Root Aphids and Fungus Gnats..

[StonerPoker]

Hello guys I had root aphids and fungus gnats for a atleast 3 weeks weeks. I had mistaken the aphids for mold on the soil, and mistaken the fungus gnat damage for caterpillar damage. I've been spraying with bacilliusthuringiensis for caterpilars, and cinamon/ potassium soap mix for the mold. Here's some photos of damage.

White left behind from the Root Aphids, I could only see the actual aphids by digging through the pots and looking at the white bits on the bottom of the roots with a microscope:

I think the eating is from the gnat larvae, though I haven't seen the young ones yet, I've only seen the flying gnats..

I have been reading here:https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=70503. There is awesome advice there which has likely saved me months, so thanks very much
I'm going to post my plan to get rid of the Root aphids and gnats below, and I hope to have my genetic healthy within a month. I really want to save the Tangie Ghost Train genetic, as it is an amazing sativa that is full of tricomes, is mega strong, and smells like tangerine. It's truly amazing

 

[I wood]

Good luck.
Root aphids nearly bankrupt me a few years back. It took me over a year to figure out what to they were, that's when I found Icmag.
I beat them by taking clean cuts and growing at the other end of my building for six months in heat treated soil. After six months the old dirt and room were safe to use normally again.
I had read that eggs can last up to six months.
Cheap and effective if you have time and the space, otherwise I've heard good things about ogbiowar and botanigard.

 

[EastCoast710]

my boy has had root aphids for 2 years.. still pulling 3.6lbs per 2000w.. with no ill affects.. lol .

he don't even care that he has them anymore..

 

[StonerPoker]

The 1st thing I did was spray the room, soil, plants and pots with potassium soap to kill the flyers. Then before lights out I sprayed with a 40% Dimethoate insecticide, diluted 1.5ml/1l. This I will do 3 times over the next 14 days. I hate using chemicals, but this should kill all insects on the plant.

For the soil I have found some 2% Imidacloprid tablets. They are for pegging in the top of the soil, and it feeds a little to the plant each time you water/feed.
I plan to disolve 7g of the 2% Imid tablets into 5 liters of water. I will then put 500ml of this mix into each 3 litre pot to kill some of the things eating roots. I am thinking of leaving this for 24 hours until I water/ flush the plants with a nutrient mix. Maybe longer than 24hr if they look well.
I will have a clean room with an easy cloner ready 12 days after the soak. As soon as I have sufficient new growth I will spray the plants again and clone the full plants in the clean room. I can then throw all soil, disinfect everything, and start again.

Thanks for reading, please let me know if you have any ideas on this.

 

[StonerPoker]

I beat them by taking clean cuts and growing at the other end of my building for six months in heat treated soil. After six months the old dirt and room were safe to use normally again.
I had read that eggs can last up to six months.

Wow 6 months, that's a handy bit of info. Thanks

 

[StonerPoker]

my boy has had root aphids for 2 years.. still pulling 3.6lbs per 2000w.. with no ill affects.. lol .

he don't even care that he has them anymore..

Nice. Do you know if something is used in the soil for keeping the numbers down? The root aphids seem to be stunting the growth on mine.
The other thing I need to do is stop the ants digging their way in. I was reading that ants farm these micro bugs for eating. Amazing really...