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  Discussion on Algae control in water tanks
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Member:
Annes

Posted on Friday, Jun 25, 2004 - 11:40 am:

I am using Stock Plex in the water tanks again this summer to keep algae under control. The main ingredient is Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate - 19.8%. It calls for 1-2 oz. per 250 gallons water.
Has anyone else used this? I am hoping there is no ill effect as long as it is used as directed. It is not the only water supply for my horses as they also drink from a pond. DrO - do you have any opinion on the use of this product? Thanks.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Jun 26, 2004 - 5:47 pm:

Hmmm..unlike some other lifestock, horses tolerate quite a bit of Cu in their diet up to 8 gms a day for a thousand lb horse. Hmmm....at 2 oz. of treatment (60 gms x 0.20) that would be appx 12 gms Cu per 250 gallons of water or 5 / 100 or 0.5 gms / 10 gals. 10 gals is a little more than horses drink on average so this is 1 / 16th the toxic dose. I have made some estimates and approximations but where important have always errored on the side to exaggerate the risk. Sounds like you are safe but be aware that if there are other large sources of copper you might have problems and it will be difficult to maintain this exact concentration: when water evaporates, the copper stays behind so you should only apply it when the tub has been dumped.
DrO
Member:
Chohler

Posted on Monday, Apr 11, 2005 - 4:12 pm:

I know this is an old post.

I have found that adding a plecostomus to tanks with algae works wonders I only put the pleco in for a day or two depending on the size of the tank and fish. Large pleco's work fast. I found this out with several ponds during start up season I put plecos in and after clean up has occured and water has cylced I added my fish. Thought I would try on water troughs it worked. I use one med to large pleco in a 50 gal tank and the longest it took to clear was 2 days.

I keep show goldfish and have many tanks so I always keep one pleco on hand. All my fish are treated and monitored for parasites.
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Monday, Apr 11, 2005 - 5:15 pm:

What are "plecostomus?" a type of fish? Other algae controll? Sorry to be so ignorant. If it's a fish, what temps. can it tolerate? I have pretty good luck with regular gold fish.
Member:
Christos

Posted on Monday, Apr 11, 2005 - 6:32 pm:

It's a very common catfish, Sara, you can see it in almost every aquarium gliding on the bottom, sucking on pebbles, plants and walls. Think of it as a herbivorous vacuum cleaner.
I think they can tolerate pretty much anything, but Cheryl sounds proficient with them, I am sure she can fill us in with the details.
Member:
Chohler

Posted on Monday, Apr 11, 2005 - 6:35 pm:

Plecostomus are a fish sorta archaic looking somewhere between catfish and algae eater. They live off of algae, vegatative mater, and dead mater. You can find them at any fish shop.

They'll suck the green off of anything. I have found they will live almost in anything they don't like cold water, which really isn't a prob in the late spring and summer.
Member:
Chohler

Posted on Monday, Apr 11, 2005 - 6:43 pm:

course by cold i mean really cold, they can live in flowing water and still water, I usually house one in my regular tanks so I always have one but they are cheap and my pet store always takes any that I don't want to keep.

Some get large and some stay small. I bought a marble sailfin pleco and it has stayed at about 6 inches long. My regular garden variety got to 9 inches long. I prefer the medium size variety, but if they get to big I just move them on down the road.

When I first get one I salt my tank with 1 teaspoon per gallon of water, I use pickling salt no iodized salt, this gets rid of most parasites after a couple of days I add them to the water troughs.
Member:
Scline

Posted on Monday, Apr 11, 2005 - 7:10 pm:

What type of parasites do these fish have? Can you keep them in your water trough all summer or do they have to be removed to an aquarium every now and then?
Member:
Christos

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 - 8:23 am:

Thanks for the info, Cheryl.
Will they be ok with just algae or you have to feed them something else as well?
Member:
Ajudson1

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 - 9:18 am:

Interesting subject. So how would the fish do with really hard water? I do have some problem with algae, but the hard water crud is what is a pain. Use a paint scraper to clean the tank, figure that's better than chemicals. Of course vinegar eats off the crud, but have to leave it on a long time to get it to work.

Anyone have suggestions to keep the hardwater crud from building up?? Any fishies for that??

Geez, my cats would have a party with fish in the livestock tank.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 - 9:55 am:

I have always considered plecostomus a tropical fish (South American I believe) so might not do well when the water temp goes below 70 degrees. Cheryl do your plecos live well at temperatures below this? The main parasite would be "ich" (little white spots) and not a concern for the horses.
DrO
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 - 10:25 am:

Oh, I know what you are talking about. I always thought they were some kind of cat fish. I think I'll try a couple in with the gold fish. I didn't realize they could live outside. I've only seen them in inside tanks.

Our goldfish, btw, winter over fine under several inches of ice, but our water tanks are fairly deep. They get quite big, current ones are from 5 to 8 inches long. Everyonce in awhile one disapears. I overfilled one of the tanks and one washed out, and when I first put them in one of the tanks I think a horse drank a couple of them. Maybe a magpie or other bird catches one once in a while. We have a lot of wildlife who seem to think our water tanks are made for their use. Since putting fish in, however, our tanks stay much cleaner.
Member:
Dres

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 - 10:30 am:

stupid question here... what about fish poop? does the tank start to smell like a well, fish tank..?

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with SPOTS..
Member:
Marroon

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 - 11:43 am:

If not enough algae just throw in some green beans and they gobble them up.
Member:
Christos

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 - 11:46 am:

I'll give it a try with these fish, though I think my mouthy yearling will gobble down even the 9-inch ones.
Any idea about palatability of different fish to horses? (that's in order to choose the best, this monster will eat them anyway)
Member:
Chohler

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 - 5:43 pm:

Sorry all been with clients all day.

I usually put them in troughs about mid may in wyoming average outside temp in the sixties, not sure of water temp. My tanks are in constant sun though so probably pretty warm except at night. I have had them in 60 degree water indoors. I haven't left them in the troughs long term but I cycle them between my tanks, troughs, and ponds. My ponds are small so a little harder to control algae. My 6 inch pleco cleaned a 150 gal tank in 2 days. When there is no algae or vegatative matter you can feed them algae waffers or sprirulina flake/waffers or even green peas ( I squish them so they sink) good food for goldfish also. Pleco's kinda clean up after their leavings, so waste from the fish will be minimal not in the profuse amounts of a goldfish. And if your goldfish die well they clean most of that up too.

You can probably do a temp aclimatization with the plecos in a small 5 gal tank or bucket start off at a normal temp around 70 and let the temp DrOp normally on its own in a cool spot. These buggers are pretty hardy, but you can't just immediatly DrOp them into cold water they will go into shock.

I never thought of a horse eating a fish but anything is possible.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 - 11:01 pm:

Christos, if you think your horse will have a go at one of these guys I do not suggest it: they have serious spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins they may become lodged in the throat.
DrO
Member:
Imogen

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005 - 4:00 am:

Christos, my friends who had a farm near Corinth used to use potassium permanganate in their water tank mainly for their apricot trees but which was also used for cattle...? We used to swim in this tank and accidentally drink the water, it didn't seem to do anyone any harm but it was a revolting colour.

I can't imagine it was too great for the cattle though. Tasted pretty grotty.

Imogen
Member:
Christos

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005 - 8:58 am:

Oops, thanks, Doctor.
I don't think he'd chew or swallow them, at least not deliberately, but I'm almost sure he'll be chasing them and carrying them around if he can catch them.

I've never heard of potassium permanganate, Imogen. Would it be safe to horses? DrO?
Member:
Chohler

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005 - 12:20 pm:

In the aquaculture world PPG or potassium permanganate is used to kill parasites, bacteria, and undesireable fish species. It is a Caustic agent. I wear gloves when using this stuff. I believe you might be able to find a MSDS sheet on the stuff. It does time out on its own if there is so much organic debri and waste and not enough chemical. You can neutralize it with water conditioner or hyDrOgen peroxide or over 50% water change. There are now stricter regulations in place with this chemical because it can be used to make Meth.

It does kill fish, I don't know what it would do to livestock.
Member:
Canyon28

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005 - 3:44 pm:

the pool skimmer net is one I have been using for several years with good success. I usually use some bleach in the water when it goes way down, while I am scrubbin the tank out. I have also used some bleach in the water in a full tank with no problem, but be sure to mix thoroughly. The problem with using the bleach is that it eventually ends up eating through the galvanized tanks causeing rust spots and eventually pin holes. I have fixed two tanks this year that are approx 7 years old with trailer house patching materials. I used the patching cement only on the outside of the tank, let it dry really well, then covered that with the silver coat water proof top coat suggested for trailer roofs. make sure to follow directions and get it real dry before trying to use again. Both tanks are back in use and holding water with no leaks. One of the tanks is a very large tank about 300 gals or so that I use for my cows. I would not use these materials on the inside of a tank, it could be toxic. In the summer, I usually clean the horse tanks every other time I fill them, sometimes every three times,and I use an old straw broom to clean them with, no stooping! they also have floating donut things you can buy now , I havent tried one of them, but I think I will this summer for the cow tank.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Apr 14, 2005 - 6:42 am:

Concerning the potassium permanganate, it all has to do with concentration and can be used in aquaculture with fish. In the first aquarium shop I worked in the owner would place a few crystals in the tanks at night once weekly to clarify the water and allow carbon filters to remove it. It works by oxidizing organic material. I cannot speak as to its safety in drinking water and find references to mucosal irritation and toxicity.
DrO
Member:
Sparky

Posted on Friday, Apr 15, 2005 - 2:31 pm:

When treating my gelding for sarcoids we used 35% food grade hyDrOgen peroxide in the water and my tanks stayed nice and clean. All the other horses drank from the same tanks and had no ill effects. I will have to find the posting on the right proportions. You can purchase it at a hyDrOponics store. Dr. O had approved the amount - actually saying it would have no effect at all to the horses for the amount used.
Janet
Member:
Sparky

Posted on Friday, Apr 15, 2005 - 2:34 pm:

additive to the water. Various strengths example 1 cup/250ltrs, 2.5 ml/1 gallon, 1.5-2 oz per 100 gal, 10ml/5gal, 12cc/5gal
Member:
Sparky

Posted on Tuesday, Jun 14, 2005 - 2:50 pm:

Just came across a product called Krystal Trough - if you do a general search on Google you will get lots of hits on it. Seems to be what you are looking for. Have never used it though.
Hope this helps
Janet
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