Cloning issue.

[jackel]

Ok, so I'm no stranger to cloning. I've done roughly 2000 just the last 3 months. Everything was fine till about a month n a half ago. I started out in my ez cloner. 100% roots in 7-10 days. Well water, roottech gel, and some Olivia's solution in the Rez. I would clean with bleach and water each cycle. 4th cycle stems started growing a slimy gray funk. Tossed whole batch and switched to rapid rooters. 98% in 10-14 days. Switched to bottled water (thought maybe the well water had changed). About 10 batches in, I am getting very slow root growth. The roots are callused and showing primordia but just not shooting out its roots. Been 16 days for some. Some of the leaves are starting to yellow and then a blackish.

Humidity is 80%
Temp is 80*
Co2 has been about 400ppm
Some of the mothers started showing these symptoms.
I used fox farm kangaroots root drench for its beneficial bacterias.
Foliar sprayed with actinovate.
I'm at a loss as to what it can be and how to fix it.

 

[Moppel]

If the mothers aint healthy , the clones wont root well....which is obvious.

And i would also lower the temps to 65-70 if i were you, 80 is way too high for an ez cloner.

And you didnt mention ph neither.

 

[jackel]

I had many successful runs at 80. I think those temps are good, but I turned on another fan.
The other plants look fine (except one strain). However the issue seems to be throughout on the clones, rapid rooters and ez.
I've never adjusted pH and have had 100%. It is currently 7.0. I dropped it down to 5.8-6.3 per ez clones instructions and it didn't help.

 

[dsd1]

Just my expierence
I have used aero cloners for about three years. I had 4 of them all 120+ sites both ezcloner and turbocloner. I had a entire room set up for cloning with a humidifier on 24/7 keep 90-100% hummidity at all time. The issues with aero cloners is heat from the pump. In the winter time its no problem at all but in summer you have to keep it cool. I had about 8 frozen 2 liter bottles of water I would swap out every couple of hours to keep temps undercontroll in the cloners. Also I had to add Ezclone Clear REZ to keep bacteria down only in summer from the heat. I tried many different rooting hormones to help encourage rooting the best one i found was Botanicare Liquid Cloning solution. I ran my pump with single bulb T5 all on 24/7 with great results. Make sure you clean them very very very well I stopped using them when I finally got cloning with rockwool figured out.

 

[dsd1]

I also always use straight city tap water 220 ppm and a little rooting hormone thats it and never lost a clone

 

[dsd1]

I personally ran into the same issue as soon as summer hit I had so many issues and I could figure out why. Clear REZ fixed a lot of problems from summer temps and then I bought a cheap digital aquarium temp gauge and found my other issue was water temperature. I was to cheap to buy a water chiller so I kept adding frozen 2liter bottles. If I could do it all again I would modify the cloner to have the pump external that would reduce so much heat I am kicking myself for not doing it.

 

[Granger2]

Jackel,
I think your temps/humidity are perfect. I would take measures to control the rez temp. A cheap hanging aquarium thermometer will serve well.

I'm worried about your mothers, and I think that's the, er, root of the problems you're having. Have you examined the roots of your mothers for Root Aphids? I would, if only to rule that out. Use a large low power magnifying glass, and be quick because they will retreat into the medium rapidly. Good luck. -granger

 

[intotheunknown]

Jackel

All starts with a healthy mother.

The trick to using rapid rooters or similar medium is the moisture within the plug.
Not too wet. not too dry. with plain clean water only.

also looking at what youve got going a few things I would consider changing is to start with taking smaller cuts. They always root much easier/quicker than larger. and fit better under a humidity dome, which i suggest getting.

there is no need to mist the cuts with anything but plain water once or twice after they are taken, the rest of the time you will only need to mist the dome to keep humidity high constantly and the fresh air OUT. which is key to cloning in my honest opinion/experience. 75-80*. after they have rooted, they are ready for air and to be planted.

no need for any of that stuff you have listed but RR, humidity dome+tray, spray bottle, water, rooting hormone.
which if i may suggest a rooting hormone, try green light rooting hormone. best stuff ive ever used.

Hope that helps.

 

[jackel]

Upon further research, I believe the problem is verticillium wilt. I am going to go through my mothers and cull the sick ones (mostly the Girlscout cookies).
I will inspect for root aphids though I don't believe it to be the problem. I am also going to look into some systemic anti-fungicide. I will report back.

 

[vertigo0007]

Upon further research, I believe the problem is verticillium wilt. I am going to go through my mothers and cull the sick ones (mostly the Girlscout cookies).
I will inspect for root aphids though I don't believe it to be the problem. I am also going to look into some systemic anti-fungicide. I will report back.

If you're going to go systemic, ridomil sl gold seems to be the shit guys rave about.