So you guys want to build a cloner?
Ok, for starters, I participated in a test last year with some moldy Nero 600m cuttings that VS sent me in January (I think....could have been later). I washed the cuttings and stopped by to see my friends at the hydroponic store. I told them I wondered if the cloners work. Well, he showed me 3 trees that were 3 feet tall. He said he rooted them in the cloner. I thought he was trying to make a sell but he swore to me the cloner works. I asked if I could give him some cuttings to root for a test and he agreed. The agreement was, if the cutting root, them I would buy a cloner. I gave him 3 different cuttings: 5 Nero 600m, 3 France cuttings, and Pleasant Gee cuttings. Every week I came back to see the growth---his cloner is clear aka see thru. In 17 days, all cuttings rooted. Here is a picture of the clear cloner:


Here are a few picture of the cuttings that we rooted;


Here is a picture of the cloner I bought showing rooted cuttings:


Here are pics of the one I built:












For a good video that I followed, go here and watch this video:

How long is the pump set to run?
Is it on a timer?
Thanks for sharing.


Doug

Runs 24/7. The lights are on a timer 6 to 6.

Very nice, thanks for sharing!

Thanks for sharing! This is great, now I just need my hubby to agree!

Thanks Dennis for starting this thread. I did a bit of searching after I saw your earlier post, almost all of the good information on cloners is out there on the Cannabis forums. How long did it take to put yours together? The video you linked mentions $60, thats cheap...Are you using T-5 fluorescents? They are fairly expensive, I guess you could go with regular shop or compact fluorescents.

Mike in Hanover, VA

hi, 
i saw clone tools without using Pump etc on Ebay. named Oxyclone

Great system, Dennis!  Thanks for sharing.

Looks interesting. What was the success rate of yours & his batches?

Strong work!

@Mike--How long did it take to put mine together?  About a day once I had all the pieces and parts.  I really have too many spray heads but that's a good thing--just hard to keep the thing from leaking b/c my pump is pretty strong and large--but adjustable.  As for grow light, you really don't need much.  I use a mixture of T-5s and some others my friends gave me.  The lights are free when you buy a lamp.  I have 4 sets of lights.  Two 4 footers and two 2 footers -- Three have 4 sets of lights.  ALl of these are plugged into a multi-switch that controls the pumps and the lights.  Once side controls the lights, the other side controls the pumps--all on one switch. 

July was a crazy month for me and I had to work some long nights and a few weekends.  So, some cuttings actually stayed in the cloner for 30 days.  As long as they had water, food and light, they were fine.  I have....
1 - EZ CLoner 32
1 - EZ Cloner 64
1 - Commando XL 35 Cloner that I built (leaks a little no matter how much foam tape I put with clamps!)
1 - EZ Cloner 128

What is my success rate?  It was 86% until I tested a set of cuttings in the bucket system.  Every cutting in the bucket cloner died---the water was just too hot.  However, let me mention this too....some cuttings are just not good cuttings.  It may look like a good and strong cutting but if left on the tree may have died anyway due simpily because of nature.  So, success facts can be misleading no matter what method you try.  As for water pumps, some folks say to run the timer 15mins on and 15mins off.  I don't do that.  I just let the dare thing run!  The fastest cuttings that root are the freshest.  For me, it was 17 days.  What cutting was it?  Dominck's Black cuttings....all 8 or 10 of mine rooted.  Started in June, some are now 18" tall of new growth.  But again, all cuttings are not equal!  Remember that!  However,  I won't be going back to rooting cuttings in moss or dirt again.  I use to root inside my office and my basement.  I had to find a way to root without all the mess and to get rid of gnats.  The cloner seems to be the best method for me.  My ultimate plan was to use my greenhouse for all my cloners but I have not perfected the controlling of temperatures inside there.  But I will say this, for about 2 years I kept buying Nero 600m cuttings from VS and every one died on me using a variety of methods.  Using the cloner for the first time with moldy cuttings worked for me!  I think the natural air, heat, and warm water had something to do with that....kinda like sticking a cutting in the ground and letting mother nature do the rest.  Well...sorta!

Good luck guys and have fun!

How do the cloned plants do transitioning to a less friendly environment? Do you have to be more cautious than with other methods?

Kelby, once the cutting has a huge root on it, treat if as if you would any other new cuttings but be gentile and don't press in the soil.  Just add the soiless mix, give a little water and place in a coverred area for about 2 weeks.  Mine are under a huge covered deck.  I also feed mine weak liquid fertilizer and they look amazing.

Thanks Dennis! Now I have yet another thing to ponder.

Those are still great results Dennis, and i do agree about the cuttings. I get the same gnat problem. Hate those things. Its definitely something to think about. Thank you for bringing up this topic.

What are you using as a filler for the net cups?

Scott

Mahalo, Dennis for sharing this promising idea.  I've had a huge problem out here fighting fungus gnats.  No matter what I do, besides burying the cuttings whole, the darn buggers just have their way.  I do have one question though:  Do you initially root the cuttings THEN place them in the cloner or do you just stick the cuttings into the cloner before any roots appear?

Scott he is using neoprene inserts which are like a collar around the cutting, he also cuts the bottom off the bottom of the net pot so he doesn't have to pull roots out of the net pot.  Makes the whole thing reusable (I would wash in peroxide between cuttings though) and make the overall cost much cheaper in the long run.

Dennis do you use plain water in the cloner or are you adding anything? I did some research this past weekend and was wondering.

Also, just to be sure, all that is happening is the cuttings are getting sprayed and they are growing roots down into the water reservoir until you pot them right? Forgive my stupidity, but this is only slightly different from starting cuttings in water right?

This is very interesting to me so I just want to be sure. Thanks!

Some how I missed this one!  I use plain water and rapid start.  It comes with the unit.  And every 3 days, I add 5ml of hydrogen perxiode.  the cuttings are not in water, water is sprayed on them to keep them wet and oxygenated (if that's a word).  If the cuttings are kept in the cloner too long or if its a fast rooter, the roots will reach the water.  Fresh cuttings can root and be ready to pot up in 17 days.  Oh yeah and NOT GNATS!!!!

So you're using green cuttings?  And 5 ml of 33% peroxide or the regular 3% you get from the store?  That's to the 32 position cloner, right?  You'd need more with the bigger cloner, I'd assume?

One more question  :)   How long and how thick are the cuttings you're taking?  Thanks.

Dennis, different pumps run at different PSI. Do you know what your pump is rated?

I can build the sprayer head assembly but was wondering at what pressure it maintains.

Different sprinkler heads could be used to get same effect.

Interesting design. I may build a mini.


Doug

This is great Thank you for the info. I have 2 cloners sitting around here forever. One is small and holds like 8 cuts I think, the others is very large. After spending 100's on cuts last year and getting 0 to root I will definitely give this a try this year when I get more cuttings.