Spider mites and water

[ladygoldfish]

I've been studying hydroponics since January but had no success until I ditched the horrid high-PH/PPM tap water for rainwater. I used it for 2 cannabis plants but both came down with spider mites and I just had to remove my largest plant (6 months old) from life support yesterday and toss. Is it possible it got the spider mites from the rainwater?

[Toker1]

When ever you introduce outside elements into your indoor grow room, you are asking for disappointment. Spider mites are around everywhere. You have to make the environment undesirable for them to persist.
The answer might be yes... but lack of an IPM system allowed them to thrive.
I use neem oil once per week or even more often than that, so even if a pest gets in...they don’t survive long enough to reproduce or make a home out of my garden.

[kingfish]

Toker, I don't like the taste neem oil leaves on the buds. I also really don't like the smell. I would rather use 50/50 isopropyl alcohol and water.

[Toker1]

You should never be spraying your buds. I use it in veg and the first 2 weeks of flower. After that I’ll only spray leaves I see have further issues with h2o2 and water.

[ladygoldfish]

"Lack of an IPM system allowed them to thrive.." What is IPM?

What sources do you recommend for water if your tap is bad? Could rainwater be boiled effectively to remove pests?

I am spraying the remaining plant with 3% hydrogen peroxide solution (it has some mites too). Dokter Doom didn't work after 3 applications and I'm scared of Neem oil. Every time I have used it on pepper plants, the leaves drop off in 2 days and the plant is severely damaged or dies. I'd like not to use ANY hardcore chemicals if possible.

Is the alcohol mix 50% alcohol and 50% water, and it is a daily treatment or how often?

[Toker1]

Integrated pest management. It’s a system detailed to your environment/pest issues.
Never used neem on pepper plants before.... never have not used it on MJ. Are you mixing it properly? This is no hardcore chemical! It’s used in organic gardening. This is oil that comes from a plant. Lol
Might want to look further into this product. What you are doing now clearly wasn’t working.
Most people use RO systems and add cal-mag to feed their plants if the tap is heavily contaminated. Might be easier and will be less time consuming than boiling rainwater. But yes, you are correct boiling will kill off most biomaterial. Just think, if it’s safe to drink, it’s safe for the girls. :-)

[9fingerleafs]

ive done the alcohol and water successfully spraying leaves on top and under twice a day, in about 10 days they were eradicated

[9fingerleafs]

itss not likely the mites came in the water cause they like dry climates, they actually drown in water. mites could come in your clothes, in your shoes, any pet, even just by air. theyre like bacterias, theyre kinda everywhere but only thrive when they find the right environment. just like mold

[GreenhouseEffect]

Those little buggers don't like the breeze much either. Have a light breeze going over, under, around, and through your plants all the time. Breeze messes with the spider mites reproductive cycle, helps prevent mold, and helps keep your plants healthy and your buds growing to there full potential. Look up what Nebula has posted on getting rid of spider mites, as well as fan systems for your girls, there is a wealth of knowledge in those tutorials.

[Toker1]

Couldn’t agree more

[Californiakid]

To me neem smells like garlic. I don't mind it, but I only use it once or twice at the beginning or mid veg. I mix it with sm-90, maybe thats why I don't mind the smell. I spray it everywhere. Walls, floor, everywhere. I let the pests get bad in my yard this summer, not one in my room.

I just sprayed the yard yesterday and its awesome how fast it works. No problems on the peppers, tomatoes, pineapple, or hibiscus.

I mix a little on the weaker side for prevention.

[RosettaStoned]

Jealous, growing pineapple......

[Californiakid]

RosettaStoned
Front yard has pomegranate, two varieties of lime, lemon, ginger, lemon grass, and guava. I just sprouted 4 mangos as well 👍
This winter I'm starting blueberries too. I wish I could just grow stuff full time.

[RosettaStoned]

Yes, rub it in some more please 😂😂
My poor blueberry bushes get ravaged every winter by the damn rabbits. They eat all the new growth regardless of what I do. This year I plan to make a complete dome of chicken wire to cover them. Hopefully the snow doesn't smash them down and push the new branches through the holes for them to feast on. Rabbit stew might be in order.

[RosettaStoned]

How about sns 217c?

[ladygoldfish]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I washed my bonsai-sized remaining survivor down daily with a peroxide/water spray, wiped the tent every other day with a Windex/vinegar cleaner and added an extra fan for more aggressive air flow. The mites have been reduced to a minimum, not completely gone but it's to the point where I feel the plant will make it to harvest. I still hand inspect/squish/prune off the bugs daily, if I find any. The little plant has 2 more weeks to flush and it looks like it will make it although if it produces even a half ounce, I'll rejoice. Obviously this seed was a runt...

Now I'm fighting the same battle with aphids with my hydro pepper plants in another room... *sigh At least I have extra plants to experiment with.

At least my education is starting off with the tough lessons first. Maybe my next attempt will be way more smooth, thanks to finally finding this site and this forum.