Going to use IBC 275 gallon totes for deer water troughs. Can I only use food grade totes for this? I ask because I've found a place that has some totes that contained some kind of soap and then some that contained some kind of chemical used in the printing industry. If I wash these out thoroughly will they be safe for deer? Thanks guys

Wash them out thoroughly using soap and let them ride around in your pickup for a couple of days about 1/2 or 2/3 full and the stopping and going will slosh water around and clean them up. We use them and have had no trouble. We find the cleanest that we can, clean them up and use them. They work good.

The polyethelene in the IBC's will absorb some chemicals. If so, you can't wash it out. If they are labled, look up the MSDS's to see if the chemicals stored in them were very toxic. If not, you may be good to go. I would absolutely not use them for human drinking or washing water though.

I'm thinking about doing this as well. Would like to see pics of everyone's watering setups.

In a feed pen, how long will it last in Spring-Summer months, Winter months on avg. with moderate use by deer?

I have two (275 gal) totes tied together currently serving as a water trough for deer. I have them raised about 6" on some leftover steel iron. The deer trough is a black rubbermaid low profile trough from Tractor Supply.

I paid $100/ea for food grade totes 4 years ago in Houston, havent priced them in a while as I have plenty.

I thought I had some pictures on my comp or phone of my setup but I dont.

The system works great, I fill another tote on back of my truck at camp, haul the water 1/2 mile, then gravity flow into the 2 totes at the trough.

In winter, the 2 totes last approx 2-3 months, 3 this year but we've had lots of rain. In summer, 4-6 weeks, but we have lots of wildlife there regularly drinking. Its fenced off from cattle, but when a herd of axis comes thru, you can watch in the game cam pics as the water level drops.

tx hunter, you might try your local water plant to get some totes.

I've actually found a couple places that sell food grade totes in the past couple days. On another note, how does one prevent algae growth? I've seen some people paint them. I even thought about using chlorine tablets. Don't know if chlorine is a good idea or not?

I got a $600 quote to spray mine with bedliner. Covered it with a tarp instead and it still turned green. Paint it black.

Not sure a deer cares about a little algae.

There is an ad on craiglist of a guy in Dallas that sells all sorts of barrels and totes. I would use only food grade totes in the application your suggesting. Some of these totes have chemicals that will be embedded within the plastic you can't wash out and could be harmful to wildlife. Also, you need to cover these units as you won't get just a little algae, but you will get a lot of algae if you don't. I don't have any on my new place, but I will be putting out two or three in areas where water is a long walk from the feed pens. If it's dry in the summer, they will drain 250g quick.

Every time I fill my totes up, I put about two cups of clorox bleach in each one of them. It helps with the algae grows inside the totes, and the wildlife dont mind it.

Note: my totes arent painted and still have some algae growth in them, especially during summer months. It floats to the top when filling them, so I just pull it out. I would recommend painting them though.

How far do y'all set the tote from the trough? How much incline is needed to get good flow?



Oh and....





I've just always wanted to do that...

I think painting them along with using bleach ought to keep the algae down to a minimum. If I have too I've even thought about building a plywood box/cover with tin roof to put over them. I think I'll paint them first and see how they do.

^^^^ Next time I go, which shouldnt be too long from now, Ill take some pictures. Totes are 46" high. I have a low profile trough from Tractor supply, it sits about 12" high, totes and trough are a few feet apart, so no problem with flow.

Just set the tote above you water trough and let gravity do the rest. For algae, use Airmax Stocktank defense that you can buy at TSC.

I have 2 275 gal totes that I use from may-Sept. They sit on 4 pallets so its above the water trough and float valve. I throw a small chlorine float for pool in each tank and it work well. I forgot once and it was nasty green.

That's not a bad idea. I know some folks use goldfish for the troughs too.

are you guys putting these in pens or do you let the hogs have water too? W have no cattle to worry about and I do not pen my feeders but may pen my protein feeders. thoughts?

Mines in a protein feeder pen, But we have no Hogs, Yet

I have two totes in Edwards County. I tried painting them but still got algae. I tried bleach but still got algae. I then spent about $10 on eBay and got some copper sulfate that is enough to last me for 50 years and haven't had any algae since. The stuff works miracles.

I've used copper sulfate to clear the algae from ponds before. Stuff is awesome. The thought never occurred to me to use it for the tanks lol.

Can one of yall explain the copper sulfate use. Is it safe for wildlife to ingest?

I was told that it depletes the oxygen level in the water thereby killing off the algae. Dont know if it's true or not. I do know a guy who added WAY (like several bags) too much to a small pond and a day later it'd killed all the fish in the pond.

Some reading on copper sulfate. CS itself doesn't deplete the O2. It's the death of O2 producing algae that causes the O2 depletion.

http://www.agweb.com/article/controlling_algae_in_livestock_water_tanks_naa_university_news_release/

http://www2.ca.uky.edu/wkrec/Bluestone.htm

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/cuso4gen.html