will CO2 tablets get rid of those nasty gnats???

[boabab95]

my new terrarium is starting to get those gnats in it. so if i were to buy those CO2 tablets and put one in a shallow container of water and leave it a few minutes, will it kill those things??? oh ya, my terrarium wont have any inhabitants in it for a loooooooooooong time.

[Epiphile]

No, probably not- these will likely only influence the amount of CO2 in the water.

[Jason]

Havent Used those tabs before, but i did a search for killing the buggers and found these two.

ROOT APHIDS & FUNGUS GNATS

I have always been led to believe that the black root aphids discussed in CC #55 are one of the life stages for fungus gnats. They are a real problem for me, and due to the restrictions on pesticides here in BC, very hard to combat. I tried pyrethrum-based treatments, but they always returned.

A botanist who runs a gardening business told me he uses 35% H2O2 added to water. I soaked my soil with tap water and let it sit for an hour, making sure it was damp – not soaking wet – throughout. Then, using a standard store-bought watering can, I applied a solution of 2 cups of H2O2 per 2 gallons of water to the bare soil; the soil actually started fizzing during application.

It worked: the fungus gnats were gone, and have never returned. That simple solution really did the trick – not to mention added oxygen to the
soil. Now I water with a milder solution of 1/2 cup per 2 gallons once every two weeks. My plant roots are always healthy and white because the H2O2 releases all its oxygen into the soil as it breaks down.
Weed 1503,
Internet

While you have a good solution for eliminating the insects in unused soil, the concentrated solution cannot be used with live plants, for fear of burning the roots. However, your dilute solution is a good prevention method and does increase the oxygen available to the plant.
Fungus gnats lay eggs on the soil and the larvae (little maggots) migrate to shallow soil layers to feed on roots and decaying matter. They are tiny, but you can sometimes see them floating or wiggling in puddles after watering. They are white and can have tan or grey shading. Root aphids are larger – perhaps a sixteenth of an inch long – fast moving, light-hating insects that feed on the roots. They are usually black, but are sometimes lighter shades of brown.

An organic method of getting rid of both the fungus gnat maggots and root aphids is beneficial nematodes (Seinernema feltiae). They attack all kinds of underground insects and are harmless to humans and pets. Fungus gnats are easily controlled using bacteria that attack only gnats and other flies. It is called Bacillus thuringiensis var, israelensis (BTI) and is the active ingredient of the product Gnatrol®. Botanigard ® is composed of a fungus, Beauveria bassiana, which attacks aphids, whiteflies and thrips. It is recommended as a spray for use above ground but it can be used as a drench to destroy root aphids.

AND..

Fungus gnat adults are about 1/8 inch long, spindly looking flies with long legs and long, thread-like antennae. Their wings have a distinct Y-shaped vein at the tip. They resemble tiny mosquitoes more than common flies. Larvae live in the soil and can be difficult to find. The eggs are about 1/100 inch in length and laid in clusters. The larvae are more likely to be found in the early morning in the topsoil layer of a very wet pot. Larvae are translucent gray to white, about 1/4 inch long, wormy looking with no legs, and with shiny black heads. These insects can infest a crop from soil or algae under benches, from contaminated potting soil or by flying short distances from plant to plant.

Larvae can cause plant damage by feeding on the root hairs and fine feeder roots of plants. They can tunnel into the base of cuttings or plant stems. Plants attacked by larvae lose their vigor and will have yellowing leaves. Roots will exhibit small brownish scars on the surface.

A good trap for these annoying bugs is to put out small containers filled halfway with cider vinegar or some cheap beer in areas where you are having problems with them. They dive into the vinegar and drown. Strain and reuse the vinegar until you have gained control of them.

Sticky Traps are most effective when place horizontally on the potting media surface, although vertically positioned cards hung over the crop canopy are also effective and trap more of other types of insect pests as well. In greenhouses place the traps under benches, close to intake vents, near doorways and outside of the the greenhouse can give you more information to detect breeding areas.

Potato slices: Slice potatoes into 1 by 1 by 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces. Placed on the surface of potting media the slices are attractive to the larval stages of fungus gnats. Leave the in place for about 4 hours before counting the number of larvae on and under the slices (Lindquist 1994). This method can be used to detect areas where larvae are developing. For smaller infestations use the potato method to catch and dispose of as many larva as you can.

To keep gnats from pestering you try a few dabs of pure vanilla extract on your skin or clothing. This is supposed to keep gnats at bay and vanilla has such a pleasant smell!

Just pasted them here because it took forever to locate them on the websites.. Hope it helps you out bro. Good Luck

[boabab95]

okay thanks, i think my science teacher has some hydrogen peroxide... i'll try that...

what if i were to mix to tablet and water and pour that in the soil???

[froggsong]

One thing I'd like to mention... IMO, the use of nematodes in a vive wouldn't be recommended. This is because they will attack your beneficial bugs as well as the nasties. They get inside an insect, breed, an eat it from the inside out. They will go for the springtails and isopods in your tank as well as your feeders. I don't know if a feeder insect infested with nematodes and eaten by your herp will cause any problems, but you still don't want to accidentally infest your bins with something that will eat your feeders from the inside out! I was looking into buying some of them to seed into the yard to kill the fleas and mites in the yard at the place we used to live. I've never lived somewhere where the outside was so infested with fleas... I decided against it because I do occasionally feed WC bugs, and I didn't want to bring any inside and infest my bins.

I don't think that Jason was recommending nematodes, but I felt I should go into a little more detail about them since they were mentioned.

[Jason]

Originally Posted by froggsong

I don't think that Jason was recommending nematodes, but I felt I should go into a little more detail about them since they were mentioned.

Nope, i cant recommend any of the methods i posted as i have never tried either of them, just what i found on other sites for the control of Gnats. Never even heard of a Nematode before. Thanks for tossing those in Quote boxs Froggy, didnt mean to make it look like that was my personal information.

[froggsong]

I just thought it would make it easier to differentiate between the two excerpts. Just makes it a little easier to read is all.

Nematodes can be a GREAT "natural pesticide", but I don't think they'd work out in a vive. The peroxide should be fine to use. (For those of us currently housing animals, I don't think using this in a frog tank would be a good idea. The frogs would have to be removed until the peroxide on the top of the soil wouldn't have the potential to harm their delicate skin. Mind, I'm just assuming that it would be harmful, and I have no idea how long you'd have to keep them out. Now, I know that boa said there won't be animals in the terrarium for quite some time, so obviously that bit is for future readers.) The vinegar traps would definitely be useful, especially for those that escape into the house. I think I'm going to put out a dish or two of it this morning. I've had a bit of trouble with them myself. Now, if the vanilla actually works, it's possible that you could mix a diluted solution of the vanilla extract and mist the tank with it. You'd have to play with the solution to get the correct ratio, I'd imagine.

[boabab95]

i currently have the vinegar trap in it. ill see if i can find hydrogen peroxide at shopper's drugmart.(i heard its use in some boddy bleach or hair colourig or something)

[froggsong]

It's most likely going to be in the first aid section, near the rubbing alcohol.. I buy a big bottle of it for like a dollar at Wal-Mart.

[boabab95]

is it a powder or a liquid???