Gnat Nix: Upsides/Downsides Who's Used it and for What?

[Douglas.Curtis]

I'm not a big fan of DE, due to my experiences with it. Too light and fluffy, getting in the air/my-lungs/flowers, and not very effective when damp. Someone mentioned using Gnat Nix but no real details. It's a ground glass product, so it works when wet. It's supposed to work on gnats and root aphids.

So, please... who's used it, what did you use it for, how effective was it, what downsides did you experience.

Thank you!

 

[Lost in a SOG]

Major down sides i felt were it will move around on the surface if you water a bit too aggressively and for air pot users it wont stop an issue arising if you have got root rot. Its also a total pain in the ass to top dress soil obviously with an inch of glass on the surface..

Best cure for fungas gnats is healthy roots/correct watering/environment and neem meal does seem to help keep them at bay... in my situation it barely helped, if at all. But i think the logic is sound and used on normal pots will probably cut them down quite well..

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Neem meal is definitely not an option for me, the cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) from it is just awful.


I believe it would work much better if pre-mixed as a preventative. You're right on the money with healthy roots and the right environment. My biggest issue in the root zone has been root aphids, so I'm keenly interested in hearing results with them as well.

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

So I definitely recommend pre-rinsing the dust off. I see what you mean by the moving around bit when watering. I'm thinking of some kind of ring with clay pebbles in it, to keep water contained as it soaks in. Slows down watering.


I would recommend it for micro-growers in gnat country. It takes a lot to cover a pot. It's pretty, being a nice white'ish color.

 

[Mengsk]

I always rinse the dust from perlite before using it. Try to wear a dust mask seriously and take it outside water helps so that you aren't breathing it. Maybe even wet it first before emptying the bag to wash it. Reason being too fine of dust doesn't help the media much at all and the soil has too much fluoride otherwise I think.

 

[ToOldToCare]

Useful if needed

Useful if needed

I've been saved by Gnatnix several times. The key to it's use is that you apply a thick enough layer on top of your pots and alot of patience. It takes about a month or so before you see real results. But results you will see. I grow organically so I try to stay away from chemicals. But have tried many organic treatments such as nematodes and fungus's and bacteria's. You name it I've tried it. H2O2 soil flushes and the like. But it really was the Gnatnix that conquered the infestations. After application of Gnatnix you will see a decline in gnat population at first. Then you will notice that they are still climbing through the nix and flying around like before. I use yellow sticky boards to catch the fliers. But just because I hate them. They will die soon anyway. They can't get back down into the soil to lay more eggs because of the Gnatnix and they die in about a week.. let you pots dry out in between watering also. Because of the gnat life cycle you will still have the gnat maggots and larvae maturing and flying out of the nix. It takes a full life cycle to see the infestation to it's end. No more eggs, no more gnats. Don't know why they can climb out but not back down. I've watched them try. Another trick I've read here is to wrap your pots with panty hose. Especially if you use pots with drain holes at the bottom. Gnats love these side entrances. I haven't tried the panty hose idea but it makes sense to me. The down side to Gnatnix is air flow. I like to rake the top 1/4 of soil to improve aeration and off gassing. Can't with the Gnat nix on there. But I use fabric pots and hope there is enough oxygen still getting to the roots. If I've dealt with this early in veg I will vacuum the nix out once everything is under control. But if I get gnats in the middle of flower I just leave it. I'm careful with my watering. But lately every bag of soil I've purchased around here comes with a ready to go population. Just add water and two weeks later you're growing gnats instead of weed.

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Hey, ToOldToCare, Welcome to ICMag!!

I really appreciate you posting this, it's great information and I appreciate it. I'll have to watch this process the next time I get gnats. I have a thick layer of it over some house plant soil, and it's working great. I find a 2" thick layer can be watered easily without disturbing the layer. At least not enough to allow bugs through.

Not interested in using this in my flower room, for the same reason as perlite. Great for houseplants though.

 

[methias]

The yellow sticky traps confirmed that the gnats abound.
I add neem to the soil and that reduced the population but adding powdered mosquito dunks to the soil mixture seems to be eliminating the rest.
I have two indoor cabinets, one small 12"x30"x 18" tall (my clone/mom box) and a 32" x 32" x 76" tall combo veg and flower box.
Both have the sticky traps (covered with dead and dying gnats) from before the dunks. I have to go buy some new clean traps for both boxes to prove to myself that the gnat issue is truly dead.

BTW lava rocks, as a ground cover, just gives them a place to hide and reproduce.
It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Vape on

 

[Lyfespan]

we tried both GNATNIX and GROWSTONES, both failed to prevent gnats or any fliers

had GNATNIX as thick as 3" on top of coco, still had issues. then moved to all GS and still had issues.

I got pissed and then finally dealt with environment the plants were in and was able to rid of the issue

 

[Lyfespan]

The yellow sticky traps confirmed that the gnats abound.
I add neem to the soil and that reduced the population but adding powdered mosquito dunks to the soil mixture seems to be eliminating the rest.
I have two indoor cabinets, one small 12"x30"x 18" tall (my clone/mom box) and a 32" x 32" x 76" tall combo veg and flower box.
Both have the sticky traps (covered with dead and dying gnats) from before the dunks. I have to go buy some new clean traps for both boxes to prove to myself that the gnat issue is truly dead.

BTW lava rocks, as a ground cover, just gives them a place to hide and reproduce.
It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Vape on

orange traps work best for GNATS and RAs, yellow is for white flies

 

[Lyfespan]

I've been saved by Gnatnix several times. The key to it's use is that you apply a thick enough layer on top of your pots and alot of patience. It takes about a month or so before you see real results. But results you will see. I grow organically so I try to stay away from chemicals. But have tried many organic treatments such as nematodes and fungus's and bacteria's. You name it I've tried it. H2O2 soil flushes and the like. But it really was the Gnatnix that conquered the infestations. After application of Gnatnix you will see a decline in gnat population at first. Then you will notice that they are still climbing through the nix and flying around like before. I use yellow sticky boards to catch the fliers. But just because I hate them. They will die soon anyway. They can't get back down into the soil to lay more eggs because of the Gnatnix and they die in about a week.. let you pots dry out in between watering also. Because of the gnat life cycle you will still have the gnat maggots and larvae maturing and flying out of the nix. It takes a full life cycle to see the infestation to it's end. No more eggs, no more gnats. Don't know why they can climb out but not back down. I've watched them try. Another trick I've read here is to wrap your pots with panty hose. Especially if you use pots with drain holes at the bottom. Gnats love these side entrances. I haven't tried the panty hose idea but it makes sense to me. The down side to Gnatnix is air flow. I like to rake the top 1/4 of soil to improve aeration and off gassing. Can't with the Gnat nix on there. But I use fabric pots and hope there is enough oxygen still getting to the roots. If I've dealt with this early in veg I will vacuum the nix out once everything is under control. But if I get gnats in the middle of flower I just leave it. I'm careful with my watering. But lately every bag of soil I've purchased around here comes with a ready to go population. Just add water and two weeks later you're growing gnats instead of weed.

1 and 5 gallon paint strainers work awesome
https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-5-gal-Elastic-Top-Strainers-2-Pack-11573-36WF/202061360

https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-1-gal-Elastic-Top-Strainers-2-Pack-11572-36WF/202061359

 

[methias]

Yellow is the new orange

Yellow is the new orange

Yes Lifespan you're correct, these yellow sticky traps are white fly traps.
However one makes due with what one can find.
. Insect glue is insect glue IMHO.
If I see the gnat traps I will certainly try them out .

Here's my setup,
I folded the hole end together after pealing away the paper to give it a scoop shape and I set them (hump up) right over the soil so that any crawling out of the dirt, are caught right away.


And


I just replaced these with clean new traps.
Notice how the undersides (directly above the ground) caught considerably more than the top sides.

Now all soil in the clone box has been treated with neem and mosquito dunks.
The air intake is filtered too.

Time to find out just how well the dunks are doing. Gonna try and remember to get pics in a few weeks to share my results

Damm, it's hot here. The ice in my bong is gone already.

Time to go inside the cool house and
Vape on.

 

[RB56]

If you're growing in pots, this solves the problem completely

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Awesome, all around.