How do I build my own aeroponic cloner with
misters?
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Materials List:
1 opaque
plastic tub
1 Rio 800 water powerhead
10
foot length PVC, 1/2-inch
8 slip-coupling PVC
elbows (90 degree turns)
1 slip-coupling /
threaded PVC T-adapter
1 threaded hose nozzle
8 180 degree jet sprayers (part 111B)
4 PVC to poly-tube adapters
2 feet
flexible hose
1 roll 1/2-inch black
poly-tubing
1 can white spray paint or
coating |
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Every component to make this aeroponic tub is
available at your local Home dePot,Wal-Mart, and
aquarium store. You could probably get it all from
the dePot, but they don't have the greatest
selection of tubs.
You can use a different
pump and skip the aquarium store, but the Rio is a
good choice @ 211 gph. It comes with a ball valve
to control the flow and the 800 uses a ceramic
impeller so it won't degrade in saltwater.
The only problematic component in this
design is the grade of misters easily available. A
few different configurations were tried, and the
barbed misters screwed into semi-flexible
poly-tubing seemed to give the best results. All
of these components are located near the plumbing
and PVC in a section for sprinklers and drip
irrigation, the brand is "DIG Corporation." If
easily available, you can use better misters from
a grow store. |
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Cut the PVC to necessary lengths.
The most important factor is the height of the
assembly, so don't cut it too short. You can
always lower it afterwards. The 8 elbows connect
the sides, and the T is inserted opposite the
pump. The T-adapter has one threaded connection
for the hose nozzle.
After completing the
PVC work, the next step is making the spraybars.
These are the black tubes that hold the misters,
it is a somewhat stiff poly tubing sold for use
with the emitters. This is where your clogs will
happen so be prepared-- have extra misters on hand
and you can even build two extra spray bars that
you can swap in while you clean the others. |
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The spraybar starts with a PVC to
Poly tube adapter (sold with all the other DIG
accessories) and a length of the tubing. Next make
very small guide holes for the misters to go into
the tubing. It is very important for the holes to
be small, it should be difficult to push the
emitter into the tube. If the fit is not secure,
the emitter will not spray. You may have to make a
few spraybars before you get it right.
Your worst enemy will be clogs. Either you
can replace the mister or the entire spraybar.
This is the biggest disadvantage of aeroponics,
but running distilled water for cloning will keep
clogs to a minimum. If you clean it out it between
cloning sessions it should hardly clog at
all. |
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After you get the spraybars right,
install them in the system and turn it on. You
should get fountains of small droplets splashing
up, not really a mist from these emitters, but it
is still a very good cloning environment.
All thats left after that is to finish the
top. Sold near the spray paint is a white rubber
coating that lasts much better. This takes at
least two or three coats for a good reflective
surface. Be sure and drill the holes first or you
will ruin the finish. Also cut a notch for the
power cord so the top closes completely.
To hold the clones in you can use pieces
of tubing, pre-split down the middle. You can
easily remove these tubes and the clone without
damaging the root system. They need to be
transplanted quickly when they root or they will
become accustomed to the aeroponics and have a
more difficult time leaving. If transplanting into
soil or soilless mix you can even move them as
soon as they show bumps, around 5 days, and they
will root with no transplant shock in around a
week. |
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The quality of water that you
put in the tub has a direct relationship to how
fast the cuts will root. The best water to start
with is either distilled or reverse-osmosis. They
should both be between 0 and 20 parts per million
and between 6.5 and 7.0 pH. Using tap water will
clog the emitters much more quickly with mineral
deposits. No rooting hormone is needed.
Some people report good results by using a
watering schedule of 1/2 hour on, 1/2 hour off,
but leaving the pump on constantly has always
produced quick rooting as well. The water is
super-saturated with oxygen from the constant
splashing and spraying. If the ambient temperature
isn't high enough, a necessary piece of equipment
is an aquarium heater set at 78 degrees.
I
hope you find this tub and aeroponic rooting
method to be the simplest and most effective
technique around. You simply fill the tub with
clean water, take a cut, and drop it in. 7 days
later you have roots-- no chemicals, no rockwool,
no mess. |
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| Last modified: 06:02 - Dec 04,
2000 |
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