aldrovanda algae care- my solution

[adnedarn]

I know I just started growing aldrovanda but I've already had the algae bloom up and watched it go under control. There are quite a few topics here talking about this so instead of replying to each with what I have found, I figured I'd start my own topic. When I got my aldro, (mostly from Clint through the NASC auction ) I started 3 containers.

1 like his (plastic bin 10-15 gallons, with lfs/peat on bottom, and 10lbs of aquarium rock, he sent some grasses and such to plant in there)

1 is an oval galvanized tub where I used the same mixtures as the above minus live plants

And the last is an 1 gallon acrylic aquarium that I used to grow U. gibba in. It has a layer of peat on the bottom, and is covered with aquarium gravel. This peat has had plenty of time to decay....

Now the first, algae took over almost immediately, it seemed like over night. Clint sugested I trash all the plants, drain, clean, and start over. But since I had other tanks going... I was in no hurry. So I went to Lowes and picked up this plastic floating water lilly looking thing, that holds a refillable baggy under it. This baggy is said to contain "The specially formulated blend of organisms used in the Biological System rapidly breaks down excess nutrients" under further inspection, it is a bacteria or something that feed on the nutrients. Now, when I tested the tank, I read barely any TDS. So who knows which nutrients it was talking about... but... about 2 weeks later, I can clearly see the algae is going away! It's not yet gone.. But is an obvious improvement.

Just now the galvanized tub is barely starting to show algae growth in it. You can bet I'm going to go pick up another one.

I couldn't find it in a quick search... But, you can find it in the pond section of Lowes.

This is the tub after I made it:


Here is some aldro in above tub now:


Here is aldro in the 1 gallon fish tank:


Aldro in the galvanized container:


And a close up of empty trap, and one with a meal in it



I also put one aldro in my dad's fish tank (in one of those nets that hangs from the side for baby fish...) even though the water is almost the exact oposite of RO water... It is still doing very well!! (not pictured... sorry.)

I hope you enjoyed the pictures, and the information helps someone

Andrew

[Clint]

Looks good! I dunno anything about the Zinc from the Galvanized metal, hope it works out!

PS: You only had like 3 crappy plants otherwise I wouldn't have said to chuck 'em! It's amazing how fast things recover, and I learned that moist LFS is better than a wet rag!

[adnedarn]

eh- we'll see. lol

It is amazing how they recover! And yes, barely damp LFS is much better than a soaked rag. hehe

[rsivertsen]

Not a bad start! But I think your water levels are too deep! That was one of my things too until I saw them naturalize, and noticed that they seem to favor the shallows where the water depth is only about 4 inches deep, to just barely a film between the bottom, and the tops of the Aldrovanda; the reason, I think, is the population density of the zooplankton community, (protozoans, snails, copepods and all) are the highest in these shallow areas, and the Aldrovanda can enjoy a closer proximity to the roots of the monoct plants' root systems below, so that the CO2 percolates up directly to the Aldrovanda. There may be something about the surface to volume ratio as well.

These plants really do need to feed, but it's a problem without beneficial snails that pull out the old carcasses of the spent prey before it becomes loaded with filamentous algae.

Please, don't throw any fertilizers in the water with Aldrovanda, it will only cause an instant and massive algae bloom. Feeding, with almost every trap loaded with something is the natural way to go.

I was hoping to post a few more images of them in the pond, but the pond has completely dried up, since the end of May, all of June, and now, we just got a few good rain storms that managed to put about 12 inches of water in the pond, all I see now are a few isolated strands beginning to emerge from the bottom. This could be the first year that they might not flower.

In previous years, the pond has dried up by late August to September, and refilling again by October, and the plants recover just in time to produce dormant turions by November.

And in all this, not once, anywhere in the entire pond, do they have even a trace of algae on them!

[adnedarn]

rsivertsen, is there somewhere that these "beneficial snails" can be gotten from? I guess your pond is dried up, so trying to make arrangements from you is out of the question.

My galvanized tank is about the depth you're talking about... Those ones seem to be doing really well. But then again, all the others are too, haha.
Thanks for the details.
Andrew

[matti]

justlikeapill said:

Looks good! I dunno anything about the Zinc from the Galvanized metal, hope it works out!

He he, I think I would be more worried about your steel tank coroding.

[rsivertsen]

Andrew, like so many other things in the life sciences, things aren't always as simple as they may appear at first, such as just adding certain snails. I've learned quite a bit about watching Aldrovanda as they grow in a small pond over the last few years, far more than anything I could by having them grow in containers. I’m convinced that they are constituents in a complex symbiotic community.

For one thing, the small snails, which seem to have round shells, multiply and grow very rapidly in the pond, laying their egg clusters right on the Aldrovanda strands. When they hatch, hundreds of small snails climb up and down the strands foraging on algae, and detritus from the spent matter in the traps. Unfortunately, as they soon grow to the larger sizes, they tend to consume the entire trap, and a few of them can render dozens, perhaps hundreds of strands without traps, and then completely defoliate the strands altogether and eventually even consume the strands too.

About then, the predatory snail population kicks in gear, which happen to have pointed shells, and are a little smaller than the round snails, by this time are about the size of quarters (coin), and the predatory snails are about 1/4th of an inch or smaller. They too lay their egg clusters on the remaining Aldrovanda, and also groom the strands of algae, and get caught in the traps.

Without this predatory/prey balance, the very same snails that help the Aldrovanda become a detriment to them within just a few weeks.

Another serious concern about transporting snails out of their original locale is that they often carry parasites, and are vectors (intermediary hosts) for quite a number of serious parasitic worms such as liver flukes, heart flukes, and several other organisms.

As much as I have been criticized and even scolded here for naturalizing Aldrovanda in a small local pond, I actually do have concerns about spreading non-indigenous wildlife, such as snails, into other areas, outside their natural habitat, and population locale, where they might do more harm than good.

[stevestewart]

Here in the US "ramshorn" snails can be used in an artificial habitat for Aldrovanda. They can be purchased in many pet supply stores and garden pond outlets. I don't know where they are native to so it would not be good to release any into natural areas. This type of snail is somewhat carnivorous, eating dead and dieing fish etc. They will also eat several types of algae that are found in artificial environments without harming any species of aquatic Utricularia or Aldrovanda that I have grown. They will eat without hesitation, Azolla "mosquito fern" Ceratopteris "water ferns" and Pistia "water lettuce". This type of snail reproduces rapidly, so if you do decide to use them plan to spend time later reducing population explosions. They enjoy squash slices floated in water. (a great way to get rid of extra snails) A dead fish will also make them congregate for easy removal.

Take care,
Steven Stewart

[adnedarn]

Matti- that is the reason for galvanized. It can hold even the harshest water (salt water) for 8-12 years before starting to decay. My parents have used the same style container to water their dogs since I was a kid. They still use the same ones. These are also what is used (in larger scale) to water cattle and other animals on many ranches.

rsivertsen- I understand that and am very careful about it. I felt safe about asking about snails since I live in the desert, there is no water sources here for it to go to Thanks also for the (important) information on their dammage on Aldrovanda once their population gets too high.

stevestewart- that is the one I thought rsivertsen was going to recommend. I had them before in the 1 gallon container with my U. gibba. Also in that tank was 2 guppy type fish, and a otocyclis [spellin?] that last fish was very good at consuming the algae from the U. gibba without hurting the plant. Perhaps I will try that again in a tank with only a few Aldrovanda and see how it goes.

Andrew

[Deleted]

i will have a chance to order some aldrovanda next thursday.... but some people say its easy and some say its hard to grow and i wanted to know if i should get some or not?

[Clint]

Won't know until you try. Even if it perishes, a dead plant is not money wasted. It is but a learning experience, and if you fail it is an opportunity to see what you did wrong and try again.

[rsivertsen]

The red Australian strains seem easier to adapt to container growth, and with lower light levels, they may lose their red color, but won't get hit with algae so bad.

The green Japanese strains (there are two, one from Tokyo, the other from Kyoto) are much larger than the red forms, but they are heavy feeders, and will quickly go into decline if they don't have enough to eat, but then, this also causes algae problems without the beneficial snails that remove the spent detritus from the traps, and the predatory snails to keep them in check.

Also the close proximity and presence of large monocot plants, whose roots absorb and assimilate the excess nitrogenous matter given off by the Aldrovanda, and give off CO2 by respiration, which is used by the Aldrovanda. It’s all a rather complex symbiotic relationship between multiple organisms.

From my experience, it's NOT the chemistry of the water so much as it's the BIOLOGY of the water; the pond where they have naturalized has a conspicuous presence of clay, some mounds form as it percolates up from underground springs, the water tests neutral pH (=7.0 to slightly alkaline to slightly acidic) and is moderately hard. Also, the very shallow areas where they seem to be the most robust, (only a few inches deep, to just under a foot deep), the zooplankton population density is at its highest; water samples drawn from these shallows reveal that the water is practically "boiling" and brimming with life, including copepods, small snails, Daphnia, rotifers, mosquito larvae, etc. These creatures also contribute to the CO2 level of the water, and are the food source of the Aldrovanda, to the extent that almost every trap is loaded with prey, just like Utricularia. The more they eat, the better they grow and divide; they go into decline if they don’t have enough sufficient prey; they are rootless plants, and the ONLY means by which they get most of their essential nutrients is by carnivory.

[matti]

Andrew I know what galvanising is and what it dose as I work with the stuff everyday both hot dip and heavey and the stuff is a B****, it will not stop corrosion but postphone it, even austenetic stainless steel (304) with it's high nickel and chromium content in the presents of moisture and salt will corrode.

Good luck with the aldrovanda's.

[rsivertsen]

My Aldrovanda pond has regained its water levels again after 6 weeks of being bone dry, and the Aldrovanda has begun to make a come-back, although they've not yet recovered their robust and large stature, nonetheless, their population density has gone from a few hundred to several thousand in (4) weeks! and still growing at the rate of doubling their apices every week (5 to 7 days). Recent photos will be posted soon.

Also, another isolated site, again, a private pond, where I had attempted to introduce Aldrovanda in Orange County New York in 2001, has finally shown signs of establishing itself in a small cove. Photos will be posted soon.