Hydro and Bugs

[LEDNewbie]

So here is a question for you hydro boys. Is hydro more or less prone to bugs like Fungus gnats and root aphids? Things like that??

I would think soil would be more prone to things like fungus gnats and such cause there is that moist medium there. But in a system like DWC where the hydroton sits above the water and the roots are fully inside the water. Are fungus gnats even a problem since the hydroton should technically be dry??

I'm growing in soil and today got to thinking about ways of dealing with things like gnats and such and started thinking DWC hydro may be less prone to these issues as there is a less optimum medium for them to grow in...... Just thinking out loud. Like to here from those of you growing with hydro especially DWC to see what you guys have to deal with good or bad. Thanks

 

[medmaker420]

There are plenty of pests that can bother a hydro grow but yes with a lack of places to toss down eggs or burrow down into there are less issues bug wise. Hydro does raise other issues that are not present in soil as well though that comes with its own pains in the asses like leaks and clogs for example lol.

Keep your environment clean, try not to hang out with fellow growers or collectives where other plant bugs might be and if you do then don't go near your girls until you have fresh clothes on. Also no animals in or around your grow area which can also get from them to you and then onto your plants.

Also clones, grow from seed and make your own clones or if anything make sure and quarantine the hell out of anything new going into your grow including soil sadly.

 

[tenthirty]

Root aphids thrive quite well in rockwool as well as hydroton.

 

[arcinNsparkin2]

Fungus gnats will live in DWC with hydrotron, I encounter then occasionally, usually during the warmer weather.

aNs

 

[highonmt]

Root aphids thrive quite well in rockwool as well as hydroton.

I think root aphids would probably thrive well on mars lol.
Most hydro systems offer poor hiding places for soil born insects such as RA so they are "easier" to eradicate and/or control mainly due to the fully wet -able media. Spider Mites and other foliage dwellers like russet mites etc could care less about the system the plant is growing in.
HM

 

[medicalmj]

I found FGs are hardest to control in RW, and if you get any bit of root rot they will spread and crops will be continually diminished. Soil and soiless are much more suited to using predatory nematodes as they won't get washed away. On the hand if using neonicatinoids drenches are easier in hydro set ups.

The most likely root zone pest will be FGs. I have given up RW a few months ago after battling FGs. I nuked em w some chems and now use coco-hydroton. Gave my eldest pred nems but not the ones in veg. And I have zero FGs...

 

[LEDNewbie]

thanks for the responses everyone.

So here is my thoughts after reading your replies.....

-Doesn't matter what you grow in you'll still get FG, RA and SM
-Growing in Soil it is impossible to start with a clean slate unless you sterilize soil witch is tough for me since I grow in twelve 30 gallon totes!!. So everytime you start with a new grow your introducing eggs and larvae in the soil into your grow room.
-With Hydro if growing in Hydroton there is pretty much no chance of eggs and larvae being in that media since "A" Hydroton is not where bugs like to go and lay eggs and "B" you have to thoroughly wash Hydroton before its first use so no chance of eggs and larvae entering grow room with that media.
-So with Hydro you start with a clean slate and the only way you'll get FG or RA is by letting them into your grow room.
-If someone is running a VERY clean grow and is VERY anal about cleanliness and not letting bugs into the grow room, hydro should be less prone to bugs then? Correct? Cause of the simple fact of starting with a very clean slate of no bugs being in the grow media.
-Now, say your soil is sterilized and hydroton is clean. Both are starting on a clean slate. If a FG or RA gets introduced into the grow room from an outside source like bringing it in on your clothing and etc... I would think treating the media would be easier with Hydroton as it would "A" be easier to wash away the bugs with a watering by hand and some product could be added to the reservoir as well? Yes?
-So if you have gnats or root aphids, some gnatrol or Merit 75 could be hand watered on top of the hydroton like a "soil drench" plus it could also be added to the reservoir as well for a double shot and killing off the little bastards!!!


Thanks for your time everyone, let me know what you think about above comments and if you agree or disagree with above statements.

 

[nugz420]

help i have thrips

help i have thrips

hey im new on here... i need some help im 3 weeks into flower and i have thrips they are starting to turn leafs yellow so i did a soil drench with bug begone and neem oil so hopefully that helps any ideas would be great

 

[medicalmj]

hey im new on here... i need some help im 3 weeks into flower and i have thrips they are starting to turn leafs yellow so i did a soil drench with bug begone and neem oil so hopefully that helps any ideas would be great

On rare occasions some sp. of thrips will populate the root zone, however this is not their normal habitat.

So I recommend you spray the canopy with Spinosad, trade name captain jack's, conserve, etc.
It's omri and safe in flwr, and very effective on thrips.

 

[medicalmj]

Up in my neck of the woods RAs are not common. I don't know of anyone who's gotten them. FGs, mites and thrips are mostly what's around.

If you can submerge the entire pot of hydroton to the stalk, then yes, you will be able to wipe out pest more effeciently than the others.

So you planning some type of hydro set up?

 

[ICbuds]

FG suck. I am using the sticky stakes by safer and they seem to be holding them down a bit. I am wondering if anyone uses a spray of any sort to control them and what it is.

 

[LEDNewbie]

Up in my neck of the woods RAs are not common. I don't know of anyone who's gotten them. FGs, mites and thrips are mostly what's around.

If you can submerge the entire pot of hydroton to the stalk, then yes, you will be able to wipe out pest more effeciently than the others.

So you planning some type of hydro set up?

maybe in the future, doing all the research I can right now. For now I'll continue growing 12 plants under 3000W of Gavita in a scrog. IN the future I may switch it up to 2 big trees in flower and 2 in veg in Deep Water Culture and try and grow 2-3# trees. We shall see, that would be at least a year away anywase. But until then Id like to get 100% informed on the in and outs of Hydro

 

[hempyftw]

Hmmmmmm.

Hmmmmmm.

Having used ebb and flow tables in the past with hydroton pots, I feel as though they can help harbor FG. They also give a moist area for pests to hide where ya can't get them.

Good point about soil already being infected though. You could pasteurize your soil with extremely hot water when you get it. Sounds like a pain in the back to me!

I eventually switched to lp aero, with no medium. I haven't been using this method long enough to say for sure, but it seems like there isn't much of an area for the pests to hide. If they are on the inside of the aero tube all they get is sprayed with fine mist constantly. There are no rocks/soil/perlite/particulate matter for the bastards to hide in. Just air/water/roots chilling in constant spray.

Although you did come to the hydro section to ask this, it would be fun to repost it in the soil forum and see how they probably praise soil. Gotta think about who your information is coming from.

 

[medicalmj]

maybe in the future, doing all the research I can right now. For now I'll continue growing 12 plants under 3000W of Gavita in a scrog. IN the future I may switch it up to 2 big trees in flower and 2 in veg in Deep Water Culture and try and grow 2-3# trees. We shall see, that would be at least a year away anywase. But until then Id like to get 100% informed on the in and outs of Hydro

From experience I would not recommend dwc for trees. Now with that said I do have 4 big trees in a hard to describe dwc and they are doing great.

I would suggest starting out with a simple E&F or top feed. My first hydro set up was a 17 gal tote with a couple drain hole in the lid. I set a 4 RW cubes on top and had a pump continuously feeding w run off just draining back into the tote they sat on. I've since built dozens of other designs.

The prob w trees in dwc is potential for root rot. And if just one thing ain't right...