The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: gogogarden on June 01, 2013, 10:39:21 am
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Hi
I have got the use of an old (and large) galvanised water trough for my pigs. It has been sat unused in the corner of a field for the last 6 years or so, full of very green and algae-full water. I've emptied it out of as much muck as possible but a hard crust remains on the sides, presumably left by the past years of algae. Does anyone have any experience/advice on bringing such troughs back into action. Should I be concerned about the crust and any algae (potentially harmful?) left in it? Any good techniques for clearing the crust without damaging the galvanising?
Thanks!
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This is quite a good idea! http://www.fishchannel.com/setups/special/goldfish-cattle-troughs.aspx (http://www.fishchannel.com/setups/special/goldfish-cattle-troughs.aspx)
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Don't try to scrape the gunk off of the sides when it is dry ! Refill with water and allow the gunk to soak and soften , then clean off with i stiff brush , but not a wire brush ! A scrubbing brush , plastic or bristle , should do the job .
Don't use anything like washing up liquid in the water if animals can get at the water to drink .
Just allow the hard crust to soak and soften and then plenty of elbow grease should do the job .
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Thanks for the advice Rustyme and fifix. The trough is now soaking but I think it's going to take one heck of a lot of elbow grease: it'll be good for my biceps. I like the goldfish idea too - we already have them in the water tanks in our veg garden and they do a great job eating the midge larvae. Sadly these might be our last pigs for a while as we have to move and pigs might not be compatible with our new neighbours, so I won't be goldfish-ing the trough.