How to get rid of algae in a horse water trough.
Our nutrition expert can help you keep the blooms in your horse's water trough to a minimum.
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It's a common problem when temperatures start to rise.algae need water, sunlight, and a source of nutrition to grow.The organic material that has blown into the trough, or even your horse's saliva, can be the source of the vitamins.
Certain types of blue-green algae can cause problems if they release toxins.A lot of algae can make the water less desirable to your horse.It's a smart idea to keep the blooms to a minimum.Here are a few solutions.
Sun exposure can be reduced by placing a shade structure over troughs.This incurs a cost and might not work in some locations.
It is possible to empty and scrub troughs.To get the best results, use a scrubbing brush or stiff grooming brush.I was asked to empty my water trough a few days before my mustang appointment.The horse had feet like iron in the summer, and standing in moist ground every time he drank for a few days before a trimming appointment made the job much easier.
Adding chlorine bleach to troughs can be done at a rate of 2 to 3 ounces per 100 gallons of water.You will need to repeat this weekly in hot regions because the chlorine will burn off gradually.Before allowing horses to drink, make sure the bleach is mixed thoroughly.
You can reduce the growth of algae by adding copper sulfate.It needs to be dissolved in warm water before being added to the trough.If you want to make a 300-gallon trough, you have to pour the solution evenly into it.Again, make sure it is incorporated well before giving horses access.Although safe for horses, cattle, and dogs, copper is very toxic to sheep, which is an important consideration if your horses share their water trough with other animals.If your horses share their water source with sheep, avoid this method.
Another option is zinc sulfate.If you use this, add 1 cup in 1 gallon of warm water to a 100 gallon trough.
There are commercial products for ridding troughs of algae.Many contain copper sulfate.Follow the recommendations of the manufacturers.
Adding gold fish to your troughs can help reduce the amount of algae.Regular gold fish are cheap and work well, and some people like to use plecostomus, which is a type of algae eater.Pick a plecos that will do well in your environment.
Oxygen availability in a trough might not support a lot of fish.Ice will need to be broken daily in the winter so that the water doesn't get too hot.
When you clean your trough by hand, make sure to check for dead fish that might release toxins into the water.A friend had to go on a rescue mission because she forgot that her nephew put his goldfish in it.
It is thought that when submerged in water and exposed to the sun, the straw emits a chemical that retards growth.It will not kill existing algae but will prevent new growth.
In Great Britain and Pennsylvania State University, straw should be added to troughs.It takes several weeks at 50o Fahrenheit, but only one to two weeks when water temperatures rise to 70o.
Researchers recommend using 10 to 25 grams of straw per meter.If fish live in the trough, don't add more straw because it will kill them.
The straw should be placed at the bottom of the trough.Pond supply stores sell premade balls.
As temperatures rise this summer, keeping the water free of algae will help keep your horse drinking.
The owner of Summit Equine Nutrition is a PhD.She works as a consultant with owners/trainers and veterinarians across the United States and globally to take the guess work out of feeding horses.She works with all equids, from WEG competitors to Miniature donkeys and everything in between.She received her undergraduate degree at Edinburgh University, in Scotland, and her master's and doctorate in nutrition at the University of California, Davis.She was an active member of the U.K. Pony Club and competed in a wide array of disciplines.She is the district commissioner for the Salt River Pony Club.
I use swimming pool chlorine tabs to control the algae in my horse troughs.They can be broken down into smaller pieces.Quality tabs are not the ones Walmart or similar stores sell.The people who service my pool give me mine.The horses always have the same tasting water when I use them.A 70 pound pail of 3′′ tabs lasts me a year or more and I have one big trough for my Belgian mare.I have been doing this for a long time with no ill effects.If we could find a way to remove the dust from the water.There is a person named Maureen Arnold.