Small Black "Worms" on roots DWC +rep for successful identification

Give Me

Member
So I lift up the lid to my reservoir last night and noticed some small black worms/larvae on my roots. They are on Day 19 of flower after 21 days of Vegetation (from clones, not seed). I have battled, and successfully beaten spider mites (no-pest strip). The room stays between 72-78 degrees at all times, humidity caps out around 70%, usually around 60%.


Any help is GREATLY appreciated.
I don't know how much if any help I will be but moment I saw that creature - Flashback- I still know nothing about them-what they r or where it came from --mine was at the bottom of a very over watered soil in a (big gulp cup ) I found that nasty thing swimming with I believe a bazillion Knats/fruit flys--bad--I was doing alot wrong! I can tell you they do not like peroxide Warning get better remediation techniques as I wont have any part in killing anyones babies. I put a capful of 3% peroxide into the sludge of bugs I was growing-after a twitch or 2 -well u get it. I thank u 4 the post and subn just so I can c how I really should have dealt with them. Oh in case there was any ? yes I am M.R.Good luck n HappyGrown 2 all :)
 

nick17gar

Well-Known Member
its not a leech. im thinking its a "drain fly" or "moth fly" or more adequately named "toilet fly" larvae,
either way, member of the psychodidae family. dark gray to black in color, found near/in sinks and tubs.

chances are there was one in the plumbing, laid eggs, and the eggs migrated thru the tubing, into your hydro set up. they eat ORGANIC MATTER as larvae and pupae, so you must remove them
the trick is hot water on the roots. not boiling water, but make it hot (steamy?)

rinse the shit outa everything else tho (basin/reservoir, tubing, pumps, thermometer (if you got one in the water), water heaters, etc.

all good man, just clear them out before they eat them roots. once they become flies, they lay eggs again, then youll be dealing with hundreds/thousands of them. so deal with it asap.

they vary in color a bit, but i think you get the idea:

ef615a.gifWorm-bathroom-sink.jpg



just be glad its not jeff goldbloom! http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3631351577/ <- might have to go watch that again, oooooold movie lol
 

virulient

Active Member
its not a leech. im thinking its a "drain fly" or "moth fly" or more adequately named "toilet fly" larvae,
either way, member of the psychodidae family. dark gray to black in color, found near/in sinks and tubs.

chances are there was one in the plumbing, laid eggs, and the eggs migrated thru the tubing, into your hydro set up. they eat ORGANIC MATTER as larvae and pupae, so you must remove them
the trick is hot water on the roots. not boiling water, but make it hot (steamy?)

rinse the shit outa everything else tho (basin/reservoir, tubing, pumps, thermometer (if you got one in the water), water heaters, etc.

all good man, just clear them out before they eat them roots. once they become flies, they lay eggs again, then youll be dealing with hundreds/thousands of them. so deal with it asap.

they vary in color a bit, but i think you get the idea:

View attachment 1814585View attachment 1814586



just be glad its not jeff goldbloom! http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3631351577/ <- might have to go watch that again, oooooold movie lol
Hm, I think that's it! Thanks! I'll let you know how the treatment goes. +rep
 

echlectica

Well-Known Member
Try putting a teaspoon/25 gallons of solution of Neem oil. I would also get some Bacillus Thuringensis (available at home depot) and put apply at a rate of 2 teaspoons per 25 gallons of solution.

That should kill them.
 

erbsNspice

Member
Try putting a teaspoon/25 gallons of solution of Neem oil. I would also get some Bacillus Thuringensis (available at home depot) and put apply at a rate of 2 teaspoons per 25 gallons of solution.

That should kill them.
you run this thru with ladies in?
 

erbsNspice

Member
I found mine in the water, smaller, most white in color and tiny. I almost thought it was root that had fallen off until I seen them moving.. in the water at the bottom of nft... I imagine there all in my roots as well, PISSED I AM ...THROWING AWAY CLONES I WILL! blue dream purple bubba lemon og banana kush sour D...... or these could just be tomatoes...:wall: either way.....im going to try the hot water real quick. any thoughts on salt?
 

erbsNspice

Member
hot water does not kill them, and these are deff. tomatoes:mrgreen:IMG_1219.jpgwhat was I thinking...im about to embark on a scientific journey to the relm of lets mix ph down(lots of it )with some salt and hot water, followed by some flush flush flush. but seriously, if anybody cured this problem please speak...
 

erbsNspice

Member
IMG_1220.jpgim really trying to keep from opening a new post for the same topic. these fuckers are sitting in straight ph down, still kickin...EDIT, look to be dead, 5 min in straight ph down. but I cant very well fill my resi with acid now can I...options?....more worried about them being in the pots or root zone. all you pot heads and no answers........:-? what will kill these fuckers and not kill a plant.
 

propertyoftheUS

Well-Known Member
They sound like fungus gnat larvae, tiny little white worm looking things, right? If so I've always used neem oil and soaked my roots in it for a couple mins and then dip the foliage in the oil for a couple seconds.
 

erbsNspice

Member
They sound like fungus gnat larvae, tiny little white worm looking things, right? If so I've always used neem oil and soaked my roots in it for a couple mins and then dip the foliage in the oil for a couple seconds.
this seems to be accurate. thanks for your response. +rep
 

indooryhydro

New Member
I had this exact same pest. I used hot water but these guys did not drown or die. In the end I had to pluck them out of the DWC system one by one and kept an eye on it every couple of days and did more removal when needed. For now the infestation is gone.

I never was able to tell if it was fungus gnats or drain flies. But I suppose it doesn't really matter in that they are both pests that are moderately harmful.
 

Heisenberg

Well-Known Member
I had this exact same pest. I used hot water but these guys did not drown or die. In the end I had to pluck them out of the DWC system one by one and kept an eye on it every couple of days and did more removal when needed. For now the infestation is gone.

I never was able to tell if it was fungus gnats or drain flies. But I suppose it doesn't really matter in that they are both pests that are moderately harmful.
Wow, sounds like a a lot of work. Next time just get some mosquito dunks. They'll be dead in 48 hours. Of course, that assumes you run beneficials in your res. If you run a sterile rez, use sm-90.
 
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