# DIY inserts for a aeroponic cloner



## vic777 (Sep 13, 2011)

Hey,

I am making my own aeroponic cloner. Got everything I need but for one item - the neoprene inserts. 

I really would have just bought some but you don't get them in South Africa, neoprene sheeting is bloody expensive. Ordering from the US/Europe takes too long with shipping - so I want to try and make something that will work.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? I was thinking of trying to find a exercise mat or something that is approx. 5mm thick and just cutting it from there?


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## bho_expertz (Sep 13, 2011)

If you have a old surf suit it will do i think.


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## vic777 (Sep 13, 2011)

bho_expertz said:
			
		

> If you have a old surf suit it will do i think.



Not a bad idea - problem is my wet suit is quite new!


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## bho_expertz (Sep 13, 2011)

I have a top with 5mm thick that i use for winter here when surfing. Perhaps that is enough for you and that isn't that expensive ( i think under 40&#8364; ).


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## SunWolf (Sep 13, 2011)

I just use any plain kitchen dish cleaning sponge.  They are about 1/2 inch thick, and you cut it into 3 equal width strips lengthwise, you just wrap them around your stem until big enough for a snug fit on the rooter opening.  

I'm not positive about marijuana, but I "homestead engineer" quite a few things, and this works for my other plant cuttings.  I'm going to use it for my MJ as soon as my new babies show their girlie parts and get ready to clone.

Ps. Be sure to rinse well first to make sure any "additives" that keep the sponge "fresh" are removed.


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## vic777 (Sep 13, 2011)

Great stuff - thanks guys!

Love the whole DIY angle, growing is seriously addictive. 

As I understand it it also needs to be light-proof?

Another suggestion I saw on the net was to use a "pool noodle" (for lack of knowing what the hell to call it!) - can cut quite a lot of inserts out of that!


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## The Hemp Goddess (Sep 13, 2011)

How large are the holes?  I have 1" holes in my cloner and I just wrap the stems with thin foam (sill seal).

Most pool noodles (that is what I call them, too) have a hole in the center that is too large to hold a cutting.  If you want to use them as inserts, they are going to have to be solid with no holes through the center and roughly the same diameter as your opening.  I believe they should work just fine.  Wetsuit material is not thick enough to make inserts from.


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## vic777 (Sep 14, 2011)

@THG

I was planning to use small net pots, so the hole is going to be 5cm in diameter - +/- 2"

Yeah, the hole in the pool noodle will pose a problem. I believe some don't have the hole, so I'll go hunting. Sill seal also sounds like a great solution.

1" holes, hmmm. Makes a lot more sense! I've been looking at the designs on the net, and most use net pots with inserts, but making the hole smaller and using something wrapped around the stem that is wider than an insert should be great. 

I had a look at my wetsuit and yes, that is way too thin. I guess for neoprene you'd need something like 5mm thickness. Crazy prices for neoprene in SA though, for a small sheet they ask $70.

I've had too many disasters trying to clone with rockwool, so I'm hoping this is going to be better


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## The Hemp Goddess (Sep 14, 2011)

Why not just put your cuts in the 2" net pots with hydrotron then?


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## Locked (Sep 14, 2011)

The Hemp Goddess said:
			
		

> Why not just put your cuts in the 2" net pots with hydrotron then?



:yeahthat:

That's what I wld do if I wasn't a soil grower....


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## The Hemp Goddess (Sep 14, 2011)

Hamster Lewis said:
			
		

> :yeahthat:
> 
> That's what I wld do if I wasn't a soil grower....



I've given a few clones to a soil grower that were rooted this way.  He just plants the clones net pot and all.


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## Locked (Sep 14, 2011)

The Hemp Goddess said:
			
		

> I've given a few clones to a soil grower that were rooted this way.  He just plants the clones net pot and all.



Hmmmm.....hydroton as well?  Might hve to try that. Thanks THG


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## vic777 (Sep 15, 2011)

@THG

Yeah, that sounds good. I have hydroton, I'm a soil grower though - but as you say I could pop the net pot in the ground as well. 

But I think I might have found a solution - don't know if you get it in the same form in the states but over here we get a thin high-density foam mattress/exercise mat - about 6mm thick. Bought one for about $5. I cut some inserts out of there and it looks like it just might do the trick!

I suck at cloning, trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong. Using cuttings from a male at the moment, trying again in soil, jiffy and rockwool until I get the aeroponic cloner finished.


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