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25 Clean Cubos (How?) (Read 20980 times)
ddspain
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Clean Cubos (How?)
Sep 22nd, 2012 at 5:17pm
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I keep a couple of cubos full of water as back-up in case our mains agricultural water gets turned off.
Unfortunately it can go quite nasty very quickly. I want to be able to use it on the plants as well, so prefer not to put chlorine, or bleach in them.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to keep them fresh without nasty chemicals, please?
  
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Ritaratbag
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Re: Clean Cubos (How?)
Reply #1 - Sep 22nd, 2012 at 6:04pm
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How about painting the cubos.
This time of year there is less sunlight, so should help with the problem aswell.
  
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sue100
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Re: Clean Cubos (How?)
Reply #2 - Sep 22nd, 2012 at 6:54pm
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My advice, for what it is worth, is to firstly paint the outside of the cubes, then either build a wooden cover, or failing that cover with a tarpaulin or similar. The idea is to stop the light getting to the water. Also empty and re fill a few times each year to stop the water from going “stale”. The darker the paint the more the water will heat up – so covering is better –unless you want hot water ....
  
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Michael
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Re: Clean Cubos (How?)
Reply #3 - Sep 22nd, 2012 at 8:55pm
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I water my garden with chlorinated swimming pool water.  The turnover of water means I don't have to have quite the intensity of chlorine so no stinging eyes.  Chlorine in its natural state is a gas and will disappear without harming the plants unless you have a particularly high concentration.
  
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bruixot
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Re: Clean Cubos (How?)
Reply #4 - Sep 22nd, 2012 at 10:05pm
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I have cubos as reserve water for my animals if our agriculture mains goes offline. I covered them with wooden frame and plywood. The water stays clear and fresh and I have been using this system for several years. I just drop it and refill a few times a year especially after summer to avoid legionella which breeds with sufficient heat. Tarps would work to I guess but they decay fast in the sun and wind damage. I prefer a more permanent measure. You could also bury them if your drawing with a pump anyway. Or go the whole hog and brick them up.

The Royal Navy kept its water barrels fresh with a tot of rum. Don't know the ratio but I am sure it could be fun figuring it out. ; )
Bruixot
  
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ddspain
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Re: Clean Cubos (How?)
Reply #5 - Sep 23rd, 2012 at 9:38am
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Thanks everyone.
Looks like I will need to cover them, but want a cheap option.
1. I imagine paint is not cheap for something like this, if it is to last any time..
2. Unless can get cheap wood from somewhere this is usually an expensive option too, although lasts longer.
3. I have seen covers in Lidl sometimes for about €15, but still not that cheap and probably won´t last long.

Any suggestions for cheap, Tarps, Wood, or Paint, please?
Also, how do you know the level of the water when they are all covered up?
  
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Michael
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Re: Clean Cubos (How?)
Reply #6 - Sep 23rd, 2012 at 9:41am
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A cheap cover / tarpaulin first but also grow something like ivy or Russian vine that will smother the cubo in a few years.
  
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ddspain
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Re: Clean Cubos (How?)
Reply #7 - Sep 23rd, 2012 at 9:54am
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Michael wrote on Sep 23rd, 2012 at 9:41am:
A cheap cover / tarpaulin first but also grow something like ivy or Russian vine that will smother the cubo in a few years.


I can´t grow anything over them as they are on a concrete base up against the house.
+ still need to know where to get cheap cover etc.
  
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Nigel
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Re: Clean Cubos (How?)
Reply #8 - Sep 23rd, 2012 at 10:33am
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You could use reclaimed wood from pallets. There is a place on the outskirts of Tortosa where they convert old wood into chippings - there is usually a huge pile of assorted wood there.  Often people go and collect it from there - give the machine driver a few euros and he'll let you take what you want.

Nigel
  
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hhmunro
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Re: Clean Cubos (How?)
Reply #9 - Sep 23rd, 2012 at 11:17am
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Or take a trip to a commercial grower,as I did,they will sell you the black 'cloth' they use to cover the ground to stop growth,very cheap and UV resistant,there is one under the bridge at Benifallet
  
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Nobrot
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Re: Clean Cubos (How?)
Reply #10 - Sep 23rd, 2012 at 1:49pm
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Small B&Q type tarpaulin,with eyes and a length of bungee cord.The rest is easy.
  
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Fly_Boy
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Re: Clean Cubos (How?)
Reply #11 - Sep 23rd, 2012 at 3:59pm
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When full, if you add more water .... it wont go in  Grin


Or you could look at the top - remove cover first - lol Cheesy
  
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bruixot
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Re: Clean Cubos (How?)
Reply #12 - Sep 23rd, 2012 at 6:16pm
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I put a hatch on the top and one on the bottom for the tap. Though I have noticed water pouring out of the box when full so this is indeed a workable method too. : )
Bruixot
  
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Bigyin
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Re: Clean Cubos (How?)
Reply #13 - Sep 24th, 2012 at 9:07am
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If you're filling from a pumped source it's easy to incorporate a float switch to turn the pump off when full.
  
Where there's life there's hope !!
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brewnut
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Re: Clean Cubos (How?)
Reply #14 - Dec 11th, 2012 at 3:28pm
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Quote:
I keep a couple of cubos full of water as back-up in case our mains agricultural water gets turned off.
Unfortunately it can go quite nasty very quickly. I want to be able to use it on the plants as well, so prefer not to put chlorine, or bleach in them.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to keep them fresh without nasty chemicals, please?


You can use "Katadyn"  tablets; they're not a nasty chemical

Alfred
  
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