Fungus gnat problem's? read this.

A few weeks back i noticed these pesky little fuckers flying around my plants, and didnt realize what they were doing to my plants. i did my homework before i started my first grow and somehow over looked these pest's. ive researched the problem and found several soloutions that depending on the type of year may not even be available, and the usual people name some fucking chemicle that i can barely pronounce let alone find so ill list a few of the popular remedies along with the downside to using each.

Diatomaceus Earth- there is a food grade AND a pool grade, the later being toxic to household pet's and is used as a medium in a Diatom filter for pools and spa's.

Sand- use an inch and a half of sand to top your plant soil and smother them. obviously this isnt a wise idea, considering that the oxygen the bugs need to live is the same your plants need as well.

Cinnimon- rumor has it that sprinkling this on the top soil will solve your problem, ive found most that have success with this are growing other types of plants. most cannabis growers that used it was disappointed in the results.

Potatoe's- a cubed potato on the surface of "DRY" soil should bring larvae to the top. honestly...ive tried it and found very little to no larvae, and they mold pretty quick so keep an eye on them.

Asian ladybug's- they love the soft body type insects like gnats. ive collected over 200 and released them into my grow room they adults will not harm the plants,but if they lay eggs it has been said that they chew the fuck out of the foliage. i have a small grow so its not an issue for me.

Hydrogen peroxide 3%- Now this is more like it, got a gnat problem? stop watering your plant till the top few inches are dry, too much moisture is what they like and make sure if you have any catch trays keep them dry then follow the top link.....

heres a few link's
http://everything2.com/title/fungus+gnat

http://www.lancelhoff.com/many-uses-for-h202-hydrogen-peroxide/

i would prefer that only people who have them or had them reply. and if there isnt something listed here, post a "usable" soloution. what did you use? where do you get it? how much was it? etc.

I had a HUGE infestation and i went to homedepot and bought those stickey traps that helped so much . I also used Don't Bug Me spray bottle by fox farm and it helped a lot. I got the spray bottle from here: http://www.altgarden.com/store/cart.php

Sand- use an inch and a half of sand to top your plant soil and smother them. obviously this isnt a wise idea, considering that the oxygen the bugs need to live is the same your plants need as well.

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i have used that method for many indoor plants i have had issues with.. got rid of the fungus gnats, plants are still doing great... the sand doesn't block the oxygen. it just makes it impossible for the bugs to dig down because the sand fills in as soon as a bit is dug out.. unlike soil..

Yeah, they say the color "yellow" is irresistible to the adult's. i still have a few gnats ( 2 or 3 ) flying around every couple of days. i had my main plant in a 1/2 gallon pot and transplanted it into a 10 gallon pickel bucket, i drilled the sides out so i can use a straightened coat hanger to help airate the soil from the sides. as for the larvae, im having limited results with the potatoe method, hydrogen peroxide is great for the elusive bastards that dont surface. i might as a last ditch effort repot back into her original pot rinsing the root ball completly removing all soil then gently clipping anything that might be moldy. another fact that i had come across was that there was something about sterile soil specifically that creates a problem with them. but bottom line is the enviornment, over watering and drop trays that retain water breed them. also some soil with pine bark and other similar additives "carry" egg's. how fucked up is that? sterilizing soil ive read can actualy make the soil toxic if you do it wrong. thanx 4 the post!

Have had minor gnat issues this year, this is what i use to shoot the little buggers. It's pretty effective and not too expensive (less than $10 US).

didn't see this mentioned, but dish washing detergent and water makes a very good gnat trap
found it in a few of the posts here, real easy, small glass beside your pot, critters kamikaze right into the stuff

Actualy the sand does block air, thats why they say it suffocates the larvae. its great that it seemed to work for you. nothing is more of a disappointment then seeing a plant that you slaved over die for some bullshit reason. i never jump on the first soloution i come across and dig,dig,dig for detail. another interesting thing i noticed is that they didnt appear until i started using molasses while watering.

Insect killer? im sure alot of those would work, but the idea is to remedie the infestation with something that is safe.

Dishwashing detergent is great for the adults, but the larvae feeding off the root hairs inhibiting growth and yield can be alittle more problematic. a banana peal in a bowl you could slap a lid on would draw alot of gnats, but does nothing for the larvae.

sixxgun1 said:

Dishwashing detergent is great for the adults, but the larvae feeding off the root hairs inhibiting growth and yield can be alittle more problematic. a banana peal in a bowl you could slap a lid on would draw alot of gnats, but does nothing for the larvae.

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it does help break the cycle, adults do the egg laying(or so i understand)
i just squashed an infestation using this, it does take time though and might not be enough for a bad infestation
but you can add it to the other methods with no downside, low effort help