WATER

[gardentg44]

As there is no running water on our site we have to catch all we can.

i have 18 45 gallon drums and 2 1000ltr tanks.

i have noticed that some of them have gone a funny colour,

some brown some green

i don't want to waste any ,will it be alright to use to water the plants?

or should i empty them and hope we get enough rain to fill them again?

or is there anything i can put in to clear the water?

[gardentg44]

[RobinOfTheHood]

It's probably algae. I use it anyway, but may be best to avoid it on young seedlings.

You can put a bit of Jeyes in it, or cover them with summat to keep the light out.

[tim_n]

green algae only adds a bit of extra nutrients.  I wouldn't drink from it though.

Not sure why seedlings might be at risk.  I've used really 'orrible green water on mine before and only had them come through stronger.  Most people use water straight from a tap with clorine in it, it's a lot more damaging than a bit of algae infested wet stuff.

[Robert_Brenchley]

It'll be fine for your plants, but the algae provide food for mosquito and midge larvae. I had a plague of flies one year when I had an algal bloom in my water butt. If you keep them covered, the algae die and that's the end of the problem.

[tim_n]

or put a couple of goldfish in the bottom of each barrel with some oxygenating weed.

Does a similar job as covering, but you have to feed your workers with small slugs.

[Barnowl]

I use Citrox in my barrels.