Yoda's bubble cloner

Discussion in 'Do It Yourself' started by Yoda, Nov 30, 2009.

  1. #1 Yoda, Nov 30, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 15, 2010
    High All,

    I’ve noticed many having cloning troubles, as most of us do when we venture into the cloning arena. Over the years I have tried many different methods and ended up with the bubble cloner.

    There are many how to’s on the subject, but I thought maybe if this helps just one person then it has served its purpose.

    For the cloner you will need:

    1 - small plastic container with a lid (container shown 20 quart / 5 gallon)
    2” net pots - qty determined by the number of clone spots you will have in your cloner
    2” neoprene discs made for cloners, same number as net cups.
    1 - air pump that can handle a 12” air stone
    1 - 12” air stone
    tubing - long enough to go from the pump to the stone inside the bubbler
    1 - small aquarium heater
    1 - small aquarium thermostat ( optional)
    foil tape - enough to cover the outside of the bin and lid

    Tools:
    drill
    2” hole saw
    3/16 drill bit
    plastic de-burring tool
    90 alcohol
    rag
    razor knife
    measuring tape



    First find yourself a small bin (bin shown 20 qt / 5 gal), they can usually be found in the storage area at most stores. This one was located at home depot - 3.99 I think. this will do, we are going to cover it in foil tape so the color really doesn’t matter and the price is right.

    [​IMG]

    Decide how many cells you are going to have, an easy way is to spread the neoprene discs out to see what will fit without hitting the curves around the outside edge of the lid. You want them to sit flat so be careful not to get too close. Once you decide on cells use the 2” hole saw and cut your holes. Lay them out so they are evenly spaced, the area between the discs breaks easily if the spacing between the holes is too small.

    [​IMG]

    Once the holes are cut use the de-burring tool to get the edge of the holes clean, check fit of the net cup. You want the net cup to sit flush against the lid. cut the bottom off the net cups to allow more spray directly on the cut


    [​IMG]


    Take the container and wash it off with the alcohol - important because the manufacturers use a release agent on the tooling when the plastic bin is made. Now cover the bottom of the container with the foil tape length wise, overlapping the edges of the tape. You want the cut edge of the tape to go up the sides a bit. After you’ve covered the bottom of the bin with tape, work your way around the outside of the side walls, completely covering them in foil tape as well. Watch the area under the edge of the rolled lip at the top of the container, tuck the tape in so the tape doesn’t break or cause a light leak. Hold the bin up in front of the light so you can see inside the bin, and check for light leaks. You want to make sure that you cannot see light between the pieces of the tape. If you do, it’s ok just cover the area with tape.

    Now you’re going to cover the lid with foil tape. Once you’ve covered the lid, use your razor knife to cut an X pattern across the holes for the net cups, bend that tape back thru the lid securely. If you cleaned well with alcohol this tape will stick like nobodies business, so just keep it as neat as possible.

    [​IMG]

    Drill a hole up high in the wall for the air tube to go thru and make a shallow slot for the heater cord, put it all together it should look like this....

    [​IMG]

    The inside walls of the bubble cloner will need to be cleaned with alcohol then allowed to dry. Center your air stone in the bottom of the cloner - as you can see i use the extra suction cups bought for a heater they snap on pretty good. Install the heater and aquarium thermometer (see pic for placement).

    [​IMG]

    Here’s what the finished product looks like with 9 clone sites. As you can see, the lid and bin are covered in foil tape. This will light proof it and also make it so the light doesn’t overheat the water inside the cloner.

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]

    As long as your using 9 sites a single 12" air stone should do it. With more clone sites, I'd recommend another 12" air stone.

    I will follow this up with a how to clone shortly.

    hope this helps guys..feel free to ask any questions you may have



    It was requesting to put this here as its easier to find...

    CLONING:

    to take a clone, you will need.

    exacto knife with new blade
    alcohol
    scissors
    small bowl
    superthrive.


    set up youre new cloner the day before you clone, add distelled water with 1 drop of superthrive per gallon, set ur heater and leave until the big day.

    wipe your exacto knife, scissors and your bowl off with alcohol, fill the bowl with water from your cloner, may want to wipe ur hands also, I do...

    locate the branches that will make good clones, the thicker the stem the better but any that have a min of three nodes will do.
    right below the 3rd node is where you will cut.

    sit the bowl close to your plant,

    then use the scissors to cut the branch from the plant cut square at this point,

    quickly put the cut end into the bowl of water,

    reach under the water with the exacto blade and cut a 45 degree angle on the bottom, making sure the end never leaves the water.(very important as an air embolism will kill ur cut.( repeat this step until you have all clones your taking) just make sure none come out of the water..

    leave that soak in the water for 15 minutes.

    now you can remove it from the water and trim off lower branches if necessary, scrape up one side of the stem using the blade perpendicular to the stem lightly as to only rub off one layer of the stem skin..

    then insert the clone into the neoprene disc trying to leave and inch or so under the neporene,

    place that into your netpot and insert into your cloner.

    1 hour after you have put the new clones into the cloner, go back and check, if any of them has to much of a gap between the cut end and the water they will wilt,(1/4") just slide them deeper into the netpot and they will recover quickly.

    check the water level every other day or so, you may have to add some back (distelled water) do to evaporation..

    no spraying necessary and no dome.
    5-7 seven days roots will start to form, if you notice any leaf discolor the leafs can be cut back 50%. I used to do that at the beginning, but have found with superthrive you dont
    have to.

    Thats prety much it.
    the 15 minute waiting period works with all types of cloning, it really does help.
    Cleaninig your blade in between cuts is a good practice also.
     

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  2. Great post budslinger, real helpfull just had a read through & i think im going to make 1
     
  3. Thanks mills...
    you can put as many sites as will fit in the bin you find...;)
     
  4. I build similar devices but run a water pump and pvc with sprayers. A little more in-depth build, which RFS has already posted prior so repeating is a waste of time and detracts from Slinger's efforts.

    Guys these methods work very well. If you can't clone with this assitance then you must not be doing something.
     
  5. Sweet little rig Budslinger. I've already got one very similar with 6 sites. I'd love to use it but I only need two little clones for now. Only running a couple DWC buckets. thanks for the good info though.
     
  6. #6 hipster, Nov 30, 2009
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2009
    Good job! Where would you want the water level on that and what temp should the thermostat be set to?

    It wouldn't take much to put a water level indicator on that . Two 1/2" elbow barbs, drill two 1/2" holes and jam the barbs in there and then silicone them from the inside, some clear 1/2" ID flex hose and there you go! That's how I did my 5 gallon water holding tank.
     
  7. Very Nice +rep
     
  8. Props on your DIY Slinger- well done. -Mech
     
  9. :eek::yay::hello::metal::smoke:


    you_rock_you_rule.jpg



    Can we put sticky stuff on this thread mods? :):wave:
     
  10. Nice post Bro. I made one of those once. I'll have to dig it up.

    Did I mention after July 2010 harvest I'm shutting down and retooling for hydro.:hello:
     
  11. Very helpful Budslinger! :hello: Thanks for sharing :smoke:

    I may just have to get my DIY on and make a bubble cloner ;) :cool:
     
  12. Great DIY!

    Quick question about the water level. Do you want the water up to the bottoms of the plants? Or should it be just below them so the mist from the bubbles hits them? Thanks for sharing this. I think I see one of them in my near future.
     

  13. I keep mine about .5 inch below the bottom of the cups and the stems sit almost in the water. I don't submerge them as that'd probably either kill it or retard root growth.
     
  14. Quick question, do you put a top over it to create greenhouse effect or not. I've been experimenting on cloning and have a box similiar to this. Is it necessary to have a cover or not, I'm so confused.
     
  15. #15 Yoda, Nov 30, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 17, 2009
    High all....

    more questions then I thought so let me straighten out a few things...

    The water level should be a 1/4" below your cuts, this is the reason I use the netpots instead of just jamming the neoprene in there, with the netpots you can push the neoprene disc up or down to get the height correct...
    thats also why the water height may and will be different to suit the cuts you take. You want the mist to spray the cut end...
    temp should be 75-78. I find 75 to be just right.

    You can use tap as long as your ppm isnt to high. I use distelled water with 1 drop of superthrive per gallon. nothing else in the cloner.

    No dome needed and you dont have to spray the clones either, its prety much set and forget. Most strains show roots within 5-7 days the tougher strains to clone may take up to 12-14 days to show enough roots to plant...


    Later tonight i will create a how to clone to go along with this.

    Thanks for all the props..:D
    its appreciated
     
  16. #16 tyrone biggums, Nov 30, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 30, 2009
    nice tutorial.

    i just skimmed the thread so forgive me if anyone's already answered this question but can i use rapid rooters for organics in a bubble cloner like i can in aero? reason for asking is that i need to make a little 8 spot cloner. i was gonna diy an aero cloner but its a bit more involved than bubble so if i can use bubble with rapid rooters i'm just gonna do that.

    edit; also @bud i use superthrive at the same dosage and my first try at cloning was a 90% success rate with clone x, superthrive and ph'd tap water in an aero cloner. superthrive s some good shit if ou use it only for rooting and not at all in excess. my friends use some 40 dollar a bottle rhizotonic and have the same results as the superthrive in cloning. ;) i only use it in cloning though. i switch to rhizo in the grow phase since it not only helps develop roots but overall plant growth where as supert is mostly just b1 for rooting.
     
  17. :hello::hello: Awesome DIY for us low-income folk ;) Nice work as usual Slinger...I 2nd the sticky proposal, this thread is gunna be huge in a week.
     
  18. #18 Yoda, Nov 30, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 30, 2009
    Ive never tried those myself but i can tell you that if the water level is lower you can use cubes in them also, Ive done that...

    The aeros are nice but as you said more involved and defiantly need more maintenance,
    I change the air stone every so often and refill with distilled and that's it.. nothing else.

    superthrive ftw :).. it helps the root structure all thru your grow in hydro...IMO..

    Thanks Everyone....
    I appreciate the props...
    Low income ftw...400.00 for a cloner is excessive.
    I also made a 20 site out of the same bin, ill post a pic of that,,,
    along with some instructions on cloning..
     
  19. When I uncover the clones to open air , they wilt and die. I'm gonna start over with this method. Am I using to much light or something else thats causing this? I'm just using cfl's, peat pellet on hydroton in net cup inside bubbler. Also tried aero type cloner and they turned to mush? Any suggestions?
     
  20. What can i say..."ur the MAN" Slinger.......if it can float in plastic he can grow it.:hello::hello::D
     

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