Cloning during flower DIY bubble cloner
- Thread starter Spliffy Twojoints
- Start date
Spliffy Twojoints
Well-Known Member
My mistake, I thought the tips would spin with water pressure kind of like a dishwasher
Thank you very much for the compliment, only time will tell how well it’s made.
Spliffy Twojoints
Well-Known Member
I have added some vegging cuttings to the mix to see how they do versus flowering clones. Basically a more fair test of the machine.
The newest cuts are Permanent Marker that I just took from the mother.
The flowering cuts have some potent terps, but nothing like these after 12/12!
They actually smell and taste like the old squeaky permanent markers! Not that I’ve ever tasted any permanent markers
The newest cuts are Permanent Marker that I just took from the mother.
The flowering cuts have some potent terps, but nothing like these after 12/12!
They actually smell and taste like the old squeaky permanent markers! Not that I’ve ever tasted any permanent markers
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
Yes I did buy new trays domes etc. I bleach everything before using it anyways. Just started having problems with plants getting moldy, dying, taking forever to root for some reason. Couldn't figure it out. Went to the aero and had roots in 5days on root horny strains. Now I can literally depend on the fact every cut will root within 10 days usually 5-7. It's never taken me longer than 10 days to start seeing root growth. I just set it and forget it. Add some hypochlorous acid every 7days and I get wicked thick white roots Everytime. That's why I was recommending just biting the bullet and buying one but everyone is diff and will do things their own way so no harm no foul. At least op has some info if they change their mind down the road I guess.
Spliffy Twojoints
Well-Known Member
I was wondering about how often to change the water. I’ve been finding all different answers all over the place.
I assume using the hypochlorous acid means you don’t have to change the water until you’re done, kind of like maintaining a pool with chlorine. If so, that’s a great tip and exactly what I was looking for!
So let’s say for argument sake it took over 14 days to see roots you would’ve added the acid twice to the same original water?
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
Once at start once 7 days later then again 7 days later if they still in there. I personally don't change the water because I use hypochlorous acid. If you can't get it, there a great thread on how to make clear Rez for pennies with pool shock. Same idea.I was wondering about how often to change the water. I’ve been finding all different answers all over the place.
I assume using the hypochlorous acid means you don’t have to change the water until you’re done, kind of like maintaining a pool with chlorine. If so, that’s a great tip and exactly what I was looking for!
So let’s say for argument sake it took over 14 days to see roots you would’ve added the acid twice to the same original water?
The ones in the blue pucks are notoriously picky rooters but within a few days they'll go too. They've already started.
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Spliffy Twojoints
Well-Known Member
I think we’re five days for the veg cuts and seven days for the flowered cuts now and nothing to report! 
That could still be considered a good thing as all the cuttings look happy and I have not lost any since the second day when I lost one to the “death zone”.
That could still be considered a good thing as all the cuttings look happy and I have not lost any since the second day when I lost one to the “death zone”.
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Spliffy Twojoints
Well-Known Member
Spliffy Twojoints
Well-Known Member
First sign of progress! The focus is bad but you can still see what’s going on.
These tiny roots are on one of the vegging cuttings. The picture is from yesterday, haven’t been in the room today.
Hopefully the flower cuttings will take soon.
Spliffy Twojoints
Well-Known Member
12 days in and still no noticeable roots on the flowering clones (three different strains). 
10 days in for the vegging clones and they all have noticeable roots (one strain but was troublesome to clone under a dome).
10 days in for the vegging clones and they all have noticeable roots (one strain but was troublesome to clone under a dome).
7CardBud
Well-Known Member
You can also toss in one of those floating ultrasonic misters to up your chances.
Spliffy Twojoints
Well-Known Member
Thanks, I am not familiar so I hadn’t thought of that. I might try that down the road, but before I do I’d like to test the limits and abilities of the machine as it’s built now. I know I need some kind of improvement in the top left corner, after this set of clones I should be able to determine what else I need to tweak.
Spliffy Twojoints
Well-Known Member
Earlier today I had a look and was amazed to see how much more growth there is with the roots once they start in this cloner.
The other thing I’m noticing is that all the cuttings are still essentially the same shade of green as when they were cut from their donor plants. I mean, if these things were under the dome in peat pucks they would absolutely have some leaves yellowing and browning by the time the roots pop out.
These girls look about 99.9% the same as the day they went in two weeks ago, except some of them have roots now.
I was extremely happy to find the flowering plant I was really hoping to keep above the rest, has roots on two of the cuttings now.
I find it interesting that one of the tiniest clones I have ever taken is one that is showing roots now. I don’t think it’s more than 2 inches tall and has a bud on it was very skinny leaves.
Those flowering cuttings showing roots are from very old seeds (10+ years, maybe 15) I had of Durban Poison from Dutch Passion. I have grown a few out of the same pack a couple times over the years and was completely unimpressed, but I’m so glad I gave it another chance and grew the last few seeds now.
This particular pheno has a very purple hue that is really tough to capture with the camera. More importantly it reeks of lemon cleaner and seems to be roughly 60% sativa, so I’m really looking forward to sampling the flower in a few more weeks. Maybe by then these clones will have revegged.
Even though this test of my machine is only partway through, I would say I am now a bubble cloner convert !
I don’t think I’ll ever use another dome and I’m still undecided about cloning gels or powders but most likely won’t be using them as some of the cuttings have rooted without anything more than water.
The other thing I’m noticing is that all the cuttings are still essentially the same shade of green as when they were cut from their donor plants. I mean, if these things were under the dome in peat pucks they would absolutely have some leaves yellowing and browning by the time the roots pop out.
These girls look about 99.9% the same as the day they went in two weeks ago, except some of them have roots now.
I was extremely happy to find the flowering plant I was really hoping to keep above the rest, has roots on two of the cuttings now.
I find it interesting that one of the tiniest clones I have ever taken is one that is showing roots now. I don’t think it’s more than 2 inches tall and has a bud on it was very skinny leaves.
Those flowering cuttings showing roots are from very old seeds (10+ years, maybe 15) I had of Durban Poison from Dutch Passion. I have grown a few out of the same pack a couple times over the years and was completely unimpressed, but I’m so glad I gave it another chance and grew the last few seeds now.
This particular pheno has a very purple hue that is really tough to capture with the camera. More importantly it reeks of lemon cleaner and seems to be roughly 60% sativa, so I’m really looking forward to sampling the flower in a few more weeks. Maybe by then these clones will have revegged.
Even though this test of my machine is only partway through, I would say I am now a bubble cloner convert !
I don’t think I’ll ever use another dome and I’m still undecided about cloning gels or powders but most likely won’t be using them as some of the cuttings have rooted without anything more than water.
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Spliffy Twojoints
Well-Known Member
Just a day later and every single strain (not every single cutting, yet) has decent roots or at least the beginnings of roots.
I noticed one cutting with drooping leaves and realized the water level needed to be topped up.
Someone else mentioned to me that one of the few maintenance tasks required might be that you need to top up the water. I expect it it’s just being lost through the high humidity under the lid seeping out into the room. I’m guessing that same humidity leaking from under the lid is what’s keeping the upper parts of the plant somewhat humid, and that’s why the dome isn’t required?
I’m so blown away by how efficient this system is, from the smallest to the thickest woodiest cutting, they still throw roots. This was a woody cutting from a vegging plant and is about a quarter inch in diameter.
Notice how shallow the angle of the cut is, I wasn’t even trying to maximize the exposure and still roots formed. I also didn’t split the stalk or scrape the sides, two other things I used to do with great success.
I also want to talk about the water. I haven’t changed it for two weeks and I used tapwater from the city. I have been topping up maybe 2 L (8 cups) a week. I have added no other chemicals or disinfectant of any kind. I believe the water is algae free partially because of the continuous motion of the bubbles but also due to the chloramine in the water. Nowadays much of our city water is treated with chlorine AND/OR chloramine. The chlorine can evaporate from water over a few hours or a day in an open container. However, a 5 gallon bucket of water would take weeks for the chloramine to evaporate without any other actions being taken like boiling or adding dechlorinaters.
The only thing I think I haven’t touched on is the lighting. I used a single T8 in a shop light meant for two bulbs. I kept it 24 inches above and it was on 24 hours. I think that’s the next thing I will experiment with, most people agree ambient light is best, I’m just thinking 18/6 or 20/4 might speed things up.
I noticed one cutting with drooping leaves and realized the water level needed to be topped up.
Someone else mentioned to me that one of the few maintenance tasks required might be that you need to top up the water. I expect it it’s just being lost through the high humidity under the lid seeping out into the room. I’m guessing that same humidity leaking from under the lid is what’s keeping the upper parts of the plant somewhat humid, and that’s why the dome isn’t required?
I’m so blown away by how efficient this system is, from the smallest to the thickest woodiest cutting, they still throw roots. This was a woody cutting from a vegging plant and is about a quarter inch in diameter.
Notice how shallow the angle of the cut is, I wasn’t even trying to maximize the exposure and still roots formed. I also didn’t split the stalk or scrape the sides, two other things I used to do with great success.
I also want to talk about the water. I haven’t changed it for two weeks and I used tapwater from the city. I have been topping up maybe 2 L (8 cups) a week. I have added no other chemicals or disinfectant of any kind. I believe the water is algae free partially because of the continuous motion of the bubbles but also due to the chloramine in the water. Nowadays much of our city water is treated with chlorine AND/OR chloramine. The chlorine can evaporate from water over a few hours or a day in an open container. However, a 5 gallon bucket of water would take weeks for the chloramine to evaporate without any other actions being taken like boiling or adding dechlorinaters.
The only thing I think I haven’t touched on is the lighting. I used a single T8 in a shop light meant for two bulbs. I kept it 24 inches above and it was on 24 hours. I think that’s the next thing I will experiment with, most people agree ambient light is best, I’m just thinking 18/6 or 20/4 might speed things up.
Spliffy Twojoints
Well-Known Member
We are now 18 days in and I am completely sold on bubble cloning instead of peat pucks or soil etc and humidity domes.
To recap, there are four strains, one was in veg and the other three were over 4 weeks in flower. I lost one cutting in the first couple days because of a dead spot in the reservoir.
Since then almost every cutting has developed roots with the exception of two cuttings of the same plant from the flower room. I took four cuttings of each plant and the other two have roots, so it’s either location in the cloner or just a cultivar that is tougher to clone. I can’t say one way or the other yet because I have never cloned this plant before, but if it’s location in the cloner the issue will recur with the next round of cuttings.
Some of the clones have far less developed roots than the others so I will keep them in the cloner a while longer. I think four weeks will be the cut off as far as waiting for the last two to get roots.
Aside from the high success rate, the best thing about this cloner is the set it and forget it freedom it allows. I have gone a couple days without even going in the room and didn’t have to worry for a moment about moulds or mildew developing, or plants suffocating, or plants drying out, or any of the other issues that comes with cloning in domes.
I’m an old timer who can get set in his ways so I’m extra happy that I tried something new and so game changing, but at the same time bittersweet because I didn’t try this 20 years ago.
To recap, there are four strains, one was in veg and the other three were over 4 weeks in flower. I lost one cutting in the first couple days because of a dead spot in the reservoir.
Since then almost every cutting has developed roots with the exception of two cuttings of the same plant from the flower room. I took four cuttings of each plant and the other two have roots, so it’s either location in the cloner or just a cultivar that is tougher to clone. I can’t say one way or the other yet because I have never cloned this plant before, but if it’s location in the cloner the issue will recur with the next round of cuttings.
Some of the clones have far less developed roots than the others so I will keep them in the cloner a while longer. I think four weeks will be the cut off as far as waiting for the last two to get roots.
Aside from the high success rate, the best thing about this cloner is the set it and forget it freedom it allows. I have gone a couple days without even going in the room and didn’t have to worry for a moment about moulds or mildew developing, or plants suffocating, or plants drying out, or any of the other issues that comes with cloning in domes.
I’m an old timer who can get set in his ways so I’m extra happy that I tried something new and so game changing, but at the same time bittersweet because I didn’t try this 20 years ago.
