Algae in water bottles

[ollitos]

Some of our water bottles are getting algae inside them. What's the best way to prevent this and the best way to clean it?

 

[ladysown]

vinegar in the water bottles helps prevent.
I soak mine in bleach water. I try to do that on a monthly basis, but normally ends up every six weeks.

 

[6riversfarms]

vinegar in the water bottles helps prevent.
I soak mine in bleach water. I try to do that on a monthly basis, but normally ends up every six weeks.

I agree. Wash them in a bleach and water solution and let them air dry if possible.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I use a bottle brush to scrub out my gravity fed bottles. Supposedly, DE helps with algae, but unless you put it in a little baggy made out of panty hose or something, it would all settle in the tube.

I like the vinegar idea- I didn't know that helped, but it makes perfect sense.

 

[ottersatin]

One of the best and safest ways to clean a water bottle is to:
Place some small gravel or even Ice cubes into the bottle and
briskly shake with the lid on in all directions and even in circular motion.
This will; loosen up the Algae and it will rinse out.
You may have to do this a few times Even Salt will work.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[Legacy]

I always used raw rice to clean mine. If you use salt, I would recommend rock salt or ice cream salt.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I always used raw rice to clean mine.

Brilliant!

 

[Miss M]

I don't know why, but I don't have a problem with algae in my bottles. :shrug:

 

[Cindi Davis]

I do the Bleach and water in a bucket, let the bottles sit over night in the solution then air over night. Luckily I have enough of both bottles and bowls to do this at least monthly

 

[Secuono]

Algae wont kill anything, I don't worry about it much. Use a brush they sell for bottles. Shade the bottles or paint them black on the outside, algae needs light to grow.

 

[ladysown]

they don't need to sit long in a bleach solution...maybe half a day? I can do 23 bottles in one day, using one bucket..with no change of the water.

 

[6riversfarms]

they don't need to sit long in a bleach solution...maybe half a day? I can do 23 bottles in one day, using one bucket..with no change of the water.

I just wash them good in the bleach solution and let them dry. I dont rinse them. The bottles spend more time drying than soaking. I try to do it monthly but it probably averages 5 weeks. Im a week behind on everything lol. Mine stay pretty clean. I could probably wash them less often and they would stay clean but I like to bleach them to kill any germs or other microorganisms.

 

[skysthelimit]

I don't have an algae problem either, maybe because it's city water? Maybe because of the AC vinegar?

 

[akane]

Oddly we have no algae and we are on well water. Really though green and brown algaes are not harmful. We get them in the livestock tanks and mostly just ignore it unless it gets excessive. If anything algae cleans the water. It uses up contamination from things like field run off producing excess fertilizer in the water. It's black and blue green algae that can be harmful or even toxic.