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Water trough rusting any advice

LindzHLindzH Posts: 37
in Problem solving
Hi all I had cleaned out my large metal water trough,  as we had little rain, just emptied and scrubbed, rinsed, emptied again, and after a week or so, I noticed that the water has gone a horrible green. It's never done this before, is it the rust? I don't want to water and be eating veg watered by strange green stuff.  Photo of inside of trough. Any advice on keeping the water clear. I have solar sprinkler to stop the gnats. Should I line the trough? If so how do I attach without ruining the trough? 
Thanks so much in advance!

Posts

  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited June 2023
    You can buy commercial derusters.  Choose one that says "phophoric acid" as these will passivate the iron to prevent reoccurrence.  Make sure it's thoroughly dry fitst.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I thought rust would make the water orangey-brown not green? Maybe it's algae.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2023
    Sounds like algae to me. Sunlight on the water will encourage that. Put a lid on it. It won’t harm your plants or you tho. It’s found in virtually every pond throughout the land 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LindzHLindzH Posts: 37
    It had only been full for 4 or 5 days. Didn't think algae could form that quickly. Only thing is, if I put a lid on it I have no form of collecting water when it rains, and my garden is away from the house up steps and on a hill 😕
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    On warm sunny days algae can form really quickly … but it really will not harm you or your plants, so if you can’t put a lid on it then I’d just tolerate the greenish water. 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,847
    I wonder if a sacrificial anode would prevent a steel water tank from rusting, I see that aluminium works as an anode so wonder if an aluminium drink's can hanging in the water from a bare copper wire would stop corrosion, it seems too simple to work if I had a steel tank I would try it.
  • LindzHLindzH Posts: 37
    @barry island That sounds like an easy fix idea! 
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited June 2023
    I does sound like a good idea.  But not yet a easy fix.  Needs more research.  Was your tank galvanised? That would be relevant.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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