So I’m using open bottom waters, fighting Fungus gnats I have sand on top of the cocoa, but the nuts are still here. Is there anything I can put in the water so they don’t live anymore
3 Likes
Take some mosquito bits. Put in a gallon jug of water. Let sit 24 hours. Strain out the bits. There is a solution usable for all grow types. Once larva gone gnats gone. Easy peasy. Fly strips for adults. A week or so and poof gone.
9 Likes
You can also turn some ladybugs loose in your tent or grow space. They stay on and around your plants. You can get them from your local hydroponic store.
7 Likes
Grin. Ladybugs are stone cold killers.
8 Likes
And that’s cool to put in the water with the jacks I have mosquito bits. I also have neem oil.
5 Likes
Looking into ladybugs right now
3 Likes
Last time all I had to do was put sand on top, but I was top watering then
3 Likes
Yes it is. We use it in the ponds on my brothers ranch. Safe for all the livestock. Been using it forever.
6 Likes
Cool, thanks setting that up right now
4 Likes
Storm is right, the bits will kill them. You can buy the active ingredient in bits on Amazon too, in liquid form. I dissolve some bits in water and throw some on top of media too.
4 Likes
Do you have a picture of the “gnats”? How is the health of your plants?
Have you come across root aphids before? Once they become “flyers” they can easily be mistaken for fungus gnats.
If the wings are about 2/3rds larger than the bugs body, and you can see 2 pipes coming out its backside, they’re most likely aphids. Fungus gnats wings and body will be about the same size.
If you don’t have any sticky traps out, I’d suggest putting them out, and taking a picture.
The reason I bring up aphids, is you had success with the gnats before. Why are you having the issue this time?
2 Likes
They are gnats plants are healthy and the reason is im using self watering pots so open water source im trying mosquito bits today
2 Likes
Ok, I had to throw that out there just incase.
2 Likes
Welcome to the forum.
2 Likes
Thank you. Glad to be here
2 Likes
I use no pest strips. In and area not occupied for more than 4 hours a day.
I swear i never will understand why some have such issues with fungus knatts. I prefer to take them out swiftly with permetherin before they get any type of foothold.
Indoors i simply dont seem to get them anymore with coco.
Fungus gnats are regularly introduced with new plants. I get them here whenever I buy plants from the local hardware or nursery. I then have to treat everything again to get rid of the damn things. You can also get them from neighboring properties that have gnats living there and the adults travel into your house, land on the pots and start living there. If you have a wetland/ swamp nearby, they will come from there.
You can get rid of fungus gnats using parasitic nematodes or mites, or a bacteria (Bacillus thuringiensis). You can order these online and put them on each plant/ potting mix and they kill the larvae and break the cycle. The parasitic nematodes and mites work best in warm weather (temperature above 18C/ 64F). The bacteria works in cold or warm weather. All are safe for people and natural gnat killers.
You should treat all your plants at the same time so untreated areas don’t harbor insects that can reinfect the treated plants.
Don’t bother using gnat sand, yellow sticky papers or neem oil, they are a waste of time and money. If you put gnat sand on top of the potting mix, the gnats go in through the bottom drainage holes in the pot. Sticky papers only catch adults and usually after they have laid eggs in the soil. Neem oil stops working after one or two treatments and the gnat larvae and some other insects carry on destroying the plants.
The parasitic nematodes are my choice and the problem is normally gone two weeks after treatment.