Unknown species invading, HELP!

[BkPhate]

Hey, take a look at these pictures below and help me figure out what is killing my plants.

The other day I noticed small black spots, a day later I crushed a dead bud with my hand and 5 or 6 little oval bodied winged whiteish critters were crawling all over it.

These black spots do not rub off, how do I kill these buggers? I sprayed them all down with soap water but now I am at a loss.



1. How tall are your plants now? 3.5-4.5 ft

2. How far from the lights are the tops of your plants? Is this a constant distance or have you changed it recently? 1.5 ft, constant

3. How old are they? 17 weeks

4. What strain are they? Unknown

5. Did you start them from seed or clone? Seed

6. What type of containers are you using and what size are they in gallons?
Paint Buckets, 5 gallons


WHAT TYPE OF GROW DO YOU HAVE?


7. Dirt? Soil

8. What mixture of dirt or type of dirt did you use? Part peat moss with FFOF

9. Is it a type that has added nutrients like "Miracle Grow"? No

10. What mixture of perlite, vermiculite and other additives have you used if any? None

11. Hydroponic?


WHAT TYPE OF HYDROPONIC SYSTEM DO YOU USE?


12. Ebb and Flow

13. NFT

14. Bubbler/Deep Water


WHAT TYPE OF MEDIA DO YOU USE?


15. Gravel

16. Hydroton

17. Rockwool slab


WHAT TYPE OF LIGHTS DO YOU USE?


18. Fluorescent

19. Halide

20. HPS Yes

21. Wattage? 1000 combined

22. Ballast, is it digital or analog? digital

23. Is it remote or in your grow area? in my grow area

24. What nutrients are you feeding your plants? FF 3 part, mostly tiger bloom these days and never more than 2 tsb per 5 gallons.


HYDROPONIC FERTS?


25. What brand? What mix? What strength?

26. How often, and when was the last time?


SOIL FERTS?


27. What brand? What strength? What mix? FF 3 part, mostly tiger bloom these days and never more than 2 tsb per 5 gallons.


28. How often, and when was the last time? Once every other watering, a week ago.


ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS OF THE GROW AREA


29. Do you use ventilation for your indoor grow? Yes

30. If so, what do you use? Air conditioning duct

31. Do you use a fan? Yes

32. What type of fan and where is it pointed? What speed? Pointed down at the lights, small 7" high velocity fan.

33. Temperature of the grow area? 75-80 degrees f.

34. Humidity of the grow area? 25-35

35. Is CO2 being introduced? What method? No

36. Do you use Odor Control, (carbon, ionizer, ozone gen)? Ozone Jr. Generator, not in the same room.

37. Do you use LST? HST? Haha, accidently HST but yea lots of LST.

 

[BkPhate]

heres pics

 

[Hick]

hxxp://www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-hydroponics-gardening.com/indoor-garden-pests.html#fungusgnats
hXXp://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/index.html
hXXp://www.ladybugindoorgardens.com/pests.html
..first things first..'identification'...

 

[BkPhate]

Thanks hick, it is Thrips!
Edit : what do I do now?

 

[Hick]

..kill'em ASAP!..
those links should give you some ideas, for more, try hitting our search feature with "thrips"

 

[BkPhate]

Thanks Hick, as always you have been a huge help.

Neem oil to the rescue. Hope it is not to late.

 

[gourmet]

little oval bodied winged whiteish critters

I'de have guessed white fly given the description. ;-)

 

[purplephazes]

Thrips are really tiny and can be seen by the naked eye some may have wings and some may not ..they reproduce rapidly . They suck the sap from the leaves which in turn makes the leaves look white ! Plants which are damaged look as if their chlorophyll has been ripped out of them as well ! You may also notice that there black poop will cause damage as well and the plant will show silverish scar damage too ! Yellow colours also can attract thrips and it is advised to avoid this colour around your grow ! Docs neem pest soap , hot pepper wax ! or a good mix of garlic and water is sufficient as well thrips hate garlic ! Peace and take care !

 

[BkPhate]

Thanks hazes, I have to say I really do think they have won this war and though I am being persistant it is heart breaking to watch my beautiful girls turn to paper.

Can anyone tell me if it is too late? I have been dosing with extra neem oil for 3 days now and I barely see a difference. I can see these cute little crawlies in my soil too so I have been watering with neem oil as well.

I cleaned up my whole area, ripped every tiny dead leaf off every plant.

Can someone tell me their opionion in regards to wether I should continue or cut my losses and start over.

Thanks for all your help, Hick, Gourmet and Purplehazes. Rep sent you way.

 

[Hick]

any flying bugs?.. if you can 'see' the in your soil, most likely, they're causing root damage.
If it crawls, and you're useing soil, I'd apply diaotamacious earth, and cut watering. Let things dry out well.

 

[Barbapopa]

Man I am sorry to see your harvest getting eaten alive. I feel your pain. I hope that you can get rid of those nasty buggers and your next crop is a bumper crop of grade A bud.

 

[BkPhate]

Hey friends, thank you all for your support. Last evening i inspected the plants and soil. I am unwillingly forced to kill them in a humane fashion. I found hundreds of thrips and a few spider mites. Though I will not take this experience as a total loss because, I have learned so many different important things. Unfortuneately this means no medicine until January, which is when my health insurance starts and I have surgery anyways. I am scared, feeling alone in this world that will let you die even if they could help for the right price. I believe things happen how they are supposed to so I am keeping my head up. Now it is time to find some seeds. Pictures will be up tonight for all who are interested. Thanks again my friends, celebrating 5 years of mj passion soon!