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  Discussion on Cleaning *slime* out of water trough
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Member:
redhen

Posted on Monday, May 28, 2007 - 3:32 pm:

Found this 'thread' today and just wondering - any problems adding goldfish? Any bacteria they harbor that might hurt a horse? I will do the bleach thing and hope the horses keep drinking, but I've meant to try fish and thought I'd check with you guys...thanks!
Member:
mrose

Posted on Monday, May 28, 2007 - 11:13 pm:

I've had fish in a couple of my tanks for several years at the suggestion of anothe horse owner friend who said they helped keep the tanks clean. The fish I have are the plain, cheap goldfish. They were about 1" long when I bought them. They are now about 6" long and look really healthy; however, we still have "gunk" in our tanks. Maybe I should have gotten catfish? We don't get the floating stuff on the surface, but the sides of the tank still get coated with a layer of crusty, greenish brown algae.
Member:
muffi

Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 12:45 am:

When I lived in Arizona the tank would green in one week due to the heat. What we did to try to forgo the Green so much was to take one of those Cholorine tablets you toss in pools, and only shave a small amount off the tablet every morning - mix it in very well. Remember just a little. Plus we did drain the tank every other week and scrub it out with Baking Soda then rinse well. worked for us - we have a big 200 or so gallon rubber-maid type tank - we used a hose to drain it down hill with suction - the trees there loved it. and I felt good when the water was clear for the horses. Another trick I used was to keep a 4 inch Fish Tank net there to scoop out the dead bugs that want to have a pool party in the tanks. I filled it up twice a day then - with at least 15 - 20 gallons for 2 horses.
New Member:
benbern

Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 12:56 am:

We had a square black scouring pad with a handle to slide you hand into that was for cleaning grills. I use some bleach when I can not get the tougher stuff off. If you wad up baling twine it makes a great scrubber. I let the horses drink down the water and rinse it out each time I refill, which is daily now in Arizona. Then scrub it out as needed.
Member:
maggienm

Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 1:11 am:

A few years ago we had fish in a house tank, there was certain kind of fish we got to keep the tank clean.
Sorry, I don't remember the name, but they really kept the tank clean. I don't know if they would work in a water tank.
Member:
dove2

Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 6:05 am:

Was it a Placostomus (sp?)?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 6:14 am:

Hello All,
No matter the type fish, the food they ingest has to somewhere, I think it is a basic law of physics... But goldfish feces may be less of a problem to control than rapidly blooming green algae. I don't know of any harm to the horses from ingesting such water.

Chlorine is a good way to control algae but I suggest a accurate measurement technique. I don't think you can actually make the water toxic without massive overdoses but you might put in more than is palatable preventing drinking. The correct amount is dependent on so many factors (temperature, sunlight exposure, amount of organic contamination, surface area, etc) that I don't think there is a general rule other than to titrate the amount to the least amount needed every day to 2 days that controls algae growth.
DrO
Member:
deeDrOtt

Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 9:39 am:

Well folks - it's been 20+ years of SLIME and every chemical, scrapper, brush, fish etc. and slaving every winter and summer to clean that SLIME from the water tanks and the only thing that really, really works is every 1 1/2 - 2 months is - a POWER WASHER - cleans the tanks like NEW!!. Other than that - we did install a few automatic (Nelson) waterers in the fields - but they too need to be cleaned, and scoured once a month or so. Thats my experience and it now works, well - every 2 months we pull all the tanks up by the barn - power wash and it takes about an hour to do 6-8 100 gallon tanks. We also have well water that makes it somewhat worse. Good Luck.
Member:
corinne

Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 10:24 am:

We have fish in our tanks....they eat what they can but algae still gets in there. I bet the power washing is also the best bet...with a clorox solution! LOL
Member:
tweeter

Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 12:02 pm:

After 35 years with horses I have decided that the problem with water tanks is that they are almost always too large. If you have 100 gal tanks and they have water sitting in them in the summer months for more than 2 or 3 days then the tank is too large. Think about it...you like nice fresh water so do the horses and water that has been sitting in the hot sun for days is not fresh and algae starts to grow. So I solved my problem....got rid of my 100 gal tanks and now I have 50 gal tanks that I do not fill to the top I would say we put about 40 gal in the tank. In two days the water is ready to be re-filled and we dump what is remaining spray with the hose and fill with fresh water. I have been doing this the last 2 summers and the tanks look brand new...no algae at all. I found that my horses stayed away from the tanks if I used bleach...they did not like the smell or taste, can't say I blame them I'm a well water person and hate to drink city water with chemicals. Anyway, something for you to try... works
for me.
Member:
annes

Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 12:03 pm:

When the horses are in another field and I don't need the tank that day, this works for me: empty and leave sitting in the hot sun. The sun "bakes" the green slime into dry flakes and then it brushes off really easy. My husband just bought a pressure washer and it did a great job but the best part is that he did it!
Member:
boomer

Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 3:25 pm:

I have 8 horses and use 8 smaller water buckets. I guess they might be 20 gallons or so. I fill them daily, it's a little more work but I don't get near the growth problem and it's easy to just wipe them out with a simple soap and hose water bath once a month or so. I think the trick is there isn't standing water. They drink the water down so there is always air to dry the sides.
Member:
redhen

Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 7:12 pm:

Thanks for all the tips...sounds like fish won't really help all that much. I do move the tank into the shade in summer, which helps a bit...guess I'll just stick with elbow grease! I, also, use the net to scoop bugs/tree seeds out and on the days I don't clean it I let it overflow which sluices out some junk.
Member:
ajudson1

Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 8:41 pm:

I don't fill mine any fuller than they will drink in 2-3 days then dump, scrub, and rinse. I use a stiff pad with a handle, think I got it at Wal Mart for scrubbing toilets.

I also dump a few "chugs" of Apple Cider Vinegar in every time we fill it. It helps a little and might help keep bugs off the horses too as they sweat it out.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - 6:49 am:

Anjie, oral apple cider vinegar has no known properties to repel flies and the vinegar is not sweated out: acetic acid is prime fuel for the cells and is used as a energy source.
DrO
Member:
ajudson1

Posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - 9:18 am:

Well, I did say "MIGHT" help keep bugs off.
"MIGHT" help with arthritic joints too or "might" just lighten the pocketbook.
(love my name spelled that way, btw,)
Member:
tweeter

Posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - 10:44 am:

Angie
How much apple cider do you put in?? I have been using it for the past year for my joints and I "think" it works. My knees don't hurt as bad when I take it on a regular basis. I have friends who have halter Qtr Horses and they put it in the water daily and swear that it helps with the hair coat and over all condition of the horses. They put 1 cup in a 5gal bucket of water and the horses drink it with no problem and look wonderful. I have used it on dogs for "hot spots" and it works great for that.
Member:
jgordo03

Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 3:24 pm:

I put a silver dollar and a large muslin bag of lavender flowers in my tank. The pioneers would put silver dollars in their water to keep it from going bad while they crossed the country and lavender is supposed to help kill bacteria as well. I find it keeps the slim from forming for about four weeks.
Member:
mrose

Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 8:58 pm:

Judi, I bet if the pioneers had an extra silver dollar, they hid it in the bottom of their water so no one would find it!
Member:
ajudson1

Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 10:00 pm:

And where do we find a real 100% silver dollar these days?

Kathy, not a cup per 5 gallons for sure! Don't measure, just dump some in, use more in the summer, less in the winter.
Member:
sswiley

Posted on Sunday, Jun 3, 2007 - 11:36 am:

One more thing to add here, not so much about slime. I like to dump my water troughs once a week (they are only about 25 gallons). This is to dump out any mosquito eggs that have been laid, I read some where that it takes a little over a week for their egg to hatch. This also takes care of algae and bits of hay etc. Another way to control mosquito eggs is to pour a small amout of mineral oil in, it will add a thin layer to the top of the water and suffocate the eggs. Dont do this if you have fish, I think it will suffocate them too.
New Member:
ktrezise

Posted on Sunday, Jun 3, 2007 - 3:53 pm:

I find those metal scourers you can get really cheaply for scrubbing pots are the best for removing slime from my trough - they get into the corners much better than a brush
Member:
ilona

Posted on Thursday, Jun 7, 2007 - 12:16 am:

I know I'm late to the mix, however I clean with a scrub brush and clorox once a week, rinse well, and overflow the tanks every second day. It tends to keep the water fresh, sweet and clean. I do also add apple-cider vinegar for stone abrasion (Dr. O contests this as an effective intervention). I have heard that a sprig of lavender helps algae reduction.
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 13, 2007 - 9:46 am:

Check this product out for helping to maintain a healthy water tank -- web site: KrystalTrough.com
I've just used this for the first time this week. Water tanks in Florida grow algae and get a bad odor very quickly. I've been scrubbing mine with a brush and dumping (weekly) more frequently than I would like -- water is a precious resource. Using this product you only need to begin with a CLEAN trough and add a packet of Krystal Trough, which will treat 10 to 500 gallons. It is All-natural, biodegradable, even safe for fish, birds as well as all animals. It was developed by a veterinarian.
Member:
kathleen

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 13, 2007 - 10:44 am:

VIcki,
How much does this product cost? It sounds like a great product.
Kathleen
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 13, 2007 - 6:55 pm:

I bought it about a year ago and didn't use it because I had not adequately researched the harmlessness to the animals. Like many, I was reluctant to try something new to me. It was not expensive, and I don't remember where I bought it or what it cost, but know that it was from a catalog and was a reasonable price. So far I am having good results. It is recommended to use a packet weekly, but since it is made for such huge amounts of water one can take that into consideration. One envelope treats up to 500 gallons. One box of envelopes treats up to 2000 gallons of water. I certainly like the idea of mixing a bit in weekly and not dumping out 100 + gallons of water that has gone bad, plus time spent scrubbing, etc.
Member:
dres

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 13, 2007 - 7:21 pm:

you know I don't think folks realize how PRECIOUS water is..I go to my daughter's home, she lives near a golf course ( wasted pasture but that is for another post) and folks are watering down their driveways? huh.. Think they know what a broom is..?
We have a low producing well.. we make due by being very thrifty with water.. when your well runs out you fast realize how important WATER is.. So i agree if this product will help me conserve with the water tanks... I'm buying..

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

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 13, 2007 - 7:59 pm:

Vicki, thanks so much for that link! I think I may give this stuff a try! I too, hate wasting water, but every Sunday, I dump and scrub and re-fill!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jun 14, 2007 - 8:00 am:

Concerning the Krystal Trough as a general policy we do not recommend using any product that will not list it's ingredients and concentration. A cursory perusal of the site and I cannot find what is in it. Does anyone have a container of the product that lists the ingredients?
DrO
Member:
kathleen

Posted on Thursday, Jun 14, 2007 - 11:39 am:

I sent an email a few days ago asking for more information than was on the website and for pricing. Have not heard back yet.
Kathleen
Member:
sully

Posted on Friday, Sep 7, 2007 - 1:57 pm:

I know this is an old post, but a new problem for me at the moment. I went to the website of Krystal and this is all they had about the ingredients.

6. What's in Krystal Trough Water Purifier?
As a veterinarian, safety was of critical importance to me in developing this product. My clients trust me to help keep their animals healthy. Krystal Trough contains all-natural microbes and enzymes. Unlike other products, it contains no copper or bleach. The active ingredients in Krystal Trough have been designated as "GRAS" by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or "Generally Recognized As Safe." The same ingredients used in Krystal Trough are also used to help keep water clean in shrimp and fish farms.

Sully
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Friday, Sep 7, 2007 - 5:27 pm:

I am sorry to say that I missed the June posts after mine about the Krystal Trough, and though I had the empty box for this product, I threw it out only a few days ago! When I was using it, the product did seem to help a great deal, but after using it for a month or so, I have been back to my old practice of scrubbing out the tank as soon as green begins to accumulate, then dumping and starting over again with new water. I'm kind of a purist, and felt a little nervous about adding anything to the drinking water. Though made in the U.S., it was packaged in China. If I can find anything listing the ingredients in my barn, I will post them.
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