Introduction: Dirt Cheap Areated Cloning System for Plants

By www.doinwhatido.blogspot.com
About: I just do what I do.

A simple and cheap (practically free if you have this stuff laying around like I did)way to propagate cuttings requiring a little more attention.

Step 1: Getting Started

To get this set up going you'll need
-fish tank
-plant light
-cups
-aquarium ariator
-tubing
-bubble stones
-tape
-cooling rack
-distilled water
-glass or similar for lid

To get this project underway you need to round up all the above. It's very simple, I was lucky enough to have most of it laying around. You'll have to cut the cooling rack down to size with some wire cutters. Place this in the bottom of the fish tank. The reason that I have this in there is for plants that have already rooted. They don't like sitting in water once they hit the dirt. With the system that I am using water collects in the bottom of the fish tank after awhile.
As you can see from the picture I have two peices of glass for the lid. This is for humidity, I have them taped together and they act as a door. This makes it easier when watering or doing whaterver with the plants.


Wash out your fish

Step 2: Get Hooked Up

Now that we have the tank ready, get the containers that you are going to use ready. I just use party cups, though this year I'm going to give red cups a try. I've been reading praises about putting any cutting in a darker container for faster rooting (cause roots hate light). So I am experimenting with that.

I take regular old tape and make a checkerboard with that over the top of the cup. This gives your cuttings a place to rest and holds them more upright. Very handy when your cutting has a short stem, it lets you suspend it over the water.

Place your air pump on the lid, hook up your tubing and bubble stones and get them in the water filled cups. All this stuff is available in the pet department at any store. T connectors (you can see one in the second pic)are good when you have several cups. It is best to have the bigger air pump. As the small ones can't handle several outlets at the same time. The one I have has two hook ups on it for two seperate tubes. This will be very handy when you have several going.

Step 3: Fill Em Up!

Now you are ready to get the distilled water in the cups. And place your cutting in after you get the bubbles going. Yippee.

Get your light going once your done and there you go.