any chemistry majors here?

[vmax]

I can't think of anyone else to ask this so I hope some of you can chime in

Why is it when I fill my livestock troughs with well water they stay clear and free of algae for several days but when I fill them with water from our municpal water system , green crap starts growing fast and is noticable in just a few days?

 

[RstyShcklfrd]

I have a degree in chemistry, but I don't know shit about algae. I'll make a guess and say that your well water is lacking in nutrients or has higher mineral content, and maybe the algae doesn't flourish as well in that environment.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Hard to say for sure - it may well be that you're towards the end of the line on your municipal supply line, and it's more "stale". You MIGHT try running it for say 20 minutes before putting it in the trough and see if that helps. Public Water Supplies have chlorine in 'em by law, but it can be consumed by biologicals present in the water, which renders it inert.

 

[vmax]

Hard to say for sure - it may well be that you're towards the end of the line on your municipal supply line, and it's more "stale". You MIGHT try running it for say 20 minutes before putting it in the trough and see if that helps. Public Water Supplies have chlorine in 'em by law, but it can be consumed by biologicals present in the water, which renders it inert.

at the rate that they charge me, I can't afford to run it that long. But it is a rural place and we don't use much water at all, probly under 500 gallons a month
I'm going back to the well water for livestock and what little irrigation I have.

 

[Texasjack]

Oddly, I do have a degree in chemistry.

You might be shocked to find what's growing in the faucet and nearby pipes. When we had to get the water at the plant checked, it was necessary to run the tap for 10-20 minutes to make sure the sample didn't pick up any biological contaminants. The well water has stuff growing in it as well, but not algae.

When I was a kid I used to help out on my mother's uncle's farm. What we did to keep the troughs clear was to put a copper pipe (cleaned off periodically) in the pipe that filled the tank. Algae does not like copper - even in small amounts. Golf courses use (or at least used to use) copper arsenate to keep their ponds looking clear. It also gives it a blue-green color that most people associate with "clean" water.

 

[Driller]

The deeper the well the less algae and bacteria in it. Very harsh environment underground. Good well water is almost germ free. Municipal water, depending on chlorine content varies. Also the chlorine dissapates once out in the open.

Driller

 

[TheDan]

Just throw a plecostomus in there

The copper pipe is a good idea. Copper kills lots of little nasties...

 

[effnoldguy]

Only microbrainology majors can be found here.

 

[Driller]

Just throw a plecostomus in there

The copper pipe is a good idea. Copper kills lots of little nasties...

Check the ph of your well water if you use copper. Low ph will eat that copper.

Driller

 

[35Remington]

Just throw a plecostomus in there

The copper pipe is a good idea. Copper kills lots of little nasties...

The plecostamus will eat algae for 8 months, and then decide they don't like it. In the meantime, they'll start sucking the slime coating off the game fish. Not a good plan.

 

[Shotgun Jeremy]

I didn't know that about copper. If I throw a copper pipe in my turtle tank, will it hurt any of the fish or the turtle?

 

[dvmpiper]

Unless your water is low pH, or acid, the copper would slowly leach into the water. Copper is a decent antibacterial, like silver is. Betcha the OP has mineral content in the well water that inhibits growth of algae. If it works, and doesn't cost, use the well water. Proof is in the pudding.

 

[TheDan]

The plecostamus will eat algae for 8 months, and then decide they don't like it. In the meantime, they'll start sucking the slime coating off the game fish. Not a good plan.

You keep game fish in a water trough? lol

 

[vmax]

Just throw a plecostomus in there

The copper pipe is a good idea. Copper kills lots of little nasties...

If I threw any kind of fish in that water trough, I'm sure a hungry coon would scoop it out of there for a meal