Microbe Tea in EZ Cloner 120

[redwhiteblue]

Been having a tough time with the EZ Cloner 120. 100% success rate with roots but we are getting the cyanobacteria/biofilm/white slime every time.

Regiment has been 20 gal of our organic water which goes through a charcoal and uv filter, 4oz of Clear Res as recommended by EZ Cloner.

1st try: got slime after 2 days, replaced water every day for a week, got amazing roots after 7 days 2" white, but couldn't kick the slime, threw the clones away.

2nd try: got slime after 2 days, used H2o2 for a week at 1 mL/gal each day, didn't work, tossed it.

3rd try: got slime after 2 days, treated with Erythromycin, no slime on plants but it's still in the res/manifold/hoses. 1/2 of the batch has popped, no major merlin beards roots yet, appx 10 days in. Debating whether to toss this batch.

4th try: planning to make a microbe tea aka "Heisenberg" tea (aquashield, great white, worm castings, strained of course) and use 20 gal water and 2 cups of the microbe tea.

Thoughts on the effectiveness of the microbe, and how to deal with the iron waste ie red orange algae the microbes will kick off as they eat the iron in the water?

 

[redwhiteblue]

, we keep tossing the clones because we are afraid to put them in our RDWC buckets, 5 gal w/ hydrators, 30k w/ appx 140 buckets.

 

[GR33NL3AF]

The tea should work - I had the same problems when using clear res or any other sterilizing agent. My process, usually 90-95% and I put 4 per collar...
-cut clones and stick in dixie cup of water/olivias solution for 24hours
-remove from cup, re-cut stems swirl fresh cut in 'dip-n-gro' or any alcohol base and place in collars
-add clonex, root 66, azos from xtreme gardening, and a brewed tea bag from them as well
and turn on.
This is important....Get yourself an ART-DNE recycling timer - 30 seconds on - 1 hour off and try and place your cloner on a cement surface. Keeping water temp down is key!

P.S. plenty of airstones and I just bought CAP's bennies and will be trying his tea in the cloner next.

Good Luck,
GR33N

 

[redwhiteblue]

thanks for your insight GREEN - Good looking dog!

 

[redwhiteblue]

TO confirm - timer you recommend 30 seconds on, 1 HOUR off?

 

[GR33NL3AF]

Yup, that's perfect

 

[leadsled]

DO you clean it extremely well after each run?? I you do not get the manifold or the unit clean after each use, then that can continue to cause problems. You must always clean it after each use from the very start. Cleanliness and being sterile is very very important in a Aeroponic system.

It is advised to adding more the clear res after 7 days and then change out the res after 14 days. If you use clear res then do not use the compost tea. The acid in clear res will kill the microbial life in the tea and also leave even more of a biofilm in the ezclone.

Basically the more organic matter that clear res comes into contact with the weaker it becomes. So need to keep adding or else the protection wears off. I also find using a timer keeps the temps down.

A tip: I set ph to 5.2-5.5 first few days and that helps the stems to start forming the nubs that make roots. Then bring it up to 5.5-5.8 and should have roots within 10 days or less.

Hope that helps

 

[redwhiteblue]

Thx. Do you use clear res or microbe?

We get shit results with clear res.

And yes, this is commercial. We have bleach tubs for everything after every use.

 

[outwest]

RWB - Check this out: https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/do-you-use-caps-bennies-while-cloning.49597/

Hope that helps!

outwest

 

[leadsled]

Thx. Do you use clear res or microbe?

We get shit results with clear res.

And yes, this is commercial. We have bleach tubs for everything after every use.

I have used both. Plain water works well and is cheapest. All depends on the time of the year and if I have space to run it in a temp controlled room.
Only reason I would use clear res would be if my temps go over 78f.

If your temps do not go over 78 or so why not try plain water?? That works well and is recommend by ezclone. KISS.
Lots of factors at play. How are the mothers? do you get good results with other methods??

Low cost organic method.
You could use Aloe vera, silica and kelp, then add azos after the roots show. That prevents the yellowing once they root.

 

[willy led wonka]

I like 30 secs on and 2.5mins off. I add rapid start and 1ml per gallon of extreme gardenings tea at 5ml.

 

[Frankensteins Garden]

This has been a very challenging year with the heat and I have tried several approaches to cloning and IMHO it comes down to keeping you cloner clean and having the proper temps. I use regular tap water, like the little bit of chlorine and ppm. The chlorine helps a little with keeping the unit clean. Proper temp is a must will slow down the bacteria slime etc, need to stay under 78 as previously mentioned. I added an air pump and stone to my cloner as well. If your temp is above look into the recycle timers, clear rez or take a frozen bottle of water and put directly into the cloner rez and change out when temps climb. If going the frozen bottle route clean it before using it. If you have a concrete floor put the cloner on that, it's good for a degree or two reduction. I get good roots with just plain ph'd tap water and cloning gel in 7 to 10 days depending on strain and a healthy Mom. Once you have the unit clean and temps dialed in then it's time to use your favorite cloning solution to speed up the process a bit.
I would break the unit totally down and clean it thoroughly. Take the pump apart, misters off and clean them very well. Replacing your neoprenes collars couldn't hurt. Once clean I rinse or soak with a mild bleach solution encase I missed anything and then again with plain water. I also have a garden hose attached to my cloner with a simple check valve, makes water changes really quick and easy so I'm more proactive on keeping the water clean. I like to run it for like 6 to 10 weeks, by then it needs to be broken completly down and cleaned. I notice as the weeks go by the rooting process takes a little longer as well.

Hope this helps, this is a great site and I've learned a ton of info from the farmer's above and others.
Frank

 

[GR33NL3AF]

RWB - Check this out: https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/do-you-use-caps-bennies-while-cloning.49597/

Hope that helps!

outwest

Any issues cloning read that link Outwest has provided ^^^ Shits works, very well!

 

[willy led wonka]

i agree with Frank and gr33n both on this one.

 

[CocoCola]

I'm not knocking it, but my best results are achieved keeping all bacteria and fungi (beneficials) out of the system for cloning. I always use probiotics in my hydro system, so I definitely respect their use.

From my experience, I'd recommend running two cups of bleach through your systems for a couple hours. After this, break down your system and bleach and clean each part: airline, air stones, misters, manifold, cap and seals...everything and surface that is going to make contact with yoru water (and therefore your clones) need to be thoroughly clean of any debris or sliminess wiped away with a toothbrush.

Next, buy NEW cloning collars. Or, I recommend, heat sterilizable ones such as permaclone, but they are an expensive upgrade. Either way, replace your cloning collars.

Finally, at your next run use clear rez at the recommended dose. An alternative to clear rez is pool shock or bleach. Bleach can be added at one drop per gallon of bleach (or 0.5 mL of bleach/10 gallon ez-cloner). Re-apply these chlorine based ingredients every 3 days to ensure no pathogens make it into your system.

If none of this works, then you may consider running e.m. erythromycin found at your local fish store/pet store through you systems for a total of 6 days following the packages guidelines. If you search cloner and erythromycin you can find a good blog on sterilizing your systems with this.

With a truly sterile system, you can run your system up to 85 (and some people claim higher) without a problem.

 

[CocoCola]

PS: People are saying that this "slime" is cyanobacteria. There are publications that discuss challenges with keeping cyanobacteria out of municipal water supplies. There are also literature on cyanobacteria resistant to chlorine. I've also read that this problem with cloners could be pythium, so there's different reviews, BUT the consensus is a microbiological pathogens is the issue, less than with your technique. A very thorough sterilization of your cloner, working space, self and replacement of collars would be the first step to fighting off your infection. Once it's sterilized, maybe introducing aquashield or hydrogaurd would introduce good beneficial known to compete against others...I just haven't tried it. My cloner's return to functionality was only upon intense sterilization. SO that's what I recommend.

 

[DirtySanchez]

Calcium Hypo Chloride dude aka Pool Shocker.

Get a brick for $3 from Home Depot, premix a gallon and put a cap full every day or every other day. Problem solved. It will kill ALL bacteria, good or bad. I have no clue why anyone on here, especially the more seasoned growers, would be suggesting ADDING BACTERIA TO A STERILE SYSTEM.

We had a grower once who couldn't get 1/3lb per light barely but that guy could clone like a son of a bitch. Roots come fast and hard as the warmth promotes growth. The only problem is the warmth encourages pathogens & Pythium etc too. Now u have the best of both worlds, warmth and NO bacteria. No need for chillers or timers or any of that stuff. Just cut, set forget.

Now let the backlash begin.

 

[CocoCola]

DirtySanchez, you're freakin right on.

One thing to consider is that ANY suppliment that has ammonia in it will cause the chlorine to immediately evaporate.

GH's pH down actually has ammonia in it, so you have to find one who's MSDS says it only contains Phosphoric Acid. I'm not sure about nitric acid.

I use GH's FloraBloom b/c it gets the pH down w/o affecting my free chlorine concentration.