How do I deal with fungus gnats? I've had SO many suggestions.

[MICHGANDER9]

Sorry about all the typos the diatomaceous earth cuts up the adults when they walk through it no chemicals it kills the beneficial insects to

 

[MICHGANDER9]

Rove Beetle (Dalotia coriaria)

Dalotia coriaria is a fast-moving, soil dwelling rove beetle. It is a generalist predator that feeds on a wide range of small insects and mites but is primarily an egg predator.

The Rove Beetle is used in the control of fungus gnats, thrips pupae, moth fly larvae, shore flies, root mealybugs, springtails and other small arthropods.

The supplied adults can fly and find hard-to-reach locations in greenhouses where pests may lurk. The larvae are predaceous and resemble the adults. They thrive in damp conditions and are ideally introduced early during propagation cycles in greenhouses. Can be combined with BioStratiolaelaps to help prevent root aphids

While they are beetles, they do not quite look like beetles. They are light to dark brown in color, with adults being 3-4 mm long. BioAtheta curve their abdomen upwards (like scorpions) and can run or fly when disturbed . Since they can actively fly, they rapidly colonize the release area.

Each adult rove beetle consumes 10-20 prey per day. In greenhouse conditions, adults are non-diapausing and can be used year round especially in propagation conditions.

 

[MICHGANDER9]

Beneficial SF Nematodes (Steinernema feltiae)

Beneficial Nematodes are tiny roundworms that parasitize various pests living in the soil, leaves and sometimes trees. They can be used as bio-control agents in turf, vegetables, flower gardens, orchards and greenhouses.

Nematodes (SF) target Fungus Gnats, Codling Moth, Western Flower Thrips, Leafminers, Tuta absoluta and some caterpillars.

Nematodes actively search for larvae. After locating pest larvae, nematodes invade through natural body openings and inject bacteria into the insect. Bacteria develop within the insect and it dies of septicaemia after 2-3 days. Nematodes reproduce inside the dead larva. Thousands of new nematodes leave the dead larva and search for further prey

 

[Eledin]

Sorry about all the typos the diatomaceous earth cuts up the adults when they walk through it no chemicals it kills the beneficial insects to

Good point, it will kill ladybugs too for example but also nematodes so it doesnt make much sense to use it with nematodes. It doesnt kill beneficial microorganisms like bacillus or trichoderma tho, so your little root ecosystem should be fine.

 

[MICHGANDER9]

Good point, it will kill ladybugs too for example but also nematodes so it doesnt make much sense to use it with nematodes. It doesnt kill beneficial microorganisms like bacillus or trichoderma tho, so your little root ecosystem should be fine

Good point, it will kill ladybugs too for example but also nematodes so it doesnt make much sense to use it with nematodes. It doesnt kill beneficial microorganisms like bacillus or trichoderma tho, so your little root ecosystem should be fine.

Well you water in nemotodes first they are in the rhizosphere and let soil surface dry out then apply diatomaceous earth the nemotodes kill the pupae and larvae and the earth kills adults you need to break the cycle a fungus gnat can lay up to 200 eggs

 

[VitaMan]

This is my 4th grow and first time getting fungus gnats. I've tried letting the soil dry up it's barely "moist" knuckle deep at this point but I don't want to under water them.

I've tried crushed eggshells on top of the soil.
I've tried fruit fly traps with apple cider vinegar.
I've tried spraying the soil and leaves down with diluted alcohol spray.
I have fans blowing on them.

I'm growing auto-flowers and I'd say they're almost halfway done. Are these things going to kill my plants? How do I get rid of them?

I had a battle with them for years. Both prevention and treatment are needed

To prevent them:

• Check the humidity, not just the tent but the whole home.
• Eliminate all mold and mildew. Use TSP or strong bleach followed by Kilzz Paint
• Wash your fruit and veggies when you bring them.
• Make sure your soil or media is clean to begin with
• Keep the tent and area clean
• Sticky traps help.

To treat them:

• I cant emphasize enough: Treat all of your houseplants too!
• Mosquito pucks in the water, maybe even crumbled up in your soil. These microbes kill the larvae.
• Diatomaceous earth top dressed kills the flies top dress after each watering

To be honest, it wasn't until I cleaned and painted, disasembled and sanitized everything, moved the tent to a less humid room and switched to sterile hydroponics on expanded clay pebbles that I fully eliminated them.

I know, it could still happen, but its less likely when you dont have organic material coming in. From what I have read they are easier to spot and treat because you can see and access the root zone.

Oh yeah. I used to love fabric pots and air pots, but unfortunately fungus gnats love them too. These pots allow them many access points.

 

[MICHGANDER9]

Man i

I had a battle with them for years. Both prevention and treatment are needed

To prevent them:

• Check the humidity, not just the tent but the whole home.
• Eliminate all mold and mildew. Use TSP or strong bleach followed by Kilzz Paint
• Wash your fruit and veggies when you bring them.
• Make sure your soil or media is clean to begin with
• Keep the tent and area clean
• Sticky traps help.

To treat them:

• I cant emphasize enough: Treat all of your houseplants too!
• Mosquito pucks in the water, maybe even crumbled up in your soil. These microbes kill the larvae.
• Diatomaceous earth top dressed kills the flies top dress after each watering

To be honest, it wasn't until I cleaned and painted, disasembled and sanitized everything, moved the tent to a less humid room and switched to sterile hydroponics on expanded clay pebbles that I fully eliminated them.

I know, it could still happen, but its less likely when you dont have organic material coming in. From what I have read they are easier to spot and treat because you can see and access the root zone.

Oh yeah. I used to love fabric pots and air pots, but unfortunately fungus gnats love them too. These pots allow them many access points.

Man id have dead plants w/out any organic materials i dont have a problem with fungus gnats and im using all organics if i sterilized my Media if kill all my beneficial microbes so i disagree that you need to sterilize everything what you need is a good IPM( integrated pest management ) and a sop ( standard operating procedure) for insects and pathogens

 

[Perrin6363]

I hear great things about bio-control agents. I've not had to use them yet but was thinking about putting some in anyways. They're pricey.

Check out Beneficial SF Nematodes (Steinernema feltiae).

Beneficial Nematodes

Please note we cannot ship live insects to PO Box addresses. All orders placed to a PO Box instead of a physical address will be delayed until an address is provided. Beneficial SF Nematodes (Steinernema feltiae) Beneficial Nematodes are tiny roundworms that parasitize various pests living in...

www.kisorganics.com

 

[MICHGANDER9]

I hear great things about bio-control agents. I've not had to use them yet but was thinking about putting some in anyways. They're pricey.

Check out Beneficial SF Nematodes (Steinernema feltiae).

Beneficial Nematodes

Please note we cannot ship live insects to PO Box addresses. All orders placed to a PO Box instead of a physical address will be delayed until an address is provided. Beneficial SF Nematodes (Steinernema feltiae) Beneficial Nematodes are tiny roundworms that parasitize various pests living in...

www.kisorganics.com

I hear great things about bio-control agents. I've not had to use them yet im but was thinking about putting some in anyways. They're pricey.

Check out Beneficial SF Nematodes (Steinernema feltiae).

Beneficial Nematodes

Please note we cannot ship live insects to PO Box addresses. All orders placed to a PO Box instead of a physical address will be delayed until an address is provided. Beneficial SF Nematodes (Steinernema feltiae) Beneficial Nematodes are tiny roundworms that parasitize various pests living in...

www.kisorganics.com

Im long time KIS Organics customer they are second to none. Check out their Pateron pod casts

 

[MICHGANDER9]

Im long time KIS Organics customer they are second to none. Check out their Pateron pod casts. No liquid fertilizer a month and a half old soil amendments KIS mix and Bio Mass

 

[Perrin6363]

Im long time KIS Organics customer they are second to none. Check out their Pateron pod casts

Bro I'm on it. I do the book club and the monthly hangouts. We prob know each other on there.

 

[GNick55]

spend spend spend, my god..
usually drying out a few times does the trick,
use a 50/50 isopropyl/water spray and soak everything,. do out of the lights, it’ll be dry in 20 mins and put back underneath light,.. it kill anything bothering the plant..

 

[Eledin]

spend spend spend, my god..
usually drying out a few times does the trick,
use a 50/50 isopropyl/water spray and soak everything,. do out of the lights, it’ll be dry in 20 mins and put back underneath light,.. it kill anything bothering the plant..

Can you guys get pure isopropyl alcohol there? I tried doing iso extraction with several products that claimed it was 100% iso and then it turns out is 99,xx% iso and another chemical that makes you puke it so people dont drink it and tastes like shit and makes me cough like crazy if I smoke it, no matter how long its left to dry, its not gonna go away. Same with regular alcohol, the closest thing I can find is vodka. Thats why I stoped completely to use alcohol unless its for cleaning the equipment. You guys have so much more options it makes me envious... here there's like 5 organic brands to choose from (Currently with Trabe and very happy but I would like more variety, specially for ammendments, I cant find crab meal anywhere for example).

 

[VitaMan]

i disagree that you need to sterilize everything

No need to disagree. Some people have never had a problem with them.

I am not saying that you have to run a sterile grow.
What I am saying is what worked for me, in my environment.

Organics in soil is great if you have the right environment and enough beneficial organisms in the soil. No doubt that a good organic grow can result in deep delicious flavors. But organic growing is not suitable for everyone's situation, hence the many other successful methods of growing.

If you have the little buggers it is a good idea to eliminate the sources, especially if you live in a humid area. If you don't, they might keep coming back.

 

[MICHGANDER9]

Bro I'm on it. I do the book club and the monthly hangouts. We prob know each other on there.

Im a Pateron member as well. Good Stuff Maynard

 

[MICHGANDER9]

My member name is Ron well that is my name sometimes When I get my head up my ass I can't even remember my own name!

 

[MICHGANDER9]

I just bought one of those Bios Endeavor LED lights Tadd gave me a HELL of a deal on it, I'll be getting it Thursday Im EXCITED!!!!

 

[Ryguy45]

Could you post a link for the formula 203 please, can't find it.

Here's the root drench/foliage formula... there's one of the same brand that's formula 209 and that's the systemic one to use from about wk 1 veg (don't use in seedlings)

 

[Ryguy45]

At some point in my growing experience, I started spraying the surface of the soil with plain water before watering because the water is supposed to penetrate more evenly. Then I noticed that sometimes when I sprayed, a lot of gnats would show themselves. So, I started spraying with a hydrogen peroxide solution instead of water. It's supposed to kill them on contact, and it seems like it does. I only sprayed enough to wet about the top 1/4 inch of soil. I didn't want the solution to penetrate so deeply that it would affect the soil microbes. After spraying, I wait before doing my normal watering because hydrogen peroxide breaks down quickly under light and normal air pressure. If I'm having a problem with gnats, I spray the soil more often.

The issue with this approach is that the residual bi product of peroxide is a salt and you do upset your rhizosphere! This myth will is not optimal for your girls.. trust me;)

 

[MICHGANDER9]

I've done the Chemical approach didn't work so well kept having to treat and reapply so I tried the beneficial insects approach and better control of the environment (inside)and a IPM . The beneficial insects approach is more costly up front but its better for the environment and the beneficial insects ESPECIALLY outside bees BSF, and so on I much prefer the bio ,beneficial insect approach myself , better environmental control (soil moisture, humidity,temps) predator mites,rove beetles, nematodes so on and a couple sticky traps i see a fungus gnat every once in awhile but not to often never any Thrips so far.
I keep rove beetles and mites in my worms bin and in my 4×8 haven't had to do anything else ,they take care of it Same thing for spider mites A IPM (Integrated pest management) is a good practice as well as scoping with a loop frequently