Help !! Bird bath is a pond !

[flossy]

   You will understand my problem  --  hopefully !

   Have a stone bird bath, lovely wedding pressie  that has lasted us three house moves ,

   --- so why I came onto this thread is because I can't keep it clean, and I thought you pondy

  people could advise me  ---   What I have to do is go with a gallon of water and a toilet brush,

  most days -- and empty, scrub, rinse,  and again before it is free of  ''  sludge  '',

  green and brown  --         have tried it in the shade -- didn't work !   

  Is there something kind to birds that would stop this ' growth ' as I worry about infection ?

  - something I could put in the water ?

   with thanks,

   floss xxx

[flossy]

  ........ or maybe I can paint it with  ' masonary paint ' ?

  It was originaly I think, floss,

[debster]

would cider vinegar help, it is certainly safe for birds cos i put it in freddies drinking water and spray bottle and he is a parrot

[flossy]

  debster, thanks so much for your reply ,    what does cider vinegar do please ?

  floss, xxx

[debster]

im not certain it will help put vinegar is a natural disinfectant, it certainly kills fungus and it is definately safe for birds i just wondered if it would help no science to prove it will though sorry

[Baccy Man]

Adding copper (a couple of pennies) inhibits algae growth, vinegar will help keep the water clear neither will be harmful to the birds. You can only slow down the rate algae grows you can't stop it completely.

There is a guide to cleaning a bird bath here:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5011814_clean-algae-off-birdbath.html