Try to go green but then...

[B&L Longhorn Ranch]

Here's my dilemma...
Put 300 Gallon stock tanks up on stilts and have gutters on my barn leading into the tanks to allow me to reuse the rain water and "go green."
Got the barn roof and angle of the gutters (half one way half the other) down to a perfect science to the point when I get 1 1/2" of rain, the tanks are full!
BUT, the dang mosquitos! It's next to impossible to make the tanks airtight...
Anyone else reuse their runoff and any ideas to prevent the mosquitos from breeding? The tank water is used to water the garden and trees. Thought about 1 cup bleach per tank which personally I don't think will kill either the vegetables or trees due to the dilution but wife begs to differ! Any Ideas Whatsoever?

 

[cross_7]

poly water storage tanks.
the one i use is a 1550 black tank, so it doesn't grow alge as bad since it doesn't get much sunlight
only problem is they cost too dang much

 

[Tatertot]

Gold fish? Seriously. Try it and watch them work there magic. I mean watch them for real. Its pretty cool to dump them in there and watch them go to town. Don't buy something cool at some pet store. Just regular goldfish at walmart will work.

 

[1982vett]

Gold fish? Seriously. Try it and watch them work there magic. I mean watch them for real. Its pretty cool to dump them in there and watch them go to town. Don't buy something cool at some pet store. Just regular goldfish at walmart will work.

Water and fertilize at the same time.

 

[Howdyjabo]

Goldfish will work- but then you have to deal with the water getting too low or hot.
There are tablets that you can put in the barrel just for getting rid of mosquitoes-- I think it was Farm Tek where I saw them.

 

[msscamp]

Here's my dilemma...
Put 300 Gallon stock tanks up on stilts and have gutters on my barn leading into the tanks to allow me to reuse the rain water and "go green."
Got the barn roof and angle of the gutters (half one way half the other) down to a perfect science to the point when I get 1 1/2" of rain, the tanks are full!
BUT, the dang mosquitos! It's next to impossible to make the tanks airtight...
Anyone else reuse their runoff and any ideas to prevent the mosquitos from breeding? The tank water is used to water the garden and trees. Thought about 1 cup bleach per tank which personally I don't think will kill either the vegetables or trees due to the dilution but wife begs to differ! Any Ideas Whatsoever?

Yeah, I've got a few ideas. 1) Goldfish will work, but you might have to top off the tanks with a hose between rains. 2) Bleach is perfectly safe at the rate of 2-3 ozs/50 gallons of water. 3) Check with your local feedstores, they usually carry little disks that can be stuck in the water tank, and will take care of the mosquito larvae. Take your pick!

 

[novatech]

Screen wire.

 

[luckefarm]

apple cider vinegar will inhibit mosquitos and algae

 

[Txwalt]

Saving run off water is just conservation and a lot of us do that kind of thing. If you want to go green stop using the toilet. Pee outside, poop in your garden, and stop using toilet paper. I've heard people used to use corn cobs to wipe. Some people use a wash cloth and then wash it after every use. If you want to be green don't half do it. :kid:

Walt

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

We use the "Mosquito Dunks" and "Mosquito Bits" from Summit Chemical Corp. We also have them listed in our store on our website. Some local F & R stores also sell them too. These treatments are made of biological items and not out of the inorganic pesticides. Not harmful to birds, horses, cattle, dogs, based on the product literature and our own use of them.

Been using them for couple of years now in our stock tanks and no mosquito larva survive. We also have a regular bunch of returning Barn Swallows each year that re-use their last year's nest. Have several on our porches, stock loafing sheds, etc. The Swallows do a good job of getting the flying ones! Unfortunately you can't "request" the Swallows to come to your place...lol...guess they come to our place because we do not tear down their nests!

For algae control use some of the "Aqua Shade" (very intensive blue/green crystals or liquid) or similar brand name product. a LITTLE goes a long way...helps prevent useful sunlight from accelerating the photosynthetic process.

 

[hillrancher]

Saving run off water is just conservation and a lot of us do that kind of thing. If you want to go green stop using the toilet. Pee outside, poop in your garden, and stop using toilet paper. I've heard people used to use corn cobs to wipe. Some people use a wash cloth and then wash it after every use. If you want to be green don't half do it. :kid:

Walt; do you know why there were two boxes of combs in the out house? One box was white used to see if you needed to use another red Cob.

 

[backhoeboogie]

After reading walt's words and the follow-up by Hillrancher, I've come to the conclusion that I will never be considered green.

 

[msscamp]

After reading walt's words and the follow-up by Hillrancher, I've come to the conclusion that I will never be considered green.

That makes 2 of us. :shock:

 

[dun]

If you save your grey water you can also use that for watering lawn/garden. If you only bathe once a month you can have fertilizer water and an insecticide all in the grey water.

 

[Txwalt]

If you save your grey water you can also use that for watering lawn/garden. If you only bathe once a month you can have fertilizer water and an insecticide all in the grey water.

:lol2:

I always invision a green person as this lady with hairy arm pits and a mustache. :lol:

Walt

 

[TexasBred]

If you save your grey water you can also use that for watering lawn/garden. If you only bathe once a month you can have fertilizer water and an insecticide all in the grey water.

:lol2:

I always invision a green person as this lady with hairy arm pits and a mustache. :lol:

Walt

No Walt...those are Europeans. :lol2: :lol2: