Newbie Hydro Questions

So, I have several plants vegging right now in some fox farm soil. I'm using their line of 3 pt organic nutes. When they get to size, I plan to clone them and start them in a aero system. Here are my two questions...One, what is a good economical hydroponic nutrient line to use? Something good, but not overly expensive. I don't mind spending for quality, if it gives the results. And the 2nd question, what is a good solution to use to promote rapid root growth in a cloner? Can I use a gel in conjunction with a solution to clone? Please help!

2012junkie said:

So, I have several plants vegging right now in some fox farm soil. I'm using their line of 3 pt organic nutes. When they get to size, I plan to clone them and start them in a aero system. Here are my two questions...One, what is a good economical hydroponic nutrient line to use? Something good, but not overly expensive. I don't mind spending for quality, if it gives the results. And the 2nd question, what is a good solution to use to promote rapid root growth in a cloner? Can I use a gel in conjunction with a solution to clone? Please help!

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You can absolutely use cloning gel in conjunction with cloning solution but, in my experience, the cloning solution is unnecessary. Some would even say the cloning gel is unnecessary, but I still use it because I think it speeds things up a bit.

As far as reasonably prices hydro nutrients, the door is wide open. My personal preference is General Hydroponics products...just because they've served me well for well over 15 years. Could be other products worth trying but I tend to stick with what I know.

hydrowarehouse.com is pretty good about staying in contact helping and ships fast....

HARDBODYyadig said:

So what have we learned here? You can pretty much do whatever you want to do with an aerocloner and it will work for you. pH'd/not tap water, gel/solution, nothing at all 24/7 spraying or 1min on/5min off cycle timed sprayer (what i use). Its really all up to whatever you think works best i'd say. I germed some seeds for 2 days, got a 1/4 inch of a taproot and put it in my aerocloner with a mixture of straight tap water and clonex solution. 9 days later I have this:

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I'd agree with gcvt420. Go with General Hydroponics, although I prefer the stinkbud organic soup

floranova nutes are the best ! there ph balanced , i wouldnt get anything else for hydro , also get some rooting hormones

smallclosetgrowr said:

floranova nutes are the best ! there ph balanced , i wouldnt get anything else for hydro , also get some rooting hormones

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So you say go with Floranova. I see its made by General Hydro, which seems to be the brand of choice throughout the hydro community. Is it only a 2 part nutrient system? When you say get some rooting hormone, what would you suggest? I'm gonna run to the hydro shop today or tomorrow and pick some goodies up!

2012junkie said:

So you say go with Floranova. I see its made by General Hydro, which seems to be the brand of choice throughout the hydro community. Is it only a 2 part nutrient system? When you say get some rooting hormone, what would you suggest? I'm gonna run to the hydro shop today or tomorrow and pick some goodies up!

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Clonex gel works great. Good luck!

smallclosetgrowr said:

floranova nutes are the best ! there ph balanced , i wouldnt get anything else for hydro , also get some rooting hormones

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Dude I wanted to go with floranova but that shit is way to expensive! So instead I went with the 3 part Gen Hydro line. It's been easy to use so far. It isn't ph balanced like you pointed out but as long as you check it once a day for the first several days its all good. I appreciate your direction though brotha. Maybe next time when my pockets are a little deaper I'll so with something easier to use.

HARDBODYyadig said:

Clonex gel works great. Good luck!

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I went with Root Tech. So far so good. The dude at the hydro store also recommended I go with Hormex for aero cloners to supply nutrients to the plants as soon as they need it. I basically stole your little clonging machine you have. I used a 5 gallon bucket instead. Is there some sort of secret to cloning tops? I topped my girls, tried putting them in the aero cloner I made and every damn last one of them died! Pissed me off! Of course I had/have no idea what the hell I'm doing! ha! First time trying cloning at all! Is there some sort of secret to cloning the tops? I took 3 cutlings from a plant and those are the only 3 that made it, thankfully!