Not liking this aero cloner

so I built a bubbler bc nobody can seem to come to a consensus on which was is easy, better, etc. compared to using rockwool, the roots seem to be forming very slowly. If they don’t pick up within a couple days, I’m sure I’m going to see what a lot of people run into for various reasons,...dampening off/waterlogged whatever you wanna call it. I guess this thread is part show and tell, part “why doesn’t everyone end the debate like this.” It only took like 20 min to build the bubble cloner

I may end up doing a side by side comparison with my next cuttings of garlic cookies in a couple weeks. I’ll definitely share photos if I do. I just checked the roots and they seem to be growing a little faster now. I did get the reservoir temp lowered from 84 F to 77 F. I wonder if that had something to do with the aero cloner, although most would say warmer temps increase root speed

I thought everybody was using Clone King's. It's pretty fool proof and easy to copy.

70's natureboy said:

I thought everybody was using Clone King's. It's pretty fool proof and easy to copy.

Click to expand...

Not this guy. Dip and grow for years. Just making sure,..I wasn’t implying this was my design or idea lol. I meant why not just build both an aero and a bubbler and run em side by side like this to end the debates on which is better. I’d be having my secretary/mistress typing this up right now if I had came up with the idea. Just dwc

I have grown with most aero methods; lp, hpa, f & d, dwc

I have been starting seedlings and clones in my diy bubbler for years.

This time I'm changing it up to lp aero, with a twist.

The biggest mistake I see made with lp aero is over-wetting

I will be using mist heads used when I did high pressure aero ( see pics)

Why? more like a soft mist, which should be gentler on developing lateral roots

Since in f & d flood cycles are ~ once every 3-6 hours, which gives the roots ample time to feed > dry > feed ...

The same should be true for starting, but o/o times should be much shorter

I'm going to start at ~ 30 seconds every 3 minutes and adjust as needed

In a pinch plants could be grown in here too, but I will transfer to my f & d totes

Hydrowannabe said:

I may end up doing a side by side comparison with my next cuttings of garlic cookies in a couple weeks. I’ll definitely share photos if I do. I just checked the roots and they seem to be growing a little faster now. I did get the reservoir temp lowered from 84 F to 77 F. I wonder if that had something to do with the aero cloner, although most would say warmer temps increase root speed

Click to expand...

Doing real tests and sharing them is what science is all about. And the only way you can compare reality vs expectations...

I'm looking forward to this

Good luck with your cloning!

70's natureboy said:

I thought everybody was using Clone King's. It's pretty fool proof and easy to copy.

Click to expand...

^^ this ^^

Man, I don’t know what the deal is. I haven’t counted the days, but I’m guewsing they have been in the aero cloner for five days and maybe 24 hours in the bubble cloner. I transferred them to the bubble cloner out of fear of seeing nothing happen in the aero. Growth seems to be better but is still going slow compared to when I used rockwool. My clones always were rooted and transplanted within 7 days. I don’t feel like typing my whole method of growing out and my nutrient mix,...I will say I’ve only lost a couple clones out of a hundred or so in rockwool, so I was pretty confident with my clone nute mix,..but I’m going to try waiting till I see roots next time to add any vitamins or anything. I don’t think the water needs precharged like the rockwool. Thanks for the replies growers!

this sprayer bucket works great 30 min on/ 1 hr/1.5 hr off

https://www.rollitup.org/t/titan-rdwc-60-gallon-6-sites-megacrop.959340/#post-14090537

So if you did so well in rock wool why did you even switch?

Been running an aero cloner very much like the one you built for about 10 years with about a 98-100% results .

I tried rockwool they looked like crap and took forever but i got 100%


I wouldnt trash the cloner cause you cant make it work.... besides its only been 5 days

My absolute fastest root time was about 5 days from cut .

I doubt unless your VERY. Dialed in that you had bigger roots in 7 days in wool BUT. If you did and do get bigger roots in 7 days id go back to the wool sounds like it works better for you

I'm with the clone kind as well last batch 7 days in had roots hanging in the water.

Cold$moke said:

So if you did so well in rock wool why did you even switch?

Been running an aero cloner very much like the one you built for about 10 years with about a 98-100% results .

I tried rockwool they looked like crap and took forever but i got 100%


I wouldnt trash the cloner cause you cant make it work.... besides its only been 5 days

My absolute fastest root time was about 5 days from cut .

I doubt unless your VERY. Dialed in that you had bigger roots in 7 days in wool BUT. If you did and do get bigger roots in 7 days id go back to the wool sounds like it works better for you

Click to expand...

Also try just plain ph adjust water until your see good roots

ive like rockwool with a heater under the tray.always used, new gel. scalpel and wear gloves. and have them in about 10 days underdome crack it at day 5 with 90 percent success. and alway take 5 leaves. never any 3 leaves they seem to take longer to root. imo

The cuttings are finally rooting. Actually had to transplant one yesterday. The bubble cloner outmatched the aero with out a doubt...or maybe I just can’t seem to dial in the aero cloner right. Anyway, if I am DEPENDING on cuttings being rooted, I would use the rockwool method. I always had got beautiful roots in about 5 days. But it’s always cool to add extra knowledge to the garden toolbox

BobBitchen said:

^^ this ^^

Click to expand...

eyderbuddy said:

Doing real tests and sharing them is what science is all about. And the only way you can compare reality vs expectations...

I'm looking forward to this

Good luck with your cloning!

Click to expand...

Sorry dudes, I haven’t been able to do the testing I wanted to yet, but like I said I need the previous post,..when my other mother (Garlic cookies) get larger, I’ll take cuttings from that and try side by side, same nutes , etc with rockwool method, aero cloner, and bubble cloner. I can say for sure that the aero will place last unless I figure out how to dial it in better.inthink it was the temps that were getting to high in the aero cloner, even on a time cycle

With aerocloner, no need to trim leaves, do not use a humidity dome , do not add "nutes"
73° - 78° works well for me, I shoot for 76°, non PH'd tap water, if you feel the need to add something , 5mil of pro teck & 5 mil of kln has worked for me. Pump on 24 - 7 , low intensity light, I use florescent @18" above.
Take your cuts , put in pucks comel back in 14 days.
IMHO, muuuch easier than wool, or riots. I've been using the same clone king for the last 5yrs+,
very close 100%
I did a bunch of DIY's, most a continuous waste of money.

Good luck in whatever method you choose.

BobBitchen said:

With aerocloner, no need to trim leaves, do not use a humidity dome , do not add "nutes"
73° - 78° works well for me, I shoot for 76°, non PH'd tap water, if you feel the need to add something , 5mil of pro teck & 5 mil of kln has worked for me. Pump on 24 - 7 , low intensity light, I use florescent @18" above.
Take your cuts , put in pucks comel back in 14 days.
IMHO, muuuch easier than wool, or riots. I've been using the same clone king for the last 5yrs+,
very close 100%
I did a bunch of DIY's, most a continuous waste of money.
View attachment 4102252 View attachment 4102253
Good luck in whatever method you choose.

Click to expand...

I’m really trying my best to keep an open mind to this KISS method people rave about but I kind of like tinkering with things and will always go back to fresh water and restart the tinkering. All my clones are tooting very well now. Ppms are about 400. A little calmag to buffer my r/o water. I think that’s all I did today when I changed out the water. I just pick up an impulse purchase of clear res,..only to find out, it’s pretty much diluted bleach water but it only cost six bucks so I’m going to add a little. Thanks so much everyone for the replies. We are all learning here! Imo, nothing is as consistent and stable as precharging some rockwool for a few hours, take some cuts, dip in gel and stick in the cube. I do foliar feed if I notice some yellowing. And yea, I heard you don’t need a humidity dome for aero cloners, but for some reason people say you need them for bubble cloners which is what I’m currently using. Peaceeeee

Hydrowannabe said:

Man, I don’t know what the deal is. I haven’t counted the days, but I’m guewsing they have been in the aero cloner for five days and maybe 24 hours in the bubble cloner. I transferred them to the bubble cloner out of fear of seeing nothing happen in the aero. Growth seems to be better but is still going slow compared to when I used rockwool. My clones always were rooted and transplanted within 7 days. I don’t feel like typing my whole method of growing out and my nutrient mix,...I will say I’ve only lost a couple clones out of a hundred or so in rockwool, so I was pretty confident with my clone nute mix,..but I’m going to try waiting till I see roots next time to add any vitamins or anything. I don’t think the water needs precharged like the rockwool. Thanks for the replies growers!

Click to expand...

Do you know the temperature of your water? I use an aquarium heater to keep the temperature 75-78 degrees. No humidity dome is needed . . . At least in my case (Colorado).

Coloradoclear said:

Do you know the temperature of your water? I use an aquarium heater to keep the temperature 75-78 degrees. No humidity dome is needed . . . At least in my case (Colorado).

Click to expand...

Yea, I’ve been using a pretty decent hydro thermometer. I couldn’t keep the aero cloner from reach degrees of 82-84 F. That had to be the issue because once I put them in my bubbler, they started shooting out roots ASAP. The after temp in my bubbler is a nice 75 I believe

you dont need a dome almost with anything weed related.


It helps with media based clones more so then water culture.

Ive done aero and bubble in one firm or another for probably 12 plus years.

I also can get 100% with rapid rooters and rockwool.

But my aero is fastest followed by bubble followed br rockwool.


My fastest ever roots where 5 days from cut
And they where roots not bumps.

I have never had them root faster any other way.

Now that being said if you do awsome in rockwool

Why would you want to try an aero or bubbler set up?

I would choose the best method that works in my situation