Water Butt Treatment

LadyDee

Does anybody know of an MSE alternative to the Hoselock or similar treatments available please?

Lotus-eater

Yes nothing, I never treat my water in my water butt.

[Deleted User]

I use ceramic (fish tank) rings in a mesh bag. Water is nice and clear

Emma_whitnash

Anyone got any ideas for removing loads of sludge from the bottom of a water butt?? We inherited one which is permanently on bricks (is a tin barrel) so hard to clean out. The water absolutely hums as it's now stagnent

Lotus-eater

Empty it and clean it, there is no other way you can do it.

forgotmyname

Sterilising tablet like the ones for cleaning babies bottles. Try to use as few as possible.

Says non toxic on the label, Advised not to drink it though.

LadyDee

forgotmyname wrote: »

Sterilising tablet like the ones for cleaning babies bottles. Try to use as few as possible.

Says non toxic on the label, Advised not to drink it though.

Is this in reply to Emma's question? It would be less confusing if a new thread is started about cleaning water butts.

I posted the original thread in order to get advice on a brand new water butt installation to prevent it getting dirty.

savemoney

Me too I just empty it and clean it out once or twice a year with some bleach and then flush it. Butt is rarely full in Spring/Summer

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Yes nothing, I never treat my water in my water butt.

Lotus-eater

savemoney wrote: »

Me too I just empty it and clean it out once or twice a year with some bleach and then flush it. Butt is rarely full in Spring/Summer

I don't even do that. Once it's emptied in summer, I'll let it dry out for a few days, then flush through a little a the hose. Then let it fill up again with rain.
But last year it stayed with water in it all the time and still has some water in it from the year before and I've been watering my toms for weeks with it now and it's fine.
I could tell you stories of one of my butts staying with water in it for 5 years and I still use it. That one is covered though. Things like that. If it stinks I suspect I would clean it out, but I also suspect I would still use the water and it would be fine.
I wouldn't use bleach tbh, but that may be a personal thing.