Pest help?

Just started a grow this will be my second so im a.bit familiar with growing,but I've just seen a pest,but im not sure what it is? Or if beneficial or harmful? I know a PIC would help but my cameras fucked so ill try to describe best i can.

These things only seem to appear when i water? Like literally just appear haha they're a little smaller than a flea and look a kinda pale of whitey grey? Why do they only show after watering and what are they? And when i touch them they seem to kinda jump/fly a tiny bit

Thanks

You're right, very hard to say without a pic. They "kinda jump" sounds like you may have springtails. Springtails eat fungus, algae and to a lesser degree, roots. They usually do minimal damage to plants and many growers just live with them unless their numbers get out of control. But hard to say for sure without a pic or two.

if they bother you water with soapy water. a drop of pure soap mixed with water will control their populations, if you dont like to see them.probably better to just look away when watering though

Get some yellow sticky strips and see if you catch any adult fungus gnats. Tiny black flies smaller than a fruit fly. You're gonna want to get rid of them if that's what they are. Won't damage the leaves but their larvae eat the root hairs and can eventually kill your plants.

OrgrO said:

You're right, very hard to say without a pic. They "kinda jump" sounds like you may have springtails. Springtails eat fungus, algae and to a lesser degree, roots. They usually do minimal damage to plants and many growers just live with them unless their numbers get out of control. But hard to say for sure without a pic or two.

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Well you guessed right i think dude, just looked it up in google and i think i found em they are springtails,meh this is an experiment anyway trying one of the solo cup grows haha

OldMedUser said:

Get some yellow sticky strips and see if you catch any adult fungus gnats. Tiny black flies smaller than a fruit fly. You're gonna want to get rid of them if that's what they are. Won't damage the leaves but their larvae eat the root hairs and can eventually kill your plants.

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I dont want that but that's a good idea ill try that out too thanks

chemphlegm said:

if they bother you water with soapy water. a drop of pure soap mixed with water will control their populations, if you dont like to see them.probably better to just look away when watering though

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Wouldn't soap be bad for a plant? Sorry newb

Crazytrain420 said:

Wouldn't soap be bad for a plant? Sorry newb

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some soaps yes some not so much.
I'll use whats on hand like dish soap, murphys oil soap, if
I'm out of dr bronners peppermint soap.
you can mist the top soil with it or even a drench if needed.
a drop of oil with the soap like neem, dlimonene, peppermint, etc will kill on contact, drowns the pests.
some people use just soap though.