My Garden

Water butts & stagnant water

Last post 06-07-2009 6:47 AM by Nigel. 40 replies.

• 14/10/2006 09:36 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact Do you collect water from downspouts Stumpy? digger

• 14/10/2006 09:42 PM	In reply to
  STUMPY Location: Joined on: 14 Oct 2006 Posts: 9	Reply | Contact YES I DO DIGGER

• 25/03/2007 10:45 AM

  In reply to

  oldlady Location: Joined on: 25 Mar 2007 Posts: 3

  Reply | Contact I've had terrible trouble with smelly water butts, which is a major problem as they are just outside my dining room. As a last resort, I used Ecover laundry bleach in my water butts. The butts are plastic with a plastic lid. I first dissolved the bleach granules in hot water, using about half a packet - be careful because it goes into a foam that rises a lot. I then poured it into the butts and replaced the lids. A couple of hours later I took off the lids. NO SMELL. There was a thick layer of crud on the top (not smelly) that I skimmed off with a seive. That was yesterday. This morning there is still no smell. Please tell me if there's a reason why I shouldn't do this. I look forward to any replies. Regards Oldlady

• 25/03/2007 11:13 AM

  In reply to

  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347

  Reply | Contact I'd agree that you should empty the butts and clean thoroughly. That will get rid of the algae that's in there. It won't do any harm to established plants, it might be OK for young ones too, but I wouldn't risk it. If the problem is mainly the smell, rather than leaves etc rotting then the charcoal should help. Bleach is probably fine for cleaning the butts, but I wouldn't want to water it onto plants. If it kills algae then there's a good chance it will kill your plants. Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 25/03/2007 02:14 PM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 5,200	Reply | Contact I agree with Phot's-Moll that the bleach could kill your plants, and I certainly wouldn't consider using the water on edible crops. It might probably be best to drain the water out completely, give the butts a good rinse out and start again. I cleaned ours out using washing up liquid and a scrubbing brush. sue1002

• 26/03/2007 01:10 PM

  In reply to

  Jeremy Location: Joined on: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 5

  Reply | Contact Make sure that the butt is properly covered. If it is kept dark, then the algae can't photosynthesize. If possible ensure that your butt is not in full sunlight, as this will make the water warm & encourage algae. Wherever possible, put it on the shady side of the house. I tend to put a few pottassium permangante crystals into the the water - 2 teaspoons per butt is usually sufficient. The water will go purple to begin with but will go clear in a couple of hours. Alternatively, get the Biotal rainwater treatment from your garden centre- this worked quite well. Jeremy

• 26/03/2007 03:27 PM

  In reply to

  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743

  Reply | Contact I have just come back from the lottie where i had been to water my dahlias, i went to one of my water butts and filled the water can when i began to pour the water i noticed that it stunk to high heaven so i didn't use the water, i went to the water butt and it was a bit cloudy and it humdinged something rotten so i tipped it over and the water ran free when i went to pick up the tub I noticed a minged stinking festering remains of a marrow that must have found its way in there? perhaps my young sonhad chucked it in, anyway it stunk and i will now have to clean the water tub but i will just use a scrubbing brush and elbow grease. digger

• 26/03/2007 03:32 PM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 5,200	Reply | Contact Hee hee hee, your son must be picking up on your antics digger. sue1002

• 28/03/2007 11:36 AM	In reply to
  oldlady Location: Joined on: 25 Mar 2007 Posts: 3	Reply | Contact Jeremy - Water butts are covered and in the shade. I think the smell must be rotting leaves that come down from the gutters. So far, no plants seem to be suffering from the water. However, I shall try your ideas next.

• 28/03/2007 12:27 PM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 5,200	Reply | Contact If the smell is from rotting leaves etc that comes down the drainpipe, try the same as me, I put old tights/stockings over the end of the drainpipe to catch the muck coming down, when it gets full take it off and swap it for another one. sue1002

• 10/04/2007 11:32 AM

  In reply to

  PROFF Location: Joined on: 10 Apr 2007 Posts: 3

  Reply | Contact Hi Sue. I have been using the tights trick for quite a few years now with a one hundered percent succses. The brand of tights is not that important but I found that the support type ( Higher Management Comments) were a little more durable. The amount of sludge that will be collected is fanominal. Don't discard the sludge, put it on the compost heap. All that nutiant is not to be waisted.

• 12/04/2007 01:38 PM

  In reply to

  J Bagnall Location: Joined on: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 2

  Reply | Contact Hello there I have read this thread with interest and wish to throw another question into the mix. At the risk of horrifying dedicated and much more experienced gardeners than I, my waterbutt receives water from the shower and bathroom sink. It too started to smell and I spent considerable time cleaning it out. When the inevitable water shortages arise again later this year, will charcoal be useful in preventing it from smelling due to the soap products or will I just have to keep cleaning it regularly? Also, is the water from this source suitable for watering the plants in my garden?

• 12/04/2007 05:13 PM

  In reply to

  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743

  Reply | Contact Hello j Bagnall, i am not surprised that your "grey water" hum dinged it is usually destined for the sewers, However i think your grey water will be okay to use on the garden with established plants but i think the idea is to use the grey water when it is available, ie after you have just had a bath, do you have a water meter installed? are you in a Southern region that is short of the wet stuff? digger

• 12/04/2007 05:27 PM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 5,200	Reply | Contact Digger is right, I remember reading or hearing somewhere (last year on Gardener's World I think) that grey water should be strained into a container first and used within an hour to established plants to prevent it from smelling. sue1002

• 15/04/2007 11:59 AM	In reply to
  J Bagnall Location: Joined on: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 2	Reply | Contact Sue and Digger - Thanks very much for the advice. I will make sure we use it more quickly now. You are correct in your assumption that I am from the south and am just waiting for someone to tell me we can't use the hose again!!