It’s great that it adds another element of enhancements to the environment, but it’s getting to be a pain to keep tanks clean. For guys that run tanks long term throughout the year, anything you do to reduce the slime?
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We have a kiddy pool we keep in our backyard for the dogs all summer and it gets nasty also. The only way I’ve found is to keep changing the water frequently and scrubbing it with a scrub brush which sucks.
I haven’t tried this yet but had the same issue with the green crap, which is Algae.
There are 2 chemicals used in a pool. 1 is called Pool Complete and the other is Algae complete. Both are used at a rate of about 1-4 oz. per 8000 gallons of water. I don’t believe either are toxic, at least I hope not since you swim in it.
Obviously you could reduce that amount a lot for a couple hundred gallon watering tank. Even using just the Algae preventer would be a huge help and I’m sure a pool place would say people ingest pool water all the time.
Such as kids, who for some reason like the taste of it!
In a Real dry year like this one, I’m sure that really helps the deer put and gives then one more reason to stay on your property. How often are you needing to refill the tub? Hope you can find a way to help keep them clean.
I just put out 2 of those black cattle troughs last weekend. Each holds about 20 to 40 gallons.
Reason: I keep an ice cream pail by the hydrant for the dog full of water. Last Friday and Saturday, the deer were up by the apple trees and drank it dry both nights.
I put the tubs out Saturday afternoon. I’ve had to add 10 gallons of water every day to each tub since I put them out. It’s hard to believe but they must be drinking about 10 gallons from each every single day.
What did Brody say in Jaws? I’m gonna need bigger tubs.
Well, something like that.
We started doing this setting plastic drums in the ground cut in half…back in the late 90s in a half dozen spots on our land. The cameras have shown they definitely are frequented, despite them turning scummy or getting sediment in the bottom. Deer are animals, it’s not like they’re out pounding bottles of Aquafina. We shovel the junk out in the Spring and maybe revisit them a handful of times per year to top them off or dip a little scum out if we remember.
I’d fill them and not worry about it. When you are there managing food plots or cameras immediately nearby maybe tend to them.
I’m with Bucky. If the deer drink out out of the nasty run off ponds in farm country, which they do, I wouldn’t worry about a little alge.
Some of my cattle customers use a product called Stock-Plex in their pasture tanks and they swear it’s the best. Probably won’t need it any more with cooler weather. Something to keep in mind for next year. You might want to look into an electric tank heater if you have power near by. Cold is coming.
Don’t put water in it til October. On the land I hunt in Kansas we rarely saw bucks hit water until they started roaming around more/checking does and the grasses aren’t so green. Deer get a tremendous amount of the water they need from the green vegetation. If you’re inclined to do it year round it’s gonna be a chore to keep it filled and cleaned. I dunno just my humble obvservations
Da boys have been on it since May.
I currently empty it and fresh water every two weeks. About 40-45 gallons. When water is fresh, they are on it. As soon as it gets slimy, they leave it alone.
Maybe I spoil them too much
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Have 75 gallon tank and start filling in August. Just over fill till clean. Then as needed. Use large 500 gallin tank with 1.5 inch pipe. Leave stick laying out so mice that fall in can get out
First year I put a tank out it got scummy bad since then I haven’t had an issue. People that have been doing it a long time also recommend adding dirt to the water not having pure fresh water. bought another tank this year made especially for a deer pond which is maybe 10″ deep but is a 70 gallon tank and is coated with a textured dirt material. Not that cheap but you don’t have to dig deep holes which is nice, and no stick needed because of the tapered sides and texture. Once they find them they are on it.
Get some mini barley straw bales from menards in lawn and garden pond section and keep your tank in the shade.
On the property I hunt a spot for some of that powdered mineral was established many years ago. We quit putting the mineral out maybe ten years back, but water has always accumulated at that location and even this far in the future one can see the mineral crystals on the soil surface if the water does dry up. Over the years the deer have pawed out a hole there that stays fairly full of water except in the driest of times. This year the landowner has put in maybe 200 gallons this late fall but at last check the water hole was holding quite a bit of water. The hole is about three feet deep now where the deer still scrounge for the mineral trace and the water hole portion is about 8 feet around. Even when it’s been dry weather that waterhole stays very damp.
There are five primary trails that lead directly to this waterhole and cameras show daily use even when dry with deer licking the crystals and even eating the dirt.
In 20 years we have and will never clean the tanks/waterholes. We learned real fast clean water is not normal to the deer and affects the waterhole usage. Only thing we do is put a 2-3” diameter branch that is long enough to make it from one end other tank and goes out the other end. This gives critters like squirrels a chance to get out if they fall in. Not fun having dead squirrels/mice in the water – and the deer won’t touch it then
I’m going to add here and observation regarding water hole use: I see way more deer using the water where I hunt right smack in the middle of the day, 11 to about 3. Once in a while I’ll see a deer meander over to the water just as it’s getting too dark to shoot. I can’t recall ever moving a deer off the water coming into the stand in the dark of morning. I know the deer use the water at night, based on camera shots and new tracks in the mud. Early and late are not the times I look for deer on the stand, but mid-day at the water can be hot. I’ve taken several bucks in the dead of daytime looking to take a drink.
See if this works… I haven’t looked at all of these, but there might be a clue or two
Mark
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