[Merman]

I have read with great interest all the threads surrounding ultrasonic foggers for hydro. I have tried this trial and error style with varied results. So here it goes all you DIY dudes, I'm sure if you've got some skills this will be no problem! After many failed prototypes, here's the best I have to offer:

The FOGGAPONIC FLORACLONER!!!

This post could go in the Micro-Grow section too. I keep things rolling in compliance with my RX. in Cal. (If you want to know the requirements in Cal., check out Joe A. Grower's posts)

This holds only 11 clones...The Rubbermaid is 13.5"L x 10.5"W x 9.5"H with the lid on. First thing to note is the shape of the lid. The flat lid boxes don't work as well, plus you miss out on the optional DWC action. Search around for the perfect one, its worth the time and effort believe me. By the way, I think this certainly scalable if you want to go bigger.



There it is going full tilt on its maiden run!

Here is what makes the fog. It is very important to purchase the float accessory (the round black shape around the red light). Its a plastic encased styrofoam float that keeps the fogger at exactly the correct height in the water for maximum fog. You'll run into all kinds of problems if you dont' get one.



Water for the fogger: I recommend you use only RO water. The ceramic disc in the fogger attracts electrolytes (thats your PPM/EC) in the water and gets all gummed up, RO water has zero PPM/EC. I think you can get away with tap water if its the usual 200-300PPM, but you'll wear out the disc faster. Another spare part necessity when ordering the fogger is the extra wrench and disk set.

The lid holes were cut with 1 5/8" hole saw. those are 1 1/2" neoprene discs, they are a little bit tapered so they set nicely into the holes.



Top view of the lid:



Bottom view of the lid:



Top view with the lid on. The white stuff you see is not the top of the water, its the top of the fog! If I could get good side shot, you would see vapor coming out of all of the holes. This is the fog bank your clone roots are in!



Now here is the trick with the lid I mentioned above, when all your clones have some roots, turn the lid over and you have an instant DWC! I'll explain later why this is an important step.



This is an Animalia Chordata Mammalia Rodentia Hystricomorpha:



Ha! Made ya look! Trippy critter Eh!

That's it for the construction part, now how does it work!?

The FOGGAPONIC FLORACLONER operating instructions:

1. Fill up about 2/3 with 'solution'. I use RO water only, you can use tap water if you want, but the RO works better.
A. The solution: Keep PPM low, low, low. Under a 100! A few drops your favorite veg nute, few drops Superthrive, few drops Protekt. Correct pH to 5.8-6.0.
2. Set the fogger in. Leave slack in the cable so it can move to all four corner's of your Rubbermaid.
3. Place a small submersible aquarium heater set on 76 degrees F.

Break out your Mutha plant.

1. Cut clones per your usual routine. Make sure to account for the the width of the neoprene collar (about a 1/2") when cutting your clones. I like to leave at least a 1.5 inch stem, but do whatever you want.
2. Prep your clone (cutting, shaving, etc.), place into neoprene collar.
3. Dip into cloning hormone of your choice, I like the gels for this.
4. Place into Floracloner. HINT: If you buy two containers you can now use the base (the clear part) from the second box as a humidity dome! I only do this the first day, otherwise the clones get too soaked, but it helps them get through that first rough patch.
5. Plug it in and light'em up! Light source and timing of your choice. I use CFLs at 18/6. Run the fogger on a timer. I've used 15 min. on/ 15" off (standard timer settings) with success. I think this will possible extend the life of the fogger. The manufacuturer says don't run more than eight hours a day... I assume that's continuous, so I figure it should go about 12 hours total in a 24-hour period (someone check my math) but will get some breaks to cool down.

Once root are establised, pull the plugs out carefully and reinsert from the bottom. The top of the lid now becomes the bottom and your plant roots are now in the water. Take out the fogger and replace with some airstones and a pump and you've got a bubblercloner! I've found that changing over to a DWC style of growth helps before transplanting into netpots with medium of your choice, I use hydroton.

As for results, I haven't got any photos from previous attempts. I can tell you that it works great. I used 2" net pots with the clones in rockwool on one trial and that worked just fine, but the rockwool tends to make a mess of your water.

Total cost:

Container: US$ 2.95
Fogger 22.75
Heater 8.95
Neoprene 2.75
Float/Buoy 6.50
43.90

I realize that's no small change, but hi-tech ain't cheap!

I won't be able to test this out for awhile as I have mature plants going now and don't want to exceed my limit.

Maybe I should have posted a poll to see how many of you think it works vs. those who don't1

Thanks for checking it out!

[cremater]

Sounds like a great idea for sure, I wish you had some pics of results as I am currently using an Aero Cloner (DIY) and I get good results from that but if an improvement can be made......well I would be a fool not to go with the better system now right.

The Cloner I built and use was found here on these boards as well.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=40055

Thanks to KingRalph!

but I am and always will be looking for the next great thing to improve my systems.


Good luck and I may just build one of these for kicks someday to see how it works!

Peace and Green

Crem

[marx2k]

Can you suggest a quality online location to get these neoprene discs? Would you recommend them for an entire growth cycle instead of rockwool? Do they expand to accommodate stalk formation?

[Merman]

Cremater: Yup, love the DIY aerocloners. I've tried to make a Micro version but you can't do much with a container that's only 9.5" tall! If I was going bigger, like 30-40 sites, the aerocloner is the way to go!

Marx: I only use it for cloning.... after roots are pretty well established (1 to 2 inches long) I transplant them into 3.5" net pots with clay pellets and go into a DWC/Bio-Bucket style system (which is coming up for my next DIY thread in January, flowering right now). I don't have any experience using the neoprene all the way through,... do a search on 'mediumless' grows and I'm sure you'll find some threads and photos of that style. If you want to use rockwool: get some small netpots (2") and set the the rockwool in those. It works just fine, fog keeps the rockwool at perfect hydration, not too much, not too little. The roots freaking love it!

I bought the neoprene discs at my local hydro shop, but I think they are widely available online. Some people use cut up pool noodles, or pipe insulation,... anything that will hold the stalk. These discs have an "X" in the center with one side split to the outside so you can remove clones easily (I think most neoprene discs have the same sort of design). So, yes they will expand with the stalk, but I never take them that far.

The biggest issue with the ultrasonic foggers is the disc getting clogged up when the PPM goes up. That's why it would be difficult to veg and flower, the increasing PPM's will destroy the fogger in no time. There are lots of other styles of foggers that can be used for a grow..... do a search on IC and you'll find tons!

My primary motivation is keeping it simple, small, and effective!

[Flasht2]

Thank you for that info, it is very interesting and super cheap to construct. Very nice

[Merman]

ICMag's DIY: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=40637

Check out Fuzygrowths Fogger (link in sig below)

bhuddahat's mini-cloner: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.p...ght=rhizotonic

Good root shot here: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.p...ghlight=fogger

More experiences: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.p...ghlight=fogger

More: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.p...ghlight=fogger

[pontiac]

[bhuddahat]

hi there.

Originally Posted by Merman

Check out the Supersonic Foggaponic Floracloner in my sig for a DIY using a mister.

Thanks for referencing my post in your DIY


its very similar to my build but i think yours has a little more finesse than mine.

i used mine to great effect , although i did have problems caused by the fogger disipating far to much heat and the water getting far to hot , it puzzles me cos in your build you say you use a heater .

i had to limit the amount that the fogger was on and added an airline with a diffuser on all the time with the mister only on for 1 half hour of ever hour .

i think maybe your container was a bit bigger than mine .so that make up for the temperature differences.

But as a cloner it works really well.

from 13 cones taken , i got 11 little babies that are still going from strength to strength.

regards chris

[Merman]

Thanks for giving this humble thread a little bump...

I like to keep the water temps consistent as possible and I run the fogger 15 min on and 15 min off, so I haven't had temp problems. My growbox is in an uninsulated garage so my air temps are close to ambient, the winter temps caused my res. temp to fluctuate and get too cold at night. I just set the heater at 76F, so if things get too warm, it just isn't on.

I've tried DIY bubble cloners too, but my fogger works better and faster! I also find I don't have to deal with the water level as much.

[J-Roc]

WOah!
sup merman
those mist dealys are trippy shit yo!