Algae in water trough?

[gertman]

I've heard that a cap of bleach(clorox) will help with this problem has anyone tried this? I normally just clean the troughs but if bleach allows me to go longer between cleanings I'll try it. I have the 100 gallon rubbermaid troughs.

 

[IluvABbeef]

It works alright. But if I were you I would clean out the algae as much as possible first before you dump a cap of bleach in.

 

[Maineshowgirl]

Get some gold fish and put in there, they will eat the algae and will keep it clean. Then when they get to big put them in a pond.

 

[fourstates]

Bleach doesn't last very long. If you buy the chlorine 3 inch tablets in the pool supply section, they will keep the tank clean for about a week or more. They will corrode a metal tank, but a rubber one will be ok if you just drop it to the bottom. If it is a small tank you can use the 1 inch tabs.

I love the fish idea, but be sure the tank is filling with automatically with cool fresh water.

Fish and chlorine don't mix. so don't try both ideas!

 

[TheBullLady]

You might want to do a search on this subject.. it was discussed on the Boards about two weeks ago

 

[Oldtimer]

One thing that will keep algae out of a water tank is to put some copper sulfate crystals in the tank ever so often.

 

[dun]

Regarding the fish in the tanks, how do you keep the coons from fishing them out?
For the longest time I couldn;t figure out where the fish went till one morning I saw a pair of coons perched on the edge of the tank fishing.

dun

 

[shorty]

I have a 100 gallon rubbermaid trough with a line coming in from a spring , it runs by gravity all the time , there is an overflow pipe going into a tile line which goes back into the creek , it works good , it never freezes but I still get some algae in it . Someone just told me to throw a piece of copper pipe in the bottom, I didn't yet but I will soon , if that works it would be simple enough.

 

[Jogeephus]

Regarding the fish in the tanks, how do you keep the coons from fishing them out?
For the longest time I couldn;t figure out where the fish went till one morning I saw a pair of coons perched on the edge of the tank fishing.

dun

We got coons but never had a problem with them and goldfish.

 

[msscamp]

Then when they get to big put them in a pond.

Goldfish will generally will not grow beyond the limits of their environment.

 

[msscamp]

Regarding the fish in the tanks, how do you keep the coons from fishing them out?

dun

Never had that problem, but we've never used goldfish in anything other than the standard stock tank, either.

 

[Beefy]

if they are anything like the wild carp in the creek the coons had better look out for them.

 

[Chuckie]

I put one tablet of "2000 Flushes" in each water trough. It has been in there a few weeks and all is fine. It is a hard white chlorine tablet that will dissolve slowly over time and is supposed to last 3-4 months. Since I have put them in the tank, the tablet looks the same and the algae has not grown. It is visible and when it is gone, I will add another.
On the box of the tablets, it says that the water that the tablets dissolved in are not harmful to children or pets.
Chuckie

 

[jkwilson]

If you are on a well or spring, watch the cows close after adding any kind of chlorine to the water. Some will refuse to drink with the chlorine smell until they get used to it.

 

[Cowdirt]

If you are on a well or spring, watch the cows close after adding any kind of chlorine to the water. Some will refuse to drink with the chlorine smell until they get used to it.

Jk, if they have another option they may refuse chlorinated water but if that's the only option; they'll drink it. ;-) My cows may develope a taste for chlorine in a few days if it doesn't rain. Ponds are getting very low. Gotta figure how to keep them off citified water before that happens.

 

[certherfbeef]

I still haven't figured out why ya'll fuss about the algae in the tanks anyhow. Don't ya have enough to do without scrubbing the danged stock tanks????

My daughter calls the algae "frog poop"