Topic: Water?

[grogan197]

Ok, probably an unusual question but I have a huge water tank (500 gallon ish) which is full  of water that has sat there for at least 5 years and now smells stagnant. Will this be ok for watering or may it harbour nasties?

[saddad]

It may harbour nasties... but they are more likely to be "mossies" than anything to worry plants... you can try clearing it with charcoal or barley straw.. I'm sure someone who know what they are talking about will see this soon, or in the morning...  ::)

[thifasmom]

it might just be as saddad said mainly moss and algal growth has build up along with rotted leaves and such making it smell gross, might have the odd dead creature as well (i found two dead squirrels in mind last spring :-X, Ive learnt to keep it covered properly since).

some would say it can increase fungal diseases especially with young plants and seedlings but certainly established plants should fair well if watered from below IE not onto the leaves but at the root base.

you can always throw it out and start afresh as between now and the summer enough rain should fall to refill it.

[Robert_Brenchley]

It should be OK, as anaerobic bacteria are unlikely to be found anywhere near the surface, and they die in the presence of oxygen anyway. These things are best covered though, and it might be good to empty it at some point; you've probably got a layer of gently decaying leaves or something similar on the bottom. I once had an algal bloom in my water butt, which soon led to a vast plague of flies! Cover it, you'll keep out the dead leaves and the light, and the water will remain sweet.

[Deb P]

Funny that, OH and son have inherited a similar problem.....



I was just planning to empty it gradually when we had some mature plants to water, goodness knows what we could find at the bottom of it.....it has been inaccessable for ? years due to brambles running riot (as you can see still there at the side of it, some over 25' long!!)

[grogan197]

it might just be as saddad said mainly moss and algal growth has build up along with rotted leaves and such making it smell gross, might have the odd dead creature as well (i found two dead squirrels in mind last spring :-X, Ive learnt to keep it covered properly since).

some would say it can increase fungal diseases especially with young plants and seedlings but certainly established plants should fair well if watered from below IE not onto the leaves but at the root base.

you can always throw it out and start afresh as between now and the summer enough rain should fall to refill it.

Thanks, I'll try just using this water on the established plants and collect some fresh in a water butt for the younger plants.

In theory shouldn't be any dead things in the tank, it's a fully sealed unit. As far as I know it was filled up with mains water at one point. Think it was maybe filled up with either water from a small brook or greenhouse run off after that.

[vitaw]

I'm not sure about the science of stagnant/old water, but when we got our site last Sept. there were about 4 of those blue plastic water barrels (without lids) full of water, caterpillars, etc.  Some were splitting, ready to burst and just plain & simple in the wrong place for me...I was told to empty them & did so.  Once I figure out how to obtain something called a water key, I'll clean them out & get them ready to collect rain water, I suppose.  I'd rather keep them active, though, not let them just sit.

[ellie2cats]

You may have a pleasant surprise when you empty out.  We had a huge old open tank some years ago and decided to clear it out and there at the bottom were over a dozen frogs many coupled up.  Just left them there and let nature take its course.  Mother nature's interference make gardening fun.
Best wishes
Ellie

[grogan197]

Thanks for all the useful suggestions.

The water tanks is open topped, I had only felt the top before which seemed hard but that was only due to it been iced over  ::)

Took a look up there with a step ladder so got a better idea, My guess of 500 gallons was a bit off too. I haven't measured it properly yet but it is more like 10,000 gallons (picture below)

[caroline7758]

Lucky you- if we EVER have another hot summer you'll be laughing!

[Deb P]

That's not a water tank, that's a space shuttle! ;D

[Old bird]

Tell you what - when you clean it out you can have a swimming pool with that one!

Wow that is some water tank!

Personally - I wouldn't even attempt to empty it I would get a rake and fork (long handled!!) and get some of the worst of the stuff at the bottom - bung in a coupld of wads of barley straw to sweeten the water and leave be!

Unless the water is stagnant - I can't imagine that bugs in the water can be anything other than beneficial - incorporating food natural food in the water!

I may be simplistic though - good luck either way!

Old Bird

 ;D

[Larkshall]

If you want to stop the Mosquitoes from laying eggs in the water, pour some vegetable oil on top. Oil is the sure killer for all insects, it suffocates them.

Don't forget to empty the water tanks (especially plastic) in the autumn, then they won't split in prolonged frosty weather.

[Slug_killer]

I haven't measured it properly yet but it is more like 10,000 gallons ...

A 6ft high, 6ft dia tank would hold around 1000 gallons (4500 litres)

[cornykev]

BLOODY HELL Grogan  :o when you said you had a big tank I wasn't expecting half of Warickshires water supply on your plot.  :o            ???       ;D ;D ;D