algae in water

[rober]

it's been suggested to me by fellow beeks that i add a bit of bleach to my water pans to keep the water clean. any opinions on this?

[JP]

Why are you wanting to keep water pans clean?


...JP

[rober]

not the pans so much as the water. in this heat it turns to green muck pretty quick. i'm trying to keep the bees from returning to my neighbor's bird bath. some other neighbors now have some kiddy pools out now too.

[BlueBee]

Some people suggest adding bleach to give the water a chlorine smell so instead of going to the neighbors pool; they go to your chlorine smelling water.  At least that’s the hope.  We know bees get into pools and spas and we know that pool and spas are loaded with Chlorine.  Hence I would deduce that adding bleach to kill algae would do no harm to the bees.  However I never done it, so I don’t know for sure.   

It is amazing how quickly algae grows in this heat!  How about trying a soaker hose for a water source?

[rober]

problem with a soaker hose is the water bill. miller makes a pet waterer that is a galvanized pan with an auto float system for watering pets. as the water evaporates or is drunk it refills itself. tractor supply sells them. i might try one.

[Scadsobees]

If you can get a nice mat of algae forming on the top, that will keep the bees from drowning, as well as a stable platform where they can access the water right at their feet 

[CapnChkn]

Ok, I use a "hog pan" with a piece of plastic foundation propped on one side so the bees can land on it, and walk to the water.  I rinse it out every so often, and they don't seem to mind.  We also have a pond out there that I'm guessing they go to.

If you want to use Sodium Hypoclorite, Household bleach, to keep the water sterile, you wont need a lot at all.  If you remember back to the boy scout training, you can sterilize a quart of water with 1 or 2 drops of bleach and wait 20 minutes.  I use it in my Syrup.  4ml, or 4/5 a Teaspoon of bleach will keep a gallon sterile.

Since I usually make 2:1 syrup and store it, then dilute it, it will then be equivalent to 2 or less ml per.

[BlueBee]

Here is what I’ve got set up by my hives.  Currently a garden hose (the green thing) feeds a 1 gph dripper that is positioned between rocks in a planting flat of peat moss.  This is located under an apple tree so the water that drips out of the peat moss isn’t wasted.  If I’m not too lazy to turn it off at night, it goes thru about 12 gallons of water a day.  I’m on well water, but when I was on city water, I seem to recall the first 10,000 gallons was a fixed price.  12 gallons a day might not be too expensive. 

Yeah, I know this is a real eye sore!  When I have the time, I will try to beautify it a bit.