# Stop algae growth in your bottles & buckets



## Lclevel (Jun 23, 2011)

I've read numerous complaints on this forum pertaining to the growth of algae in water bottles & buckets, so I wanted to share what I've been doing for years with GREAT success.-

I use a BLACK bucket with a BLACK lid for my auto-watering system. Sunlight does not penatrate through the black color, therefore algae doesn't grow.

I have also used white buckets, and then spray painted the exterior side of the bucket and lid with black paint.

Hope this helps someone.


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## Annika (Jun 4, 2011)

Great tip, thanks! I don't use an auto-water system but I do aspire to have one someday... and I will definitely remember this tip when I do!


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## Honorine (Feb 27, 2006)

You can also clorinate the water, think its a capful of bleach to 5 gallons? Works, does not hurt the rabbits.


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## arachyd (Feb 1, 2009)

I would not chlorinate the water. Rabbits rely heavily on the bacteria in their digestive tracts to process what they eat. Chlorine kills bacteria. Bleach works nicely to get everything clean but you have to rinse it out. I've found that a few wisps of hay are great for scrubbing out a bucket or crock quickly without chemicals - nicely abrasive.


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## Honorine (Feb 27, 2006)

arachyd said:


> I would not chlorinate the water. Rabbits rely heavily on the bacteria in their digestive tracts to process what they eat. Chlorine kills bacteria. Bleach works nicely to get everything clean but you have to rinse it out. I've found that a few wisps of hay are great for scrubbing out a bucket or crock quickly without chemicals - nicely abrasive.



If you have city water not well water most likely there is already chlorine in it. Its a very common practice to add it to treated water to kill waterborne bacteria. I've never had any problems with giving rabbits or any other animals chlorinated water, but then the 'chemical' aspect of it doesn't bother me.


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## dragonchick (Oct 10, 2007)

Leave the water in the sun for 30 minutes and the chlorine will disappear. Chlorine is very sun sensitive.


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## Fat Man (Mar 9, 2011)

Many water districts use chloramine which lasts longer than chlorine. Restricting sunlight can help retard algae growth. Even with restricted sunlight you can develop a coating of diatoms (brown algae), especially if you have high silicates in your water. If you have a large volume of water that sits long enough you will get bacterial growth when the chlorine/chloramine dissipates. Sooner or later you'll have to clean your system.


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## SherryB (Oct 10, 2012)

Will apple cider vinegar help?


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## SherryB (Oct 10, 2012)

Looking for some input here even though I know this post was an old post. It's new to me!


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## froebeli (Feb 14, 2012)

Algae needs sunlight and nutrients to grow. Either paint black (to reduce sunlight) or clean more frequently (to reduce nutrients) I don't think I would chlorinate the water (that's just my thought not based on any science)

I have not had any issues in the year I've been doing this. Rabbits are in a shed with a lot of sunlight, but not full sun. I currently use bottles.

Hopefully others will respond.


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## countryfied2011 (Jul 5, 2011)

I did a google search and it looks like it works in livestock tanks...try and see. Dont know whether the rabbits would like it..lol 

I would try it in a bucket..put it in the sun for a week and see if it works..what have you got to loose..lol


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## TMTex (Apr 5, 2013)

I was wondering about algae in the water bottles. I have the type with the tube and roller ball and translucent plastic bottles. My water is charcoal filtered and softened, so there's no chlorine. It's only a matter of time before algae rears its ugly head.

I doubt paint will stick, but maybe I can put some sort of covering over the bottles to block the light.


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## secuono (Sep 28, 2011)

I only use white buckets for refiling stations, the darker ones grow algae faster and the sun heats the water too much. I have 5gal buckets around the yard so I can easily turn to the nearest to refill water crocks for birds and rabbits. 
Algae alone isn't bad for anything, other than for aquariums where you want to see the fish. Problem shows up when you allow it to turn into sludge or rots. Clean water with algae growth will stay clean as long as you don't add contaminates to it. 
That said, I refill often and the buckets are cleaned and refilled every 2 days, so very little algae gets a chance. But the green bucket I have, it grows algae very fast and the water cooks in it. No longer use dark buckets other than for grass gathering.


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## Raymond James (Apr 15, 2013)

Not sure how can not have to clean the bottles at least once a month. Painting the bottles so there is no sunlight would keep some types of algae from growing and make cleaning easier . No way to then see how full bottles are.

Vinegar (week acid), hydrogen peroxide and chlorine if water supply is not already chlorinated would all help. 

But I am still not convinced you won't have to clean them at least every 4 to 6 weeks.


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## Fat Man (Mar 9, 2011)

we have two sets of bottles, they get fresh water morning and night. Every so often we put a set in the dishwasher.


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## bonnie in indiana (May 10, 2002)

With my chickens and quail, I clean once a week. I put all the waterers and dirty pans in a bucket of water and put in a half cup bleach or more. Soak overnight. Rinse slightly and reuse. You do not have to Scrub. The bleach eats the crud right off. 
I have 2 sets of waterers, so one set is always soaking. Works for me and my motto is: if I won't drink out of it---My birds ain't gonna either.


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## KS Homesteader (Aug 9, 2012)

I've never had problems with algae. I use crocks in the winter and bottles in the summer. Have enough so that I can put fresh ones out and take dirty/frozen ones in. Naturally, in the Winter, the crocks are sometimes replaced morning and evening. Bottles are switched out at least once a month. I run them through the dishwasher with about 1/2 as much Cascade as I use on my dishes. Only real work I do is on the tube/ball bearing/caps. I soak them in dishwater to soften up the cruddy stuff that gets on the tubes and scrub with a toothbrush. Then put them in a pan with water/bleach solution to soak for an hour or so. Pull them out of the bleach and dump them into a bucket of cold clean water as kind of a rinse. Pull them out of that bucket and put them into another bucket to dry - this is the bucket I store them in until they're needed for use. I've toyed with the idea of putting in some kind of automatic system but then what would I do with my excellent collection of crocks and bottles?!?


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