I'm having trouble getting clones to root

[alaskagrower]

this is the second time this has happened. I have ruled out the following possible problems - it's not bacteria. I am using clonex and allowing the clones to sit in it for 20 to 30 minutes before they go into the water. I have a 4/1 timer. I have a feeling it might be my water - I have recently installed a water conditioner which uses salt pellets to clean the water. Is it possible that the water could be the reason they are not rooting? Has anyone else had this happen. The clones were rooting just fine before I had the water conditioner installed and now maybe one in twelve will root. It's very frustrating!!!

 

[canabinerd]

Are you using a cloning machine? Or just sticking cuttings in a glass of water? How long has it been? Was the mother plant getting a lot of nitrogen rich food when you took the cuttings? What's the Temperature and humidity of your cloning area?

 

[David Bowman]

to

You cannot use salt softened water for any aspect of growing, the salt concentration is too high for the vast majority of land-based plant life.

 

[DrOfDank]

Salt = bad

 

[Cultivator]

use ro water or tap water. air stone in res. check out my journals for advice on cloning.

 

[joedaddy805]

I'm having the same problem myself. I'm using a cloner and still no roots. i also have soft water system found out its bad so i use the water from my outside faucet now. best of luck to you. we in the same boat i don't feel so bad now.

Also what are you using rock wool,cloner,bubbler might help others help you with that info.
if you are using a cloner put some bleach in it before you change the water to kill all the bacteria and let in run for a while then drain it out fill it again then let it run then drain again and fill it up and use it. thats what i did with mine to make sure it got a real good cleaning.


this is what cultivator wrote me.
mate taking cuts is easy, dont make it complicated. As long as u have a couple of nodes it will root. Ive taken thousands and thousands of cuts and rooted 99% of them. U DONT need to use hormones, it will root without them, infact gels and powders make aerocloners res slimy and block filter up. For best success take ur cut with sharp clean snips then put straight in a jug of water. u dont need to take the cut under water. i have put atleast 2 vids on here of cloning, aerocloning is so simple. Plain water is all u need, no ph down as its toxic to the cuts and it isnt needed as there are no roots and no nutes.

u can add enzymes and beneficial bacteria to res once u get the hang of it. i only change my water every 4 months or so wen using a live res, i just top up with water weekly. air stones in res help too.

check out my journals, theres plenty advice on cloning in them.

 

[KingJohnC]

One of the problems you are having is the source water you are using. Water softner pellets contain sodium chloride and other undesirables that are toxic to plants. I would inspect the water line running to your water softner for a tap ahead of the water softner where you could get untreated water from for your plants. If you do not have a tap ahead of your water softner I would install one. I have found I get the best cloning results with my aeroponic fog cloner when I pH adjust my water to pH 5.8.