What's new

C02 for mites?

Gamera

Active member
Hello family. I was wondering if anyone has tried high levels of C02 to control mites. I did some testing last year and am diong more soon. I had read twice and was told at a grow store that bringing the C02 level to 10,000 ppm for an hour would kill anything. I had different resuls yet promising. I'll post more soon cuz I gotta go now, but has anyone tried this?
thanks,
Gamera
 

Brownpants

Active member
You might kill alot of the aerobic bacteria in the soil, could have negative effects to an organic grow. Also, increasing atmospheric CO2 will increase HCO3 concentrations in water....Might drop PH levels. :yoinks:

Would be interesting to see what would happen. :chin:
 

Gamera

Active member
The hard (expensive) part was getting a C02 meter that measured up to 10,000ppm. The grow store was quite interested in these experiments and loaned me their higher end meter that measured to 5000ppm. SO I did the math and worked my way up with the main concern to not hurt the plants, which it never did and it was completely organic (in soil) minus rockwool soak for rooting only. The results: it killed a lot of them but not all AND it didn't appear to hurt the plants. I actually had a nice harvest. The last test I did was to seal off the room (which I did every time) and let an entire 15lb bottle go and sit over night. After I returned and exhausted the room I did an examination and sure enough, some big fat ones (mites) were there. SO it also appeared that the younger mites couldn't take it. I then did an internet search and found a university study trying to eliminate mites with a combination of C02 and low temperatures with some success. I saved that study somewhere.....I think.
Another thing I was told at a store was that if I implamented a sulphur burner I'd never have mites again. Looked around a bit on the web for info, found nothing and didn't try it. So....no easy cure for the little fuckers yet.
 

Growdoc

Cannabis Helper
Veteran
There will never be an easy/cheap way to get rid of mites, they have been here before us and will be here after us too...

I have read alot about CO2 and mites, but never tried any experiment like this myself...

The info i have come across stands to what you have said so far, large mites can take it but small ones cant, the eggs cant take anything it seems...

please keep us informed of what happens...

Growdoc
 

Growdoc

Cannabis Helper
Veteran
Babbabud said:
Nope but above 2000 makes me kinda dizzy :))

Dont hang out in your room when the CO2 is on... humans need to breath in O2 for the brain to work... :fsu:

Growdoc
 

JLP

Active member
Veteran
Very interesting.I would have thought the CO2 at those levels would kill any living thing.It displaces the oxygen and I'm fairly sure mites need oxygen to live.
Something I've thought about but have never tried is submerging the whole plant in water for an hour or so,again trying to deprive them of oxygen.
I don't get them often but I generally wind up using a fogger.Nice thing is that it treats the whole area so it usually is only one or two applications.

JLP
 
has anyone heard of putting 2-3 cigs in a bucket of water for a couple days, then spraying the plants with the water (minus cigs)...something to do with the nicotine?
 

HotCha

Member
nicotine is commonly used in greenhouses to kill bugs. they have these cans that they hang up in the greenhouse, no people are allowed inside while its being used.

i've used a combination spray of tobacco, hot chillies, garlic, and dish soap to kill mites on my house plants, totally worked, but gamera sounds like he's going for the james bond solution not farmer jeds.
 

B.C.

Non Conformist
Veteran
mites....

mites....

we ran the ppm up over 2000 + ( that's all the higher the meter went ) for 6 hours and it didn't even make them uncomfortable lol. I ended up useing Hot Shot no pest strips... killed them fuckin DEAD !
 
Top