# BARLEY STRAW TO KEEP DOWN ALGAE?



## Performancemini (May 9, 2012)

Have any of you heard of or used barley straw (in small bag) to keep down algae in water tanks or tubs? Is it safe?


----------



## Genie (May 9, 2012)

*I have heard of using it in ponds.*


----------



## Minimor (May 9, 2012)

I wouldn't have thought it would reduce algae but of course that doesn't mean it won't. Personally I would not put any bag of barley straw in my water trough-straw goes slimy very quickly and barley straw is no exception. I have no interest in having a bag of slimy straw in my horse water and prefer to just clean the tank as often as necessary.


----------



## Minimor (May 9, 2012)

Double post but I will edit it to add-I can see it working better in ponds than in a stock tank.


----------



## Becky (May 9, 2012)

My feed store was selling those a few years ago and I bought a few to put in my stock tanks. I can't tell you if they work or not because my horses took them out of the tanks! I found them on the ground instead of in the stock tanks. So, I gave up.


----------



## sdust (May 9, 2012)

I did not find that the barley straw bag did any good at all. What I did find that works is a 12" section of copper pipe laying on the bottom of the tank, it did a wonderful job for me. I live at 9300 feet and the algae that grew in my tank was difficult to deal with. I had to clean my tank every three days! I put the copper pipe into the tank and now I clean the tank once a week and I am not wiping green goo off anymore. The pipe does need to be sanded every once in a while but that is an easy fix. I did have concerns about copper leaching into the water because I have a goat, but I have used the copper pipe since 2007 with no ill effects. Debbie


----------



## Genie (May 9, 2012)

Copper would be bad if there were sheep. Otherwise, for a horse tank it may be a good fix.


----------



## wingnut (May 9, 2012)

Thanks for the copper tubing tip! I'm going to give this a try!


----------



## earthchild (May 10, 2012)

I've heard of using goldfish as they eat algae as well as mosquito larvae. Just wondering about the fish poop.


----------



## Crabtree Farm (May 10, 2012)

Barley straw takes several months to properly break down for ponds, and liquid barley works quicker for ponds. Ultimately UV sterilizers really control algea in ponds.

As for goldfish, why would you want to add the fecal matter from a common comet into your animal? Not to mention that how goldfish are raised, do you want to introduce not only a different bacteria but a different line of parasites?


----------



## allaboutminis (May 10, 2012)

Crabtree Farm said:


> Barley straw takes several months to properly break down for ponds, and liquid barley works quicker for ponds. Ultimately UV sterilizers really control algea in ponds.
> 
> As for goldfish, why would you want to add the fecal matter from a common comet into your animal? Not to mention that how goldfish are raised, do you want to introduce not only a different bacteria but a different line of parasites?


Have to agree with you on this


----------



## brasstackminis (May 10, 2012)

I add so much water to my tanks, the amount of poo my 3 goldfish add to a 100 gallon tank is negligible IMO...oh and I bred them so no sickness from a breeding place. They do not do anything for my alge...they do keep the mosquito larve gone. Occasionally I scoop up my fish and rinse out the gunk from the bottom of the tanks. I am curious about the copper pipe. I would have no alge AND no mosquitos??? That would be cool! This year I added a water lilly from my pond...just to see what happens. The fish like it, but it is totally underwater right now so the horses don't know it is there...


----------



## Crabtree Farm (May 10, 2012)

Goldfish create waste in both a fecal and urine form. But for all forms of sanitation and health reason, it is a known fact that you must wash your hands after touching any water that fish inhabit. So if you have no concerns then why don't you get yourself a glass of it to drink. IMHO that is otherwise unsanitary.

Most important is any animal must have access to clean fresh water. But if you believe it is safe to do so, ask your vet. For me I clean my buckets and use Listerine to sanitize them. And my ponies are extremely healthy and I will do what I need to keep them that way. Troughs in the few fields are dumped and scrubbed every couple days.


----------



## wildoak (May 11, 2012)

I've had goldfish in my big troughs and in my pond for many years with no ill effects that I am aware of. I am more concerned about the risk of breeding mosquitos than gold fish



. No, I don't want to drink from it but then I don't eat off the ground either or sniff my neighbors manure lol... horses live in a different environment than we do, and I would assume have a tolerance for different bacteria. I can't control whether there are fish in my creek, or frogs in my pond, and they drink from both.

I haven't had much success with barley in the trough but I probably didn't give it a fair chance, had the same problem with horses pulling it out.

Jan


----------



## brasstackminis (May 11, 2012)

I am not afraid of a little alge! I would drink the water! But I also drink out of the hose!



I am far from being a germaphobe...and I am almost NEVER sick! I would be more worried about the GMO's in my horse feed than the fish poo and pee in the 100 gallon water trough that is always trickling over! Just sayin


----------



## Performancemini (May 11, 2012)

Well, the neighbor mentioned the barley sacks. Just thought I would ask. Our "troughs" are small rubber tubs that are easier for me (small and not so strong) to dump and refill. I get real tired of scrubbing them out with the scrub brush. All that algae and stuff sticks to the bottom so much. The best thing is when my husband power washes them out. I guess I need a lesson in how to work the power washer! (ya' think! LOL!)


----------

