 2019

Beachwalker said:
So the first attempt with my homemade bubbler went well! This little black dog has more than nubs now! :)

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View attachment 874945

Thats great work man. Nice

Beachwalker · Jun 11, 2019

MIMedGrower said:
Thats great work man. Nice

Thanks but I didn't really do much?! LOL I can't believe how good it worked, particularly after I just lost a whole tray of cuts in root riots! Really needed to see some roots in this set to get things moving, now I can make some room!!

MIMedGrower · Jun 11, 2019

Beachwalker said:
Thanks but I didn't really do much?! LOL I can't believe how good it worked, particularly after I just lost a whole tray of cuts in root riots! Really needed to see some roots in this set to get things moving, now I can make some room!!

I guess thats the point. Plug n play rooting. I like planting seeds so im not in a hurry for clones. But what you did there works so well....

Beachwalker · Jun 14, 2019

Beginner's luck!? Got 100% in 12 days, very happy but I've got a hundred percent in my Dome tray with rapid rooters before too and I've also lost whole trays so.. anyway for now I'm sold on bubbles like Lawrence Welk! Lol! :)

So I guess not so many tips?! just bubble it and forget about it!?! Seemed to work I guess, added 5ml. hydrogen peroxide initially; pH went from 6.5 to 7.5 and I didn't measure PPM initially but it didn't go up much if at all

Beachwalker · Jun 27, 2019

Nothing new to add just that I'm sold on this method! Just put my second bubble-batch into soil, had 100% yet again in about the same time, 2 weeks.

The only thing I did differently this time was forget to add the hydrogen peroxide LOL! So if you're having issues with clones in domed trays this might be the way to go? Good luck!

Beachwalker · Jul 25, 2019

Guess who's loving bubble cloning? :)

Third bubble set, put these in on the 16th (with the exception of the far-right corner which went in recently), black dog and Indian bubblegum

Bubble Cloning: Techniques , Tips & Tricks

Bubble Cloning: Techniques , Tips & Tricks

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