05/11/2026
Managing Stock Tank Algae
Our cattle waterers are spring fed and are constantly running with fresh water. However, one of our waterers is full of algae. While algae is not typically harmful, it can impact taste and reduce water consumption by cattle.
This algae growth is likely due to hay being dropped in the waterer by our cattle.
In the past we have cleaned out algae as needed to try to cut it back and by summer it is usually gone.
We also have been utilizing goldfish in the tank which has seemed to help. However, it has been hard to get goldfish to survive. We had a handful who were doing really well but when we checked yesterday, we noticed that only one goldfish remained. Whether it be due to predators or being sucked down the outlet pipe during a heavy rainfall, we are not sure.
I would be interested to hear how others manage algae growth in their waterers. We are going to get some more goldfish once it warms up and we will be doing some more research to find a way to reduce algae growth. For example, adding a copper pipe into the waterer.
