Rain Barrels

sss3 · #1 08/07/12, 03:12 PM

Read where to keep mosquitos and bugs out of rain barrles is to put goldfish in barrels. True?

Farmer Willy · #2 08/07/12, 04:13 PM

In this heat I'd be afraid of having them turn belly up. Why not put screen over the barrel and the skeeters out in the first place?

romysbaskets · #3 08/07/12, 04:19 PM

I only know that my 275 gallon rain water tank does not have insects in it at all and never has. I have been using it for several years now. It is a solid white color, not clear and it is kept on the side of my home to catch rain water off my gutter down spout. I have a fine screen I keep over the opening which prevents bugs from getting in there to lay those eggs to begin with...I have been told panty hose works but we get like a mini water fall so my fine screen is better to accommodate that much water at a time. I use this tank daily for my garden so that helps as it is never allowed to become stagnant. You can put gold fish in there if water sits as I have read about it but maybe if you screen the opening and make sure water is used regularly, you might not need to?

My neighbor uses open water barrels and has all kinds of insect problems. He just lets water run into an open top barrels and then the bugs just breed and multiply. I put my screen over my bigger tank when I first set it up just because I did not want pine needles and sediment in the water...I was not even thinking of the bugs at first. Later I realized the double benefit when I never saw bugs in mine.

Cliff · #4 08/07/12, 04:38 PM

Yes it works we try to keep some in our big water tanks that are filled by roof runoff. They're big and open so no other method would really work. Not all of them make it in the extreme heat we've had but they only cost 30 cents or so to replace.

imthedude · #5 08/07/12, 04:56 PM

unless you have a constant source of fresh water coming or some sort of aerator to keep a good supply of DO in the tank/barrel, they'll croak.

Steve in PA · #6 08/07/12, 07:11 PM

Would probably work fine. I have a drainage ditch in my yard that was quite full in the spring then loaded with mosquito wigglers. Instead of chemicals I bought a bunch of "feeder" goldfish 5/$1. They ate the mosquitos, but the ditch drained very quickly.

I found a bunch of them laying in the mud getting sunburnt. Being the softie that I am I put them in a small kiddie pool that my daughter outgrew. They've been out in it all summer and as best I can tell they're quite happy. The water is totally green, but if your still they come to the top to feed.

I haven't fed or watered them since spring.

Queen Bee · #7 08/07/12, 08:20 PM

I haven't tried the fish in mine barrels.. I use vinegar in mine.. Just a cup or two every few weeks, I also have a screen over my opening...

sss3 · #8 08/07/12, 09:24 PM

Assuming you mean white vin?

7thswan · #9 08/08/12, 06:27 AM

I also put them in water troughs.

jross · #10 08/08/12, 07:07 AM

I use the Rain Brothers system which is enclosed, so no bugs.

Jokarva · #11 08/08/12, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jross

I use the Rain Brothers system which is enclosed, so no bugs.

Me too, love it! And idiot proof to install too...

Any open water (birdbaths mostly) I use these Amazon.com: Summit 111-5 Mosquito Dunks, 20-Pack: Patio, Lawn & Garden they work great.

Paquebot · #12 08/08/12, 07:19 PM

About the time that it looks like mosquito wigglers are going to create a major swarm, add a dash or two of peanut oil. Everything will be dead within minutes. They suffocate.

Martin

jkhs · #13 08/10/12, 01:12 PM

Hmm...I wonder if minnows would work as well as the goldfish, that way I wouldn't feel obliged to winter the fish over indoors-I could just feed them to my son's turtle.