Green Sand

[Ryoki]

I mentioned to another grower that I use green-sand in my veggie garden. He said it worked great at stopping fungus gnats. He claimed the sharp particles (crystals?) act like barbed wire and stop the mature gnats from laying eggs.

 

Anyone else heard of this?/

[Grow Thread]

yes this is very true.

 

there are a couple topics on the site dedicated to that subject.

[BDR]

Yep, Yep... it's true and works... better to just try to avoid the situation though... keep a clean grow and quarantine all materials coming in..

[+JuztBudz]

Green sand, like diatomic earth, has very sharp edges and will rip up the bodies of the larvae as they crawl around your roots. The larvae are the most damaging stage of white flies as they suck the juices from tender roots. I put green sand (a couple of teaspoons in a 40 lb. batch of dirt) in every bit of dirt I mix, completely eliminates that particular problem....Peace...j.b.

[Ryoki]

Thanks for the info. I've been using the mosquito dunks (and will continue to) but I'll give the green-sand a try.

I try to keep a clean room but those little suckas always seem to find a way in!

 

[puffaway]

Whats green sand and where do you get it?

[jsburn]

if mosquito dunks are not taking care of your problem, than you got a real problem, how are you using them? i hear green sand is worth time money mess and disapointment.

[Grow Thread]

Whats green sand and where do you get it?

 

most hydro/grow stores have it.

 

here's a link full of goodies for ya'

http://www.agriorganics.com/agriculture.php?Pid=5

[puffaway]

I think thats the same stuff we used in our diatomic fish tank filters years ago. If so it should be available at lots of places locally.

[Grow Thread]

I think thats the same stuff we used in our diatomic fish tank filters years ago. If so it should be available at lots of places locally.

 

yup, you got it. same stuff.

 

used in MANY fish/aquarium/pond/pool filters as well.

[puffaway]

yup, you got it. same stuff.

 

used in MANY fish/aquarium/pond/pool filters as well.

 

Ah ha....plenty of those places around to get it cheap for sure!

[nigel]

Brown sand works too..... I don't know if totally stops em...but I know it noticebly slows their breeding down. I guess the larva get all cut by the tiny pieces of glass in sand. So they never make it to adult stage.

[puffaway]

I might try putting a layer on top of my plants. I have a few very small black bugs flying around. They are smaller than gnats. I've been using sticky paper and their populations has gone way down. I have to stay in the room and look around all the plants for 10 minutes just to find one, but they there are still a few around. I can't tell if they're coming out of the top of the pots or the bottom.

They're more like the "no se-ums" from Florida.

[+JuztBudz]

Green sand is much more effective if it is actually mixed into your dirt. The larvae of all of the forms of a variety of gnats work the root region of your plants, sucking out vital juices, simply placing some at the top of your dirt will not be as proficient in riding you of these pests...Peace...j.b.

 

I might try putting a layer on top of my plants. I have a few very small black bugs flying around. They are smaller than gnats. I've been using sticky paper and their populations has gone way down. I have to stay in the room and look around all the plants for 10 minutes just to find one, but they there are still a few around. I can't tell if they're coming out of the top of the pots or the bottom.

They're more like the "no se-ums" from Florida.

[puffaway]

My gnats are all gone! Many of them got stuck on the two packages of sticky glue boards I put all over the bases of the plants. I guess the rest got killed by the zip strip I put in the room.

 

I'm starting to think they were not breeding in my dirt, but only hanging out in the plants and that they came into the room from the intake vent that goes between my wood/plaster walls and the concrete basement wall because I've found a few flying around upstairs this week. They're kinda more like fruit flys. At anyi rate, the grow room is clear.