# Algae in water troughs



## KatRocks (Jul 25, 2012)

My trough seems to get so much algae, I have to clean it every other day. It just explodes with green slime. Am I doing something wrong? How can I fix this? A barn I used to ride at kept goldfish in all the water troughs to keep the algae down. What can I do to fix this?
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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Other than putting in fish that will eat the algae, there's not much else you can do except keep the troughs scrubbed down. I do mine at least once a week, and sometimes twice a week during the hottest part of the summer.


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

I bought an extra set of troughs. I pull the dirty ones out of horse reach completely, drain and then scrub them with a mild bleach solution. Rinse very, very thoroughly and let dry completely. 

I am trading out and scrubbing half as often as when I would scrub the trough and immediately re-fill it for the horses.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

That's an excellent idea, Delfi. 

I scrub out with a mild bleach solution, rinse well, then let dry completely before I refill. While that's going on, I have buckets of water out for the horses.


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## KatRocks (Jul 25, 2012)

Does the bleach help to slow the growth? Is there any sort of trough that is algae resistant? Does metal or plastic/rubber produce more algae than the other? I don't mind cleaning it if I have to, but if there is easier way to do it I would want to do it. So I can spend time doing the 26739 other things I need to clean and prep for the ponies. Lol.
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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

The bleach kills it, so instead of it continuing to grow, new algae has to form. 

The black rubbery troughs are the easiest to clean IMO. I hate, hate, hate, scrubbing the ridged Rubbermaid plastic troughs as all the algae clings to the ridges. I can scrub out the smooth sided ones in 1/10th the time!


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## KatRocks (Jul 25, 2012)

Thank you! Does anyone use fish? I can see my guy some how managing to choke on a dead goldfish. O.O
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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Nope, goldfish are NASTY. No way do I want them pooping in my horses' water! :-x


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Delfina -- Interesting you mention the second trough idea as I was thinking about doing the same thing in my battle with algae. I'm on watch for sales at the local farm store now. 

When cleaning my trough (its got some ridges in it), I use a fairly wide plastic spatula that is designed for putting plaster on walls. I find it much easier and quicker scrapping off the gunk that way than working it off with a brush and since its plastic it doesn't scratch the tank.


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

Nope, no fish.... tried them and somebody thought Sushi was a fine snack and ate all of them. No idea which of the dummies it was, they were all gathered around the trough looking guilty when my friend came to look at the fish I dropped in 20mins earlier and there were zero left.

Look on Craigslist too! I found all my troughs there, used and dirt cheap!


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## KatRocks (Jul 25, 2012)

Haha horses that eat fish! Too funny. I suppose I will skip on the fish ands get a new plastic smooth sided trough and clean with bleach. Thank you all!
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## mfed58 (Sep 15, 2010)

We have always kept goldfish in our troughs, and it works fairly well. Never had any eaten though. Thats too funny! We have three that are now atleast 4 inches long! We take them out in the winter. When the water gets cold the algea doesn't grow. The cooler you keep your water the less the algea will grow.


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## sinsin4635 (Dec 1, 2009)

If you can move your horses water to the shade you won't even get algae. The sun is what makes it grow & or speeds up the process. We keep mosquito fish in our waters. They eat mosquito larve & are not near as messy as goldfish. The county even came out & gave us some for free.


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## kait18 (Oct 11, 2011)

you could try putting in a tennis ball and letting it float on the surface. my horses play with it and keep the water moving so there is no real build up. but ever so often one of them will take the ball out. and every morning or evening(once a day) i will use a stick and move the water from the bottom of the trough around so nothing stays caked on.


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## KatRocks (Jul 25, 2012)

Interesting. I would move the trough but our hose can't reach very far and we already have 3 double connected. Where can one get the mosquito fish? I will also try the tennis ball. Any thing I can do to keep them playing or occupied helps so that they don't get into trouble.
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## soileddove (Jul 27, 2010)

We use food grade hydrogen peroxide (35%). The biggest thing though, in my my opinion, is using the sun and letting it dry..

I dump our tanks, scrub them a bit, then pour some food grade hydrogen peroxide on them and slosh the tank around so it gets on all the surfaces. Then I let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then rinse it and scrub it the rest of the way. After that it gets left to dry completely in the sun. I just fill some tubs with water and leave those for the horses.

After its all dry, I put it back and fill it, adding 1/8 cup of the food grade hydrogen peroxide in my 100 gallon stock tank.

You should only use food grade hydrogen peroxide (35%). It is the only type of hydroen peroxide that is meant for consumption. Be careful not to get the undiluted stuff on your skin. It burns and itches.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Algae in a tank tells you that the water is safe for your horses to drink. I don't usually have a problem with it bc I'm using a 65 gal. trough for 3 horses, and have to fill 1/2 of it every other day. The reason to use fish is not to eat the algae. Goldfish can live in low oxygen and stagnant water. Yes, they eat the algae. What they also eat is mosquito larvae, which is why I usually keep them in my tank. Not THIS year. I need to get my well pump fixed and so I'm using city water, which has enough chlorine to kill the fish.
Honestly, we like our tanks to be pretty clean, but if the water is too clean all of the time your horse will balk at drinking water when you travel. I guess I don't have the time to scrub my tank every week. I barely have enough time to train after I've fed my other animals and work. Just an fyi for anybody feeling badly bc they don't scrub water tanks. I also find that filling it with the hose on the bottom and overflowing cleans a lot of debri from the bottom of the tank.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

put it in the shade.....


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

If you only fill it enough so they drink most of it down you'll have very little algea on the sides (but the bottom will still get covered).
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## gothicangel69 (Aug 2, 2011)

I put apple cider vinegar in mine. For some reason it keeps the algae from growing (I rarely clean the water buckets, but do dump them every few days and put fresh water in).
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## sinsin4635 (Dec 1, 2009)

You can contact your local vector control & they can tell you where to get the fish. Or if you know of a pond or riverbed you can catch your own.


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## mnl764 (Apr 8, 2012)

*we do the same thing...*



sinsin4635 said:


> If you can move your horses water to the shade you won't even get algae. The sun is what makes it grow & or speeds up the process. We keep mosquito fish in our waters. They eat mosquito larve & are not near as messy as goldfish. The county even came out & gave us some for free.


Large troughs with mosquito fish that don't seem to accumulate much algae at all.


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## eclipseranch (May 31, 2012)

mnl764 said:


> Large troughs with mosquito fish that don't seem to accumulate much algae at all.


how large of a trough do you use?
is there another name for mosquito fish?


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I dump mine out and spray it out every now and then, littel alge never hurt anything. way more important things in life to worry about.


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## Bridgertrot (Dec 2, 2011)

I used to use a product that I bought in the store that was packets of stuff you could pour in the trough occasionally to keep the algae down that was safe to drink. Now I can't find it anywhere and don't remember what it's called. Like it fell off the face of the earth.
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## eclipseranch (May 31, 2012)

Bridgertrot said:


> I used to use a product that I bought in the store that was packets of stuff you could pour in the trough occasionally to keep the algae down that was safe to drink. Now I can't find it anywhere and don't remember what it's called. Like it fell off the face of the earth.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Stock Tank Defense..you can find it at Tractor Supply stores


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## Bridgertrot (Dec 2, 2011)

Thank you! I'll have to look in a few more stores. The ones around here have never heard of it. I actually need it to put in my ducks pond as the algae grows fast.
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## KatRocks (Jul 25, 2012)

Joe4d said:


> I dump mine out and spray it out every now and then, littel alge never hurt anything. way more important things in life to worry about.


A little bit doesn't bother me. it looks like the blob in my trough if I don't clean it every two days. Massive amounts of green slime.
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## sinsin4635 (Dec 1, 2009)

I think they're minnows.


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## clippityclop (Jul 12, 2012)

I use those big black nylon rubbermaid troughs - anywhere from 55 to 100 gallons. I keep them in the shade and always keep a pair of koi in them and the trough is on an automatic waterer. Water stays pretty clear (koi are in the carp family - they love vegetation). Take the koi out, algae blooms - put the koi in, crystal clear - I've tasted it myself - not gross at all. So I vote for fish! Koi can get 2-3 foot long over time, so they must be able to be moved to a tank or pond that has grass or vegetation growing in it...but they are WAY more efficient than goldfish. A pair (under 6" each) works well for the size tanks mentioned above - they never can quite eat it all so there is always something for them to eat.

Koi are worth alot of money when they are over a foot long, too. Some ornamental gardeners will pay upwards of $300 per fish (depending on the color) so you can always put an ad in the paper when they get too big... who knew, right? LOL! Then start over again with some more koi...haha!


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

yeh nothing like bringing in more invasive species. I seriously dont understand why the importation of plants or animals is allowed.


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