matti
Full Member
Posts: 216
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Post by matti on Jun 23, 2007 9:59:02 GMT
Ok, I have a problem with algae forming at the bottom of my Aldrovanda enclosure (Poly styrene vegtable box) it formed maybe a month ago and will not go away, it dose not harm the Aldrovanda but it is just annoying to look at, I have put daphinia and snails in there but they do not seem to be making a difference, anyways I will see if I can find the PH lowerer tomorrow. Aldrovanda do not seem to be upset, they are floating as non-functional turions. (plant still attached) .
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Post by rsivertsen on Jun 23, 2007 12:20:59 GMT
I've had the same problems over the years in my many attempts to grow them in various containers. Lowering the pH doesn't always work either, (and the Aldrovanda actually does better in neutral to only slightly acidic water), but a temporary solution I found was to pour seltzer directly out of the bottle into the area where the algae grows; and it seems to stop the algae for a couple days, but it comes right back, and I had to set up another container, with fresh pond water, move the Aldrovanda, snails, monocot plants and all, rinsing off the algae film off when I can, and start all over again, and throwing out the old water, and scouring off the algae from the previously used container. I would do this about once a month; very labor intensive stuff.
The seltzer lowers the pH immediately, as it’s chemically known as carbolic acid (H2CO3), and the Aldrovanda is unharmed by it; but I would pull them away from the seltzer anyway for a few minutes. The CO2 outgases very quickly. I would avoid the aquarium additives that lower the pH as they are actually salts.
The larger containers seem to last a bit longer than the smaller ones, and I’ve used kiddy pools too, and had several monocot plants commingled with the Aldrovanda, kept in either net pots, or in their original pots, allowing their roots to grow out from the bottom, but mobile enough to be pulled out if need-be. The Aldrovanda grew best when they were actually nestled in these roots, or growing directly above them.
Also, algae seemed to become more a problem when the containers were exposed to more direct sunlight, unfortunately, Aldrovanda does best in direct sunlight, so a compromise may need to be worked out where they may not look their best, but won’t become overwhelmed with algae so fast.
The zooplankton community should also include copepods that also groom the strands of algae, and wind up in the traps.
I'm still amazed to see them growing in the pond without any algae problems at all, in fact, algae goes into delcine in the presence of Aldrovanda for some reason!
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Post by stevestewart on Jun 23, 2007 19:25:31 GMT
Hello, Another couple of ways to get algae under control is to first wash the container with a scrub pad, or better yet, start with a new container, and then do frequent water changes with RO or distilled water. If you use the "old" water on other cp that are terrestrial like Nepenthes, the water would not go to waste. I have also noticed that the type of snails you are using makes a very large difference. I don't know which snail species are available where you are so I can't help you out with that. Don't get the ones that eat Aldrovanda Take care, Steven Stewart
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