Cloning troubles - please help

[matto70799]

Hi.
I just got an aeroponic cloner and have tried to switch to using this method. So far nothing has been successful. From looking at what happens I have an idea of what goes wrong, but being new to aeroponics I'm not sure what to do.
The clones do well for about 5-7 days. After that the decline is rapid. It appears that the neoprene foam that holds the plants on the stem constricts the stem, and retains so much moisture against them, it causes the stem to rot. Being constricted the die off occurs above the neoprene so I'm usually left with a tiny bit of somewhat healthy tissue at the tip of the cutting. I know I'm taking the cuttings right, I'm being sterile and clean (i work in biopharm in a sterile environment) and I'm using Dyna-Gro KLN rooting additive in the water at appropriate dilution.

Any one out there ever run into this issue or have an idea of what I should or shouldn't be doing that may be causing this to happen? I was expecting rooting, or at least new root calluses to be forming within just a few days..(?)

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[iwltfum]

I've had great results and terrible results in my ez-cloner. It seems to depend on doing two things right: 1.Clean the hell out of it after every time i use it (Don't even let it dry out without it being spotless clean) and 2.keep the bacteria out

The bacteria seems to be the hardest thing to control with this method of cloning. There is a certain kind of bacteria that loves hot, oxygenated water in low light environments, which sort of rules out the use of h2o2 as a bacterial deterrent since it just makes the water more oxygenated as it kills the bacteria, leaving whatever the h2o2 misses, a perfect environment to propagate again (and it only takes days). The pump is part of the problem - creating the lions share of the heat in the res. You can use an analog timer set to turn on and off at 15min intervals . I'm sure some people get away with spraying them even less often for a shorter period of time. There is also the option of using a very mild bleach (or pool shock is actually better) solution which doesn't break down the same way as h2o2 and stays around much longer. the only speculation with that is the possible build up of bleach on the sides of the res and in the neoprene over time, but wiping it dry with a towel and changing the neoprene ever two or three rounds would make it so that didn't happen.

Basically, make sure your res is below 76 degrees or you will start seeing a sharp decline in success. Once the problems start, best to toss the (unrooted) batch and start over with a thorough cleaning of each part

 

[DukeO]

I have had great luck with my aeroponic cloner. I make sure not to have to many leaves on the clones and that their stems are getting spayed good. I also put z7 water treatment in the cloner.

I have had no issue with not keeping things clean. z7 keeps it spotless. I just rinse it out once a month. I also have temps between 75-80f in it.
My pump is always left on. I tried taking clones from a flowering plant. It took two weeks to get their roots.
I was just testing if I could do it ok and it worked fine. They are out and doing well.

I just PH the tap water add a tiny bit of nutes and z7. Then it puts out at about 98% rate. It is very rare that I have one fail.

 

[matto70799]

I have had great luck with my aeroponic cloner. I make sure not to have to many leaves on the clones and that their stems are getting spayed good. I also put z7 water treatment in the cloner.

I have had no issue with not keeping things clean. z7 keeps it spotless. I just rinse it out once a month. I also have temps between 75-80f in it.
My pump is always left on. I tried taking clones from a flowering plant. It took two weeks to get their roots.
I was just testing if I could do it ok and it worked fine. They are out and doing well.

I just PH the tap water add a tiny bit of nutes and z7. Then it puts out at about 98% rate. It is very rare that I have one fail.

Sorry I'm not familiar with z7. I keep the cloner clean, bleach it after every use and I'm obsessive about rinsing the bleach out, I even pH the rinse water to make sure all the bleach residue is gone. As i said I'm a scientist by trade.
so it seems no one has notices issues with tbr neoprene crushing the stems and causing them to rot? I'll post pictures so you can see what I'm describing tonight when I get home from work.
Thanks for the advice so far. I'm debating calling this a $150 learning experience and going back to rockwool. The thing is I've seen great results others have with these cloners and I don't get why I'm having so much trouble.
Ok pics tonight. Thanks again!

 

[DukeO]

I use old clippers to take my cuttings and and old knife to cut my ends with. I know most will say that is a really bad thing.

I say most of peoples issue are not at those points. They come later from the water and the things in it.

My water is tap water PH'd and just under 80f and in seven to ten days I get beautiful white rots with or without rooting compound.

I have found rooting compound will cut a day or to off. But is not needed.

What I have found is needed for me is z7.
I do not know anyone at z7.

Z7

I am not sure just how it works. But it sure does work good for me.

I Never use bleach! Hell there is really nothing to bleach and I am someone who likes bleach.

If I am growing from seed. I start it in a little rockwool cube and after about three days put that into a little basket in my cloner right next to my clones and it too grows nice long white roots. When they get about 6-8" long I feed them through a DWC basket about 2-3" and pour in hydroton and I am done.

It did take me two years to get it all working right.LoL

z7 was key for me.

 

[matto70799]

I use old clippers to take my cuttings and and old knife to cut my ends with. I know most will say that is a really bad thing.

I say most of peoples issue are not at those points. They come later from the water and the things in it.

My water is tap water PH'd and just under 80f and in seven to ten days I get beautiful white rots with or without rooting compound.

I have found rooting compound will cut a day or to off. But is not needed.

What I have found is needed for me is z7.
I do not know anyone at z7.

Flying Skull Plant Products: Z7 Enzyme Cleanser

I am not sure just how it works. But it sure does work good for me.

I Never use bleach! Hell there is really nothing to bleach and I am someone who likes bleach.

If I am growing from seed. I start it in a little rockwool cube and after about three days put that into a little basket in my cloner right next to my clones and it too grows nice long white roots. When they get about 6-8" long I feed them through a DWC basket about 2-3" and pour in hydroton and I am done.

It did take me two years to get it all working right.LoL

z7 was key for me.

Hi

Duke thank you for the advice and the link. I'll pick up some z7. Yeah I can't understand what's happening. I did just order some 1.5" net pots that will fit my cloner I'm going to try replacing the neoprene with these and see if it helps. But as i promised earlier I will post pics tonight of the issue I'm running up against.
Thanks again everyone.

Matt