perlite!? that would a last choice for a rooting medium since it doesn't hold water at all - just the opposite it's an amendment to improve soil drainage - you'd have to keep a near constant flow of water on it to keep it wet enough. you don't need to dip the clones in acid or cloning gel, though the cloning gel will speed it up. not sure what kind of acid yer talkin bout there. if the mom s throwing single bladed leaves though, I would wait for her to snap out of it before you clone her so you don't preserve that funky expression