Help ! I did a water change,and when i lifted the plant half the roots broke off. Did i just lose my plant ? Or can i save it?

I in a panic, i just did a water change on my dwc and when i lifted the plant up half of the roots broke off. I continued the water change with adding a little more nitro and continued adding bloom with hydro guard. Did i just lose my plant ?

Looks like you might have root afids… look really good at your roots and the net basket… if your roots are dieing and falling off , there is something going on… :wink:

:v::sunglasses:

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I think peachfuzz is correct. All of those white specs around your net pot do look like root aphids. They were probably the main culprit in weakening your roots in the first place causing them to break off so easily. I would bring the water line up to try to help revive her but I don’t know if it would do much help with the infestation. Best of luck.

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Being that im a beginner to this ,

  1. What causes it?
    2.is it curable?
    3.is this plant going to die?

Root aphids are bugs and they are outside, unfortunately when you grow outside you open yourself up to nature. You can get some sprays although not sure which would be best in this situation as I know nothing about hydro
Mabey curable if the damage isn’t to extensive but you need to get infestation under control I will tag someone who knows alot about this stuff @garrigan62 do you think you could post some remedies for root aphids if you know of any please and thank you kind sir

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Thankyou i will give it a shot

@TDubWilly @Donaldj hydro gurus…help! Can anything else be done?

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Ya I looked at this thread earlier. I’ve never dealt or even heard of root aphids so I know nothing about them.

I did ask myself about water temps outside and what they should be at? But I’ve never attempted or studied about DWC done outside so I just don’t know. I would think that it should still be close to 65°-70° just like dwc done inside or underground roots on outside plants.

@elheffe702

Donald J will probably have some good advice

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Damn @TDubWilly, I found one you don’t know! Thanks brother :+1:

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I’ve had root aphids and they’re a PITA to get rid of. IMO that plant won’t make it but it doesn’t mean you should just give up. Check your other plant(s) since they’re likely infected as well. A lot of the insecticides you’re gonna see for this have peppermint oil as a main ingredient. What I would do for your other plants is first clean out the inside of the bucket since I guarantee they’re crawling all around the inside just like on your net pots. Then if you have a friend that can help I would have someone hold up the lid while the other person gently hoses off whatever you can of the roots to try to get rid of what you can. Then you’re going to need to saturate your net pot/ root zone really well with whatever insecticide you decide on. I’d try to go as natural as possible since you don’t want crazy chemicals being soaked up by your roots. I used this stuff you can get on amazon called goGnats. You can use it as a soak in your bucket but you really need to get it sprayed everywhere to be effective.

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Don’t give up simple peroxide soak 10ml/L and if the pests are persistent insecticidal soap wash the the little bastards out then rinse and back to nutrient solution

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I sprayed some insecticide and noticed alot of them came to the top of the lid. Then i sprayed some more and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then i rinsed whatever roots i have left and rinsed the bucket wiping it with a paper towel and put fresh water (ph6.5) for 24 hours . Do you think thats enough ?

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I drop 1 quart ice bottles a night

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That’s def a good start! Being outside, you’re never going to be in much control of your environment so it’s going to be a never ending battle. You’re going to have to probably need to keep on repeating applications every few days just to stay on top of it. Plus I don’t know the life cycle of root aphids but even if you got all the adults there may still be some unhatched eggs waiting to ruin your day next week.

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Is there anything i can do for the future to prevent this from happening??

This is quite large so be ready ok
Aphids are soft-bodied insects which can appear white, green, yellow, black, brown and red,
depending on their stage of life and where you live. Because they’re so widespread they can
be a cannabis pest almost anywhere in the world!

rounder bugs are adult aphids, while the white, smaller, thinner bugs are young aphids (nymphs).
Note: If you’re seeing white bugs that look like tiny fat worms, you may actually have thrips.

Infestation of aphids on cannabis leaf. The big fat bugs are adult aphids and the small white bugs
are young aphids

Sometimes when growers see tiny “Black Fly” or “Green Fly” bugs on their cannabis, they’re actually
seeing aphids with wings. Winged aphids can be dark or pale, and may be black, green, red or yellow.
However, the general body shape is usually pretty similar whether aphids have wings or not.

A winged aphid hanging out on a leaf, trying to start an infestation!

Because many aphids that attack cannabis are green, sometimes people don’t recognize aphids when
they’re a different color (like these young aphids which appear red, or black aphids as you’ll see below)

The aphids you see on your cannabis plant may come in different colors depending on their stage
of life and where you live.

Aphids are a common cannabis pest. Adults are usually small and oval-shaped and may have dicernable
wings or antennae. Nymph aphids are thin/long and usually white.

An adult aphid on a cannabis plant making a drop of honeydew - you don’t want it as it attracts sooty mold!

Aphids pierce cannabis leaves with their sucking mouth-parts and feed on the juices inside. They
usually occur in colonies located mainly on the undersides of stems and leaves.

If a cannabis plant becomes heavily-infested, its leaves can turn yellow and/or wilt due to the
excessive stress and leaf damage.

Another problem with aphids is they produce large amounts of a sweet substance known as “hondeydew,”
a sugary liquid waste. Honeydew drops from these insects can attract a type of fungus called sooty
mold can grow on honeydew deposits accumulating on the leaves and branches of your plant, turning them black.

The drops of sweet honeydew can also attract other insects such as ants.

What Causes an Aphid Infestation?

Your plant can become infested when winged “colonizer” aphids land on the plant and lay eggs.
Although you may not see the winged version of an aphid actually eating your plant, they are
still dangerous because they can lay eggs and start a new aphid colony!

Winged aphids are sometimes called “blackfly” or “greenfly” bugs depending on the color
(because they are often black or green/yellow, and they look like tiny flies).

“Black fly” aphid

A dark winged aphid (“blackfly” aphid) hanging out on a leaf, trying to start an infestation!

“Green fly” aphid

A pale winged “colonizer” aphid and a young aphid larvae on a marijuana leaf

It’s difficult to prevent aphids from getting to your cannabis plants outdoors as just a
handful of winged aphids is all it takes to start an infestation. The eggs soon hatch into a
juvenile form of aphids called “nymphs,” which happily start munching on your plant.

Immature aphids (nymphs) usually appear white and feed on plant sap while they gradually increase
in size. Note: If you see tiny white bugs but they look round, fat and more worm-like than these
ones, you may actually have thrips.

Closeup of aphids in nymph form on cannabis bud

The aphid nymphs mature in 7 to 10 days and shed their skin, leaving silvery exoskeletons behind
on your plants.

The bottom center aphid is actually in the middle of shedding its exoskeleton in this pic.

Aphids on cannabis leaves - one is actually in the middle of shedding its exoskeleton

After reaching their wingless adult form (aphids don’t grow wings when actively colonizing your plant)
they are soon ready to give birth to live young and start the process over again. Most aphids in this
form are female, and each one is capable of producing dozens of offspring.

Adult aphid and exoskeletons on a cannabis bud

Adult aphid on cannabis plant

Because of their quick reproduction, a few winged aphid “colonizers” can lead to hundreds or even
thousands of aphids on a plant in just a few generations. A full-blown aphid infestation can get
out of control in just a few weeks!

Adult aphid on cannabis plant

Aphids often keep reproducing on the plant until the plant becomes so stressed (or the conditions become so crowded)
that the plant can no longer support their ravenous appetites. At that point some of the aphids are born with wings,
and these winged aphids fly off in search of a new host, starting the process over again on a new plant victim.
Solution to Aphids: Get Rid of Them Quick!

Avoid using nervous system insecticides, such as malathion, Dursban (chlorpyrifos), and Orthene (acephate).
They are labeled for use on many shade trees and ornamental plants for aphid control, but are not safe to
use on cannabis. If something isn’t safe to be used on edible plants, then chances are it’s not safe to
use on cannabis.

1.) Check regularly for signs of aphids

Aphids are an annoying marijuana pest

The best way to prevent an aphid infestation is to catch it as soon as possible. When growing outdoors
it’s pretty difficult to predict when winged “colonizer” aphids will appear, so it’s incredibly important
to examine your plants at least weekly to make sure they don’t become infested while you’re not paying attention.

Examine the bud area and undersides of the new leaves for clusters or colonies of small aphids
(or any other types of bugs). The presence of these colonies indicates that the aphids are established
on the plants and their numbers will begin to increase rapidly.

2.) Remove or Spray Off As Many Bugs As Possible

If your plant is heavily infested, it’s a good idea to try to cut down their numbers in every way possible.
Depending on the infestation, one way to do that may be to simply move your plants outside and spray as many
bugs off as you can with a power sprayer. It’s also a good idea to remove leaves and buds that are heavily infected.

If possible, spray off as many bugs as you can!

A One-Hand Pressure Sprayer is perfect for misting plants

Get Inseticidal soap to kill cannabis aphids - available on Amazon.com!

3.) Insecticidal soaps

Fatty acid salts or insecticidal soaps can be a good choice against aphids. They weaken the outer shell of
aphids but are safe to use on your plants and they don’t leave much of a residue.

With soaps, coverage is very important as it does not stay on your plant for long, so follow-up applications
may be necessary. Although this is considered safe, avoid getting any on your buds!
4.) Neem Oil

Neem Oil will leave an unpleasant taste/smell on buds when used to treat flowering plants, so again, don’t
let this stuff get near your buds! There’s also some evidence Neem oil may be harmful to humans so use with
care! That being said, Neem oil is an all-natural remedy that is very effective against many different types
of bugs and mold. You will need a mister (also called a “One-Hand Pressure Sprayer”) to spray all the leaves
evenly, since neem oil and water can separate easily.

Get Neem Oil Extract on Amazon.com!A One-Hand Pressure Sprayer is perfect for misting plants

5.) Spinosad

Spinosad Products (safe & organic) – Spinosad products are organic and completely harmless to pets, children,
and plants. Spinosad products can be used directly to kill aphids on contact and should be sprayed liberally
anywhere you see aphids and especially under the leaves. Although maybe not as strong against pests as some of
the more harsh insecticides, it does work and it’s very safe for plants, animals and humans!

Recommended: Monterey Garden Insect Spray with Spinosad

Spinosad products are organic and kill spider mites, caterpillers and thripsSpinosad is an organic insecticide
made from the fermentation of a specific soil bacteria (actinomycete Saccharopolyspora spinosa) and kills aphids
via ingestion or contact by effecting the insect’s nervous system. Spinosad can be a good choice for organic and
outdoor growers, because it is very toxic to aphids, but is less toxic to many beneficial insects and spiders.

Note: Most spinosad products are effective for only about 24 hours after being mixed with water, so only mix as
much as you will need per application. Anything left over will be waste.

You will need a mister (also called a “One-Hand Pressure Sprayer”) to cover all the leaves evenly when spraying
them with spinosad products.

A One-Hand Pressure Sprayer is perfect for misting plants

6.) Essentria IC3

Essentria IC3 Insecticide is a mix of various horticultural oils that is organic and safe for humans. It is
often marketed as a “bed bug killer” but it can be effective against aphids when the plants are treated regularly.
Unfortunately it only stays effective on the plant for about 8 hours so you will want to either apply this daily
or combine with other options. You will need a mister (also called a “One-Hand Pressure Sprayer”) to spray all the
leaves evenly.

Get Essentria IC3 insecticide on Amazon.com - this can be a tool in the fight against broad mites or A One-Hand
Pressure Sprayer is perfect for misting plants

7.) Beneficial Insects

Beneficial insects, such as lady beetles, lady bugs, and lacewings may eat large numbers of aphids and are
welcome guests in the garden. Although you can order ladybugs to release around your plants, they tend to
fly away in just a day or two. Additionally, the reproductive capability of aphids is so great that the impact
of the natural enemies may not be enough keep aphids at or below acceptable levels after an infestation has
already gotten started.

Ladybugs are good to have around the garden – they eat aphids and other annoying cannabis pests!

On this cannabis leaf, a hungry ladybug eats an aphid

Many other “lady bird” type beetles also eat aphids

Many lady bird beetles eat aphids off your cannabis plants

This scary looking black bug is actually a young ladybird larvae, so don’t kill it! They devour aphids as
youngsters too, so it’s good to let them do their thing :slightly_smiling_face:

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I just want to give everyone a update ,i used organic insect killer and rinsed the bucket for the 2nd time and wiped down the bucket again. I just added the nutrients with ph 6.5…
I just want to thank all you guys for the help.
Will see what happens i guess in a few days

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Spinosad actually gets absorbed by the plant and goes systemic. At least that’s what a paper said about tomato plants, so I think spraying on the leaves could get it down to the roots. Couldn’t hurt to spray some on the soil or into the hydroponic solution as well. This stuff is so safe USDA lets you spray it on organic veggies and tobacco! Does not last very long though. I would repeat once a week until a week before harvest.

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