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Aldrovanda
Aldrovandarequires clean, well oxygenated algae-free water and a good amount of sunlight. In Singapore where it is warm, Aldrovanda will try to flower all year-round. In cooler climates it will form turions, in this form the plant can be easily passed from one person to the next or sent.
We have found that Aldrovanda does very well when kept in mature, acidic water. This can be achieved by soaking sterilised peat in rainwater, letting the water stand for a few days. We recommend that the water should be at least a month old before Aldrovanda is introduced. Bettter still, during this ageing period, grow planty of shade plants like aquatic Utricularias, Salvinia, Sedge or other floating aquatic plants. This stabilises the water chemistry, and takes up most of the silicates and nitrates present in the water, which may otherwise cause an algae bloom. Keeping a few small fish with them encourages the growth of micro-organisms that feed on the fish's waste, like paramecium, which later end up as Aldrovanda-dinner. Be careful not to overcrowd with fish or plants though, as any decay will definitely invite algae.
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