# Water Butt Contamination Advice



## shangman (17 Sep 2021)

In my garden I have good-sized waterbutt, about 250L. It is covered but has several holes in the top. I washed and clean it out in early summer. 

Last week it was 50% full, and I got out about 20 litres. I noticed a large (10cm) gross dead slug in there, which got caught in my wateringcan and I deposited it amongst the flowers. It smelt bad, like all dead snails and slugs do, but I thought oh well the waterbutt is large it'll probs be fine and the water just made it look massive. When I got the water in the house I put it in a bucket, and then realised the water itself smelt kinda gross and snail-y, so I poured it down the drain rather than use it.

Yesterday my dad wanted to topoff one of the aquariums with rainwater, so I told him to test the water in garden waterbutt - we've had a big downpour so I thought it might have filled up enough to make the water ok. 
The results were:
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
Apparently it also doesn't smell any more.

I told him to not use the water and we'll have to use water from the butts at the allotment at the weekend instead and I'll ask you guys what to do. 

Should I completely drain this one and get rid of all the water, or can I add some Prime and wait for it to fill again to water it down? It just takes a while for it to fill up so I wanted to ask before draining it. All the tanks are planted so nitrate isn't an issue, but also I don't want to upset the livestock. I will see if I can install some sort of net so slugs don't die in it again, though they seem good at getting everywhere in the garden.


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## zozo (17 Sep 2021)

I do have loads of land snails and slugs in my garden and several tubs of water with plants and fish and an open sump filter that is partially covered with plant pots, more covered than open actually... And I regularly find drowned land snails that fell in the buckets... I always take them out as soon I see them. Don't know and can't see what all ends up in the partially open sump... Not so long ago I cleaned out the sump and something strange-looking and after netting it out it was a dead and naked mouse partially decayed.  Don't know how long it was in there, I guess weeks... Since that time I have a large piece of bark standing in the sump so that what falls in can climb out again.

Anyway, I never noticed any ill effects... Might be the plants preventing nasties from happening and accumulating I don't know...

Most snails are rather stupid, they fall in and probably think they can swim. Don't get out at their own devices. I have once seen one in the outdoor aquarium munching on algae submerged. After a day it didn't move any longer and then the goldfish shredded it apart. What was left I took out. I have actually no idea how many slugs end up in the sump and die and rot away... Beats me, but I know they occasionally fall in. Never smell anything bad only swampy smell... 

Oh? And I do have loads of worms in the sump that get in one way or another... That might help as well... A natural cycle of life...  Eat or be eaten.

Might be an idea for you, catch a bunch of earthworms and throw them in the butt, they are called earthworms but don't mind living aquatic is seems.
Cleaners!?


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## Karmicnull (18 Sep 2021)

Our water butts also regularly get slugs and spiders dropping in.  I presume that's partly why the water has a slight greenish tinge to it.  I do nothing about then whatsoever! Fish seem perfectly happy.


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## MWood (18 Sep 2021)

I drain and spray down the butt a couple of times a year, but otherwise do little else and all seems fine. It usually has daphnia in I use as a rough check, along with the sniff test… mine is around half the volume though, so nothing stands around for very long. I keep meaning to get another to connect up to it…


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## Oldguy (21 Sep 2021)

shangman said:


> snails and slugs


I had a similar problem with my collecting butt. I put a copper self adhesive band, sold as a slug deterrent in garden centres, around the butt. 

I also bought boat anti-fouling paint from a ship's chandlers and painted rings round the butt and down pipe (the overflow goes into the down pipe from the gutter.

Must re paint as its starting to flake. Slugs and snails do not like boat anti-fouling paint.
An annual drain and clean out is a good policy but not a nice job in the rain. Perhaps a better way of timing maintenance is via the Met Office forecast.


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## Garuf (21 Sep 2021)

Maybe Darrel will know better, but wouldn’t this be a job for activated charcoal?


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## dw1305 (22 Sep 2021)

Hi all,


Garuf said:


> Maybe Darrel will know better, but wouldn’t this be a job for activated charcoal?


It would help.

I think the real secret is to try and keep slugs and snails out of the water butt. This time of year you have a particular problem, because large <"_Arion_ _ater_ group. slugs"> are really numerous and Garden Snails (<"_Cornu aspersum_">) are looking for places to hibernate.

I use a plant pot, wedged in, or over, the pipe. I tried mesh but it clogged too quickly.  Plastic plant pots come in a range of sizes, and in both square and round profile, so will fit most pipes. The litte Teku type Net Pots (the ones aquarium plants come potted in) are useful for diverter kits etc., if you can't get access to the main down pipe.

cheers Darrel


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## shangman (17 Oct 2021)

Just realised I never responded or updated this thread!

When all this gross slug stuff happened the waterbutt was 50% full. I left it for a week and we had some fortuitous rain which filled the butt up completely, and when I tested it the ammonia (and nitrite) were back to 0, so no worries. So I've just been using it as normal again and had no tank problems from it.

Honestly though it was a massive slug and the water smelt DISGUSTING when it happened! But it seems like nature cleaned it out for me well 

I'm definitely going to try some of the techniques you have all suggested to dis-encourage slugs exploring the waterbutt again, prevention is definitely better than cure here! I have some plant pots I will add to the end of the tube, plus I think will try the copper band and something floating inside the tank for anything drowning to climb onto as well. Thank you for all your suggestions and advice 😍


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## DogTailRed2 (27 Oct 2021)

Make sure to seal the top of the butt securely and never use a loose or swing fitting lid.
Animals jump onto the butt lid, fall in and drown.
I covered mine with a secure fitting lid over which I drape a plastic tarp which I strap to the butt with luggage straps.


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## swyftfeet (10 Nov 2021)

shangman said:


> Just realised I never responded or updated this thread!
> 
> When all this gross slug stuff happened the waterbutt was 50% full. I left it for a week and we had some fortuitous rain which filled the butt up completely, and when I tested it the ammonia (and nitrite) were back to 0, so no worries. So I've just been using it as normal again and had no tank problems from it.
> 
> ...


 wonderful job cycling your rain butt!


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