root infestation

hi, first time growing with aeroponics. everything has been going surprisingly well up until recently. the roots had been white and healthy, beautiful hair development. I went about 2 weeks without checking in the chamber. I had noticed some fungus gnats round the room but they had never been a problem. anyway when I finally looked in the root chamber I was thoroughly disgusted and the pictures should show why. the good news is I've heard these are relatively easy to get ride of. but in this number they are defiantly effecting the plants. the plants themselves look fine other than maybe being a little stunted. im about 3 weeks into flower and worried they wont be able to ride it out until harvest. I mixed in 5ml/gallon 35% h2o2 into the nut. res. and hit them dirrectly. hasn't seem to have any great effect. anybody have any good ideas on what I can try next to kill these bastards?! thanks

I would get large air stone and pump raise your oxygen level in your sump to max levels. Then spray continues and drown them. The only way you can save them. Lack of oxygen is what attracted them your roots. Your roots were dying from no oxygen in you mist. Mist times may have been to short also you need to saturate the complete root mass with highly oxygenated mist. Good luck

hammer21 said:

I would get large air stone and pump raise your oxygen level in your sump to max levels. Then spray continues and drown them. The only way you can save them. Lack of oxygen is what attracted them your roots. Your roots were dying from no oxygen in you mist. Mist times may have been to short also you need to saturate the complete root mass with highly oxygenated mist. Good luck

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I'm using air assisted atomized aeroponics. So there's no shortage of fresh air in the chamber. Temps are low 70s. Humidity mid 90s. It's really the perfect breading environment for the gnats.

Seems like I need to nuke them with something to kill the larva. And then implement a preventative measure to keep them from thriving. I wouldve thought many other hydro or aero growers would've encountered this same issue. Any other suggestions??

Looks like it might be root aphids, they are quite similar in appearance between the flying winged stage of the root aphid and fungas gnat life cycles.

Root aphids are EXTREMELY hard to get rid of without the use of hardcore systemic pesticides which no one wants to put into a plant they will end up smoking.

For your sake I hope they are fungus gnats and not root aphids, Ive dealt with RAs and they are crop killers.

Take each plant, cut away all the rotted roots, soak what's left in the highest level of H2O2 available. Seems to me that the roots are too far gone though, but they might have enough left to get you till the end. Sorry

Ohh boy. Well ill see what I can do and hope they can ride out a few more weeks. Thanks for the advice. Hopefully they arnt ra. Other than yellow strips, potato slices, and consistent h2o2 dosing in the res., are there any other ways I can guarantee they won't come back?

id give capulators foliar pack a try. it contains fungal and bacterial species that will kill both root aphids and fungus gnats.

youll be able to tell easily enough if its fungas gnats. fungas gnat larva is clear bodied with an ugly black head.

your probably the only other person i know who has an AA system running

heres some root aphids getting consumed by a fungus, probably Beavaria or Isaria fumosorosea

https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/root-aphid-annhiliation-pics.54240/