DIY Aero Cloner the EZ-Cloner Replica in 10 Easy Steps!

[PetFlora]

This might really simplify cloning set ups... and yes I have made similar set ups with spraybars, but for growing. I must have 5 different types of spray heads- the best are EXLs, but you need either a higher GPH pump (more heat) or better still, an outboard high pressure pump. Sadly, my frugal self got in the way, but as I read more about the set up in the TAG forum I began to locate the parts I needed...

Reptile Basics www.reptilebasics.com sells an advanced mist system for keeping reptiles cool and moist. I incorporated it into my last grow (below the surface of course), but much too late to take clones.

The basic concept comes from TAG/TAE forum- you can find the 51 page thread on IC. Seems to me you can also use it to clone as well as grow.

Advantages

Super simple to set up
Still uses rubbermaids
No worries about height of the riser- fog heads are installed in the sides, and since they FOG, the location is not critical
<50 micron mist/fog is ideal for plant roots
external pump (no heat)
can create manifolds using 'Y' adapters to feed numerous grow chambers
separate reservoir is easier to control temps, nutes, etc.

IMO the ART DNe timer is a major key, as once the roots drink their fill they shut down to prevent drowning. It is the over watering that leads to root rot. Depending on the amount of spray, roots can be saturated in as little as 30 seconds. Imagine what 15 minutes is doing. Could be why I see so many long skinny roots. TAE roots are like pom-poms made from fish bones

 

[chronisseur]

i made one but with firm rubber hose and it only 1-piece off each end of the T from pump.. 6 mister (2 easy-clone and 4 spinners). ALso, DO NOT glue your pucks - how do you insert/remove the clones w/out damaging them then? If the hole is just slightly smaller the pucks will fit perfect - just a little squeeze and they go in and fit snug. then you can open it right up and put the stem in without scraping it before reinserting! Oh yeah, and unless you're flowering with it, FORGET NET POTS. THEY ARE CRAP! and even when flowering, a regular pot will do as most ppl cut almost all the bottom out (depending on medium - if clay you have to cut thin lines etc) - or at least widen the shit out of the little holes that come naturally in it. but if you only use 1 net pot to flower then it doesnt matter. Id go from neoprene pucks (or even just jam some rockwool in there!) straight to dangling the roots through 4-6" net pots and into DWC bubble buckets.

QUESTION: DO you want the stems being sprayed directly always or is the humidity from moving/spraying water (just below it) enough? I have my misters lower down and the misters and spinners must shoot water a few inches vertically and some hits the inside ceiling/corners - sometimes a bit will leak - not much but over 3-4 days enough that more water has to be added.. my 360 pump keeps things at about 75F (22-24C). I also have the holes offset a bit sideways so the spinners have some vertical to them (I could only find 2 easy cloner misters)..

However, I think that the leakage is an unneccessary problem and if I had more pipe coverage like the 1st one built here out of PVC I could also raise it a bit more and then would not need the misters to shoot so high (and prob remove leaks)... Main thing is: DOES THE SPRAY HAVE TO SOAK THE STEMS? - SHOULD THEY ALWAYS HAVE WATER BOMBARDING THEM? OR, is just a bit of mist and the humidity from the moving water (just below it) enough? that way would eliminate potential leakages too...

btw its Thursday eve and I just put in my first clones MOnday eve.
I think after these clones root or die I am going to make a square from PVC, raise it a few inches, and try to fill the new holes with ezclone misters (although the spinners, at $1.50 instead of .35, are pretty damn dope...

 

[chronisseur]

oh yeah...does anyone use a dome over their aero/mister cloners??? foliar spray?

I give mine a one-time spray after cutting with Humic Acid, Kelp and B vitamins (JumpStart and SuperThrive) and have my dome overtop for 3days now... Its not fogging up or anything and I open it for a few mins twice a day...

Is this necessary? Will it increase/.decrease success?

Maybe my single-hose mister will be just fine (as the sprayers are off-center and coverage is total). lift lid off only fine mist above top - though inside of top does get a bit wet and some leakage (usually after opening etc - after that drips away most just falls back down). my water got cloudy quickly too - added a tiny bit of H202 as precaution... things look great so far tho!! will post pics too. (Mine cost under $90 CDN total)

 

[Pipedream]

Fine mist is all you want to hit the stems. I lowered my spray head so that it no longer sprays directly on the stem. All that hits the plant bottoms is an occassional drop or two and continous fine misting now. Stems get much more O2 this way and sprout root buds much quicker. Lastly, no dome or any chems for me.

 

[chronisseur]

help with plans/setup for a 3tub recirculating "aero" fog system

help with plans/setup for a 3tub recirculating "aero" fog system

i got some red mister ends and there is like a 320 degree coverage now that plashes off the sides but not directly onto the roots - also set a 15min on 15min off cycle and have a repeat cycle timer coming to bring it to 1on 5off.. no roots yet at 9days but things look healthy and Ive changed the water already and now have somne SuperThrive and JumpStart in there (just a bit). its a small/medium 24 site btw...

HOWEVER, I am unable to stop thinking about converting my entire 6x7 grow space to hydro/LP-aero.. Ive already started making bubble buckets and bins to keep small mothers in and I want to automate everything at the very least so I can get out and spend some of this cash! lol.. with a submersible pump I could run self contained chambers with different nutes (air stone a MUST when this way is chosen), but the largest rubbermaids I can find are the 42"x21"x(cant remember but like 2ft or so high) - I figure 3 of these moderately spaced will nicely fill the 7ft length and over 4ft of the usable 5 in my flowering room (I can always add 2 or 3 single DWC bubble buckets - my 2nd choice for a system but would need recirculating for that size setup and thats just too much water, etc) plus this LP-aero conversion can be done cheaper or for about the same total... if extra space can fill the room completely with a single DWC bucket at ends of each tub.

4 bins this size is too much as I need to account for lateral growth and manuevering in the room (IVe never forced extra capacity out of my rooms - no point, yield is the same if canopy is full) maybe 6 sites each - 18 total - will give me an excellent spread slightly less numbers than I do in 3gal soilless but Ill veg longer and ScrOG to deal with larger plants (about 30 comfortably fit now and are individually ScrOG'd to maximize light penetration/coverage and arranged somewhat SOG as I flip them as soon as possible). And I will use either hydroclay in net pots or lava rocks if that meshes ok (still looking into the "bio-bucket" idea, and NOT having to change res because its organic etc... even auquaponics is a realistic option (although I donbt know how I would give my fishies light unless algae wasnt an issue - maybe just a plastic top for my reservoir?)...
I dont know - maybe Ill keep the organics for outdoors and try to get some high-performance results with aero..

Ive been running it through my head for a few weeks now and figure a large reservoir just outside of the room constantly topped off directly from a RO machine on main waterline through use of a float valve is ideal. Airstone bubbling inside. 1/6HP -1/2HP external pump (heat wont be an issue, not submersible, and I can afford to pay the extra $100 for this component) attached to hard, main line (same size as pump outlet) into room to end-cap w/shut off valve. A short length of flexible hose will prob be used to connect to the first tub, as I dont want it to be forced "fixed" in place/height etc. To connect 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 only maybe 6" each of solid pipe the same diameter as the mainline needs to be used - better yet each tub will have this pipe built in on its left side (male end) and each right side will have a female plug of some sort.. the "end" tub/bin only needs a male end and to make that work the mainline from the pump should terminate in such a female end as well.. This way I can move the system with me piece by piece and add probably another 3 bins on the same pump if I needed at a later date - or reduce the system to 1 or 2 if there are problems or I need the room / want to set up my divider wall and make the 2nd light a MH (convertible ballasts) for pre-summer cloning and stuff...

In essence one long tube will run through all tubs when connected and have a T in the middle of each going up a few inches to the manifold/delivery system (whetehr PVC scaled up from this design (PVC) or the reptile basics (quad) foggers).. the line terminates in the final bin into this above fog system

I have good vertical room so I figure I will have these on milk-crates or a table etc and have them gravity drain via spouts on the bottom corner with thinner tubes running back to the reservoir.. If I use a tall, cylindrical reservoir I may not raise the tubs at all, taking advantage of cool concrete floor etc and just put a small pump at the end of the drain lines (right at floor level) to send the water back to the top of the res to cascade down.. Although the gravity return seems easier... I can also just put a spout on my res and attach a garden hose etc to drain it into my basement drainhole with sumpumps out to field automatically (for changes).. The float valve will control the fillup from the RO machine..

I want to install shut off valves at every connection though - or at least easily connectable ends.. What exactly am I looking for? Im a dummy when it comes to PVC and stuff.. They are some type of couplers I suppose, although I could use simple turn faucets attached to garden hoses for ALL drainage.. Why does eveyone use PVC? I have the rigid black house-water hose in my cloner and It works great plus is semi-flexible (slightly) and drills easier than PVC - can I use this kind of plumbing supply hose (its not rubber I dont think)?

I have my system totally designed but need to know the specific joints (hehe) and valves, connector pieces, spouts/taps AND HOW TO INSTALL/SEAL properly... or what type of piece to use that will self seal or same principal as using holes slightly smaller than 2" and squeezing the 2" neoprene pucks slightly/gently into place (air tight, no leaks, holds them tightly without squeezing...). I REALLY like how the bucket design above uses the neoprene to hold the power cords etc!!! brilliant. I think I will run my air tubing like this - through its own mini "site" in the top corner or each tub or something...


This has to be CLEAN and reliable system. Non leaking! I had to add neoprene strip around inside lip of my cloner bin to keep water in..

PLEASE any suggestions, design points, danger items, things to watch for etc will be greatly appreciated... I want to do this within 6weeks as thats when all of my current stuff should be finished flowering - I just checked the wiring and everything between these last harvests and added new poly etc and scrubbed and all that so I just need to give the room a quick wipedown and change some airfilters, drill the water in and water out lines in the plywood walls, and Im ready to connect this badboy,,

It already exists in my head - very clearly (thanks for reading this novel)

 

[chronisseur]

actually - why dont people use garden hose and screw together connectors? It would be so simple.. Is it that it cant handle pressure? It doesnt last? The inside gives off shit? Nutes f it up? Not wide enough? Is PVC and/or other pipe that much cheaper? Does it just look nicer?
even flexible tubing.. maybe even those simple push-in connectors and plugs shoved into the ends of simple firm black pipe to join it? I guess valves arent necessary if I have plugs and can turn the pump off, lol. but I still want it modular able to attach/detach at one point etc.. I would like to figure our a volume x pressure chart for various pump sizes to figure out how many of these could be "piggy-backed" together without substantial loss in pressure.

also, the drains combined should be equal or greater in diameter than the main incoming line, right? although the pump will only be on 20-25% of the time with foggers..

I figure start at the foggers. then find pieces to join that to proper piping/tubing that can run the length of the system? Modular pieces make it easier to seal too as ends may overlap hole (MUST cut slightly smaller and wedge pipes thru.. then hot glue then silicone?

sooo many details

 

[averagejoe]

is it true that the cuttings will grow roots 100%?

 

[Pipedream]

Surely you jest, no?

 

[inreplyavalon]

cloner used with 18/6 light cycle

cloner used with 18/6 light cycle

heya folks. I read this entire thread a while back, even posted in it a few times, so forgive me if this info is in here.

Can i use my ezclone replica in my veg room where the light cycle is 18/6?

When i first built my cloner i did not have all that much success with my cuts. After rereading the thread I ended up with bout 95% success.

Thanks Ya'll!

 

[alflud]

Phew! What an epic thread. I think I got as far as page 36 or something before I decided to flick forward and post Awesome DIY tutorial - just awesome!!!! I can't wait to get building myself one of these babies Thank you KingRalph.

Alf.

 

[LionsRoor]

...and yet another version.

...and yet another version.

...here is another way to get to the same place!

go, Stink

 

[PetFlora]

Major Props to LionsRoar

Major Props to LionsRoar

To optimize your aero grow you need stacked totes 3-5 ft deep to handle the root system, but stacked 18Gs (15" deep per) should be close enough.

You do need to cut the bottom out of the top tote and the top out of the bottom. Leave at least a 3" lip all around as the plants and roots get heavy and you don't want them crashing through.

I discovered an even simpler starter/cloner method: so simple even I can do it! But you will need 10G totes (they don't need to be stacked as you will transfer the females to the main grow chamber. FYI 3-4 sites max for one 18G. HP aero grows some phat ass plants!

Reptile Basics sells mist/fog systems for, well... reptiles, but it is damn near perfect to aeroponics. Sorry, I did not take pics of the fog head, but they are posted on their site.

Here are a couple of root porn photos from my current journal...




The one on the left is about 10-14 days young. The one on the right taken at 41 days. Most of the 8 plants have fist sized root balls gathering on the bottom of my 18G tote, which is not kewl. In the ideal aero environment, they should not touch the bottom.

Looks like a trip to Wal/Kmart is needed ASAP, as I am 3 days from goin all 12/12

 

[Blunts.]

Veg/Flower??

Veg/Flower??

Ive been reading this thread and was wondering if this system would work for a full cycle. I know its designed for cloning but I was wondering if one could flower and veg like 2-3 plants in one of these systems.

 

[Pipedream]

No problem as long as you have four things....a way to support the weight of the plant, good lighting above, appropriate nutrients below, and ventilation both places.

 

[ArcticBlast]

i'm starting to piece one of these together, too

thanks a lot for the tutorial!

question: why is the ezclone water pump rated at like 1000 gph? the one in this thread is only 350gph

i went ahead and got a 396gph ecoplus, but now i'm starting to think that i should have gotten a different one? thanks

ArcticBlast

 

[Blunts.]

Thanks Pipe!

Thanks Pipe!

Thanks pipe! What exactly do you mean by ventilation in both places tho? If your implying the tub where the spraying goes down, how do you suggest I go about doing that without causing major leakage? Also, what type of Fertz do you suggest? Im worried about clogging the sprayers, will any hydroponic fert work or are there ones better then others?

 

[Zer0Ry0k0]

Thanks, this was perfect and easy to build.

 

[airphat36]

Hey wut up Chronisseur? Just wanted to let you know that I read through all your posts word for word and you really have allot of well thought out ideas about building a multi pod system for full term growth cycles.

I went through this "phase" last summer and became totally obsessed with building a true High Pressure Aero system. There really is allot more to it than these low pressure systems so I ended up becoming an expert in subjects I never had any interest. Then I realized I was broke and need to quit wasting money on crap like that until I get a few more crops under my belt; but I digress.

The point I’m trying to make is that I may be able to give you some assistance.

actually - why dont people use garden hose and screw together connectors? It would be so simple.. Is it that it cant handle pressure?

I think it works fine with these LP systems. The only issue would be with HP systems because the hose will expand throwing off volume and flow calculations. The type of pumps you see everyone using on these cheap DIY LP systems use are centrifugal and only reach about 12 psi. Most HP systems run 75-100 psi.

I would like to figure our a volume x pressure chart for various pump sizes to figure out how many of these could be "piggy-backed" together without substantial loss in pressure.

Maybe you could rephrase this because I’m not sure I understand your exact train of thought. I think you want to “piggy-back” centrifugal pumps to increase flow. I could be wrong because I didn’t do allot of research on this type of high-flow pump, but with low flow HP diaphragm pumps you can do this without any effect on pressure.

the drains combined should be equal or greater in diameter than the main incoming line, right? although the pump will only be on 20-25% of the time with foggers

Yea exactly…this kind of thing can get very complicated very fast. You would not however go by the diameter of the main line or even the flow rate of your pump at full head (max head height it can pump to = 2x max psi it can deliver at the smallest flow rate), you need to go by the flow rate of your nozzles at a given pressure.

PM me if you would like to discuss more or maybe you can start a new thread to show others how it’s done. I have two threads you may want to check out.

I was inspired to build one of these LP systems after I saw the one by Hatch on GP. You should check all his threads. Good Stuff.
http://www.*****************/showthread.php?t=10406

I also started a thread on how to build a DIY HP system (I go by ATX36 now). There is allot of common science between building LP and HP Aero systems so it could help you form some ideas.

http://www.*****************/showthread.php?t=13408

It sucks because I believe that we actually figured out the best way to put a system like that together but now I don’t have the funds to do it. After a couple more crops in Organic soil I’m off to High Pressure Aerospace…

P.S. As far as PVC goes just go to Casa Depot and spend an hour just playing with all the different parts available, they’re like Legos for big kids.

 

[LionsRoor]

And yet another way to get there...

And yet another way to get there...

This is a Botanicare 2 x 4 tray with 87 - 2" holes. I love the factory Botanicare Cloner 141 built off the same tray and a 141 hole lid. The only problem is they want $1200 bucks for the thing! Here is my version for less than $250 including tax.

 

[Kelly.]

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