Possible gnat problem!!

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PoTgrower

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Hello fellow growers. First off i would like to say that it is an honor to be here, and i hope i can be a great addition to this community!

ok down to business. Recently i just started my second grow, masterkush. I still had some fox farm ocean forest soil from my first grow that was still sitting in the shed. I decided to go get it, but saw little flies flying around when i opened the bag. Automatically i should have known not to use it, but i couldnt resist growing the master kush, so i decided to go for it anyways. BIG MISTAKE. I saw flies flying around when my plants sprouted, and i tried to get rid of it. I got rid of all the adults, but there were still larva eggs in the soil. I read somewhere, that in order to get rid of the eggs, i had to drain the soil out with 2 teaspoons of dishwater and a gallon of water. I did it, and it seems like it worked. Now my question is., will the dish soap hurt my plant?? Thanks, and sorry for the long story.
 
Flush the soap out with a lot of water. If the plant is still looking healthy 24 hours later, then it should live.

If its indoor...CO2 will kill anything alive in there except molds and algae. I killed a huge mouse that made its way through the wall, took 2 steps into the room and fell asleep! Awesome what CO2 will do to pests.
 
Just cover the top of the soil with clean sand or the Diatomaceous Earth
it will smother them out when they cant escape.

Start watering less as they like a wet ground and its usually a sure sign of over watering.

The soap wont hurt anything.

OGKushman said:
Flush the soap out with a lot of water. If the plant is still looking healthy 24 hours later, then it should live.

If its indoor...CO2 will kill anything alive in there except molds and algae. I killed a huge mouse that made its way through the wall, took 2 steps into the room and fell asleep! Awesome what CO2 will do to pests.

Any C02 levels anywhere close to as high as you say is deadly to your plants and a total waste.

Its not feasible to increase CO2 levels so high as to kill bugs.
 
Growdude said:
Any C02 levels anywhere close to as high as you say is deadly to your plants and a total waste.

Its not feasible to increase CO2 levels so high as to kill bugs.
if u say so. But I have yet to have a pest problem (in 1 year indoor). And I have yet to hurt a plant by pumping in to much co2. I have however seen everybug ever enter my room...end up on the floor dead. If u want to see what CO2 does go look at my OG thread. :hubba:
 
when i got gnats inside i just let the soil dry out.....they multiply in moisture, used a little neem oil, which is basically a pesticide. then i hung up sticky fly traps.
 
loolagigi said:
when i got gnats inside i just let the soil dry out.....they multiply in moisture, used a little neem oil, which is basically a pesticide. then i hung up sticky fly traps.
.. :cool2: moist top layer of soil is essential to their reproduction. A layer of clean sand, perlite, or best of all 'diatomaceous earth' should eliminate them, post haste..:)
 
Hi,

I agree with OGKushman and IME CO2 really works great with pests, especially if you have a mite infestation late in flowering when it's too late to spray. I've seen it save more than one harvest from the edge of destruction. As far as feasibility goes all you need is to pick up a 20 lb cylinder from the welding supply house and take it home. Put the cylinder in your grow room and open the regulator for an even flow being careful not to open the regulator too much or the flow could freeze up. And it's only about $20 for a 20 lb tank refill. The main thing you need to keep in mind is safety. Just like OGKushman's garden mouse went in and passed out from the lack of oxygen, the same can happen to us...

I think that CO2 is overkill for fungus gnats though... letting your soil surface dry out is the best prevention and Growdude's suggestion of diatomaceous earth works great to get kill them as they try to emerge from the soil.

Peace!:cool:
 
Watering from the bottom is also something you can do.
 
Again - thanks to all for the solid advice. I had a few gnats flying around, but I let the coco dry out and they are gone. Next step is to get some d-earth as a cover up on the top layer. Sweet.
 
Increasing Air Circulation in the room (big fan) is what finally put an end to my gnat problem

Best Wishes
"P"
 
Every single gnat i have either ends up in my ears or my eyes. Never thought of em hurting plants?? And when the cactus bloom, i have thousands.
 

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