Terra Aquatica HydroCloner Spinner 72

The Terra Aquatica HydroCloner Spinner 72 is the propagation unit called the RainForest 72 until recently: 72 cuttings on a 67 by 67 centimetre footprint, over a 70 litre reservoir. It is driven by the Vortex motor from the original RainForest range.

A propagation machine, not a growing system

At seventy-two sites you work in batches: setting a whole generation of cuttings away at once, rooting them together and planting them out together. That makes it interesting for anyone starting a new round at fixed intervals, or keeping mother plants and propagating from them as routine.

Growing on to harvest is not the idea. The space per site is made for cuttings and young plants, which then move to a growing system or into pots.

Neoprene discs instead of net pots

Terra Aquatica now supplies the Spinner 72 with neoprene discs. They replace the net pots of the RainForest. You push the cutting straight into the disc, the disc goes into the hole in the lid, and the stem hangs below in the mist.

That saves on two counts. No rockwool, coco or plug is involved, so nothing to buy and nothing to throw away, and you plant out a rooted cutting without a block of medium around it. And the discs are easier to clean than a net pot, then simply go back into use.

Why no dome is needed

The Vortex motor lifts the solution, oxygenates it and spreads it as a fine mist over the cutting bases. Moisture and oxygen reach the root zone directly, rather than being held around the leaves under a dome.

At this scale that saves more than on a small tray. Seventy-two cuttings under a dome means condensation, venting, and the risk of one patch of mould running through the whole batch. It does mean that the room it stands in has to provide the climate your cuttings need.

The 70 litres in the reservoir help here: a large volume keeps pH steadier than a small tray, and with a whole batch of cuttings on one solution that is no detail.

Technical Specifications:

• Sites: 72
• Dimensions: 67 x 67 x 31 cm (l x w x h)
• Reservoir: 70 litres
• Drive: Vortex motor
• Holders: neoprene discs
• Dome: not required
• Material: recycled plastic, UV stabilised, made in France

Frequently asked questions

Is this the RainForest 72? Yes. Terra Aquatica renamed it HydroCloner Spinner 72 and now supplies it with neoprene discs instead of net pots.

Do I need rockwool or plugs? No, the cutting goes straight into a neoprene disc.

Can I grow plants on to harvest in it? No, the space per site is intended for cuttings and young plants.

Why no dome? The Vortex motor delivers moisture and oxygen in the root zone itself.