Fungus Gnats and African Violets?

[MeEasy]

MrPNW I was using the soaked mosquito bits water about once a week and there were no gnats (maybe 1-3). As a test I stopped using it on the 8th and yesterday I went in to check on the ladies and for the first time saw probably 10-15 of the little bastards. I'm concerned that the bits aren't good for my little critters in the living soil. I guess I have to go to using some bit water every other week to keep them down completely or once a month to just keep them in check. I think I'll try to email the bit guys and ask about using it in with living soil.
I was hoping to hear from you with some killer news on the nematode invasion and I would get myself a ball or two and go that route instead. Keep us updated once you get through the second treatment. I'm definitely leaning towards going to the nematodes because again I'm concerned about killing my soil critters.
Before switching over to living soil I would pile sand on top and use DE and allow the soil to dry almost completely and I didn't have gnats but you can't allow living to dry and because I top dress to feed sand is out DE is just about worthless when your soil is always wet because it sucks up the moisture and doesn't work.
I'll keep messin with the bits and stay in touch and maybe one of us will eradicate the little bastards, at least we'll have a fight going on from both ends.

[MrPNW]

Reading further on DE it says it’s like tiny razor blades to the larva.
I’m going to Email Natures Living Soil to see how they handle gnats. What better source?

[MeEasy]

I'm pretty sure it's the three things we're doing. DE. M. bits, and nematodes. That's what I keep seeing on the organic sites

[MrPNW]

Found Solution

Well it’s been a long trip but I finally beat the gnat problem in my small tent in the house.

Large Tent
Before I got my small tent, the gnats started in an African Violet in the big tent with a basil and my 4 cannabis. Once I moved the AV, basil and 1 of the cannabis (mother) to the small tent, they were quickly eradicated from the large tent. I think between the living soil (contains neem meal), and the neem oil I sprayed on them did the most damage to the adults. Then a dose of nematodes did in the next gen larva. The sticky cards have been the same ones since the nematodes treatment and no new adults are on them.

Small Tent
The small tent was a different story. They definitely preferred the AV but were moving to the mother and basil, until I bombarded them with nematodes and diatomaceous earth “DE”. I had to double up on nematodes two weeks apart, then a week after that laid down a layer of DE, worked that into the top inch of soil and put a second layer on top. That duster DE comes with is a dust nightmare! Just use a tablespoon to sprinkle it around and spread it out evenly with your fingers.

I have not seen a single gnat in 5 days and I was seeing them everyday for weeks. My cards were full of them.

Solution
So in the future I will hit the adults with neem oil spray and follow up with nematodes two weeks apart with a layer of DE. I check and DE does not harm nematodes. This is about as natural as it gets, no concentrated chemicals.

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Life Cycle of a Fungus Gnat

Adults live about one week and lay up to 300 eggs in rich, moist soils. Within 4-6 days tiny larvae emerge and begin feeding on plant roots during their two week period. The pupal stage lasts 3-4 days before young adults leave the soil and begin the next generation. The entire life cycle from egg to adult may be completed in as little as 3-4 weeks depending on temperature. Because of their proclivity and relative short gestation, potted plants can host each stage — egg, larvae, pupae, adult — in multiple generations at once. Because of this remedies usually require repeated applications until there are no surviving eggs.