Converting satellite dish to watering trough?

[Ravenlost]

I have this crazy idea to convert my sister's old TV satellite dish into a watering trough for the horses. I thought we could use willow poles as a support around it to keep it from tilting over and plug the holes with caulking or some type waterproof sealant.

Do you think this would work?

Hubby thinks the dish would be to shallow, but he hasn't looked at it yet (because I haven't hauled it home from Alabama yet, but intend to do so soon!).

[Don Armstrong]

I'm inclined to think hubby is right. That's not only because he's a fellow male, and thus obviously on the right side of any argument.

It's also because the dish is probably too shallow.

Depends on the dish, of course. The ones I've seen have a very slight curve. That means there would be a wide rim of very shallow water around the edge, with only the very centre having any significant depth. That very centre might be too far out of reach.

I'd be inclined to go for half of a large drum (I think you have 50 US gallon ones). Either cut across, and have a half drum standing on end like a barrel, or cut lengthwise and have a standard-shape trough.

[TEXKAT]

We made a birdbath from a satelite dish...turned out real nice.
I agree that it would be too shallow for the horses.
Let us know what you decide.

[Maggie10]

The dish would be so shallow it would not only heat up the water really fast but allow alge to grow quickly too. Neither one would be good in a horse water tank. Maggie

[GrannyG]

It will work, beleive it or not. My DH had an old satellite dish about 10 ft or so across, it is white in color, but was obsolete and just sitting out side, so I had him take it off the stand, then I used Liquid Nails in all the holes to make them waterproof. I moved it out to the barnyard and set it up using old red clay blocks to keep it even on all sides. My geese just love it, and swim in it every day. The goats all drink from it even tho' they have their own water trough.To clean it out, I just let the water hose run in it from the well to freshen the water, and the geese play in all the water that runs out on the ground.

[Gary in ohio]

The dish would be to shallow as others have pointed out. A solid dish will make a nice cover for smaller critters. We have a neighbor that has a couple of them in their pasture and make little umbrellas out of them. low one for the chickens, anotherone for the goats. Looks like giant mushrooms growing in the field.

[fordson major]

is this a fiber glass dish or a mesh dish ? have seen both used as koi ponds but a bit shallow for hose watering, do make great sun shades though! or could use it as a dog pond! an industrial tire with a concrete bottem works realy well for horses.

[Ravenlost]

Thanks everyone. The horses have a pond in their pasture, but hubby's been using the wheelbarrow when they're in the barnlot, which isn't working very well.

It's a solid satellite dish. There's also a mesh dish there that I can have as well. My uncle used his old solid satellite dish as a roof on a gazebo he built my aunt. I was thinking of using the mesh dish as a frame to hang martin gourd houses on.

I'm sure if we can't use it as a watering trough that I can come up with some other use!

[Becky H.]

Originally Posted by Ravenlost

Thanks everyone. The horses have a pond in their pasture, but hubby's been using the wheelbarrow when they're in the barnlot, which isn't working very well.

It's a solid satellite dish. There's also a mesh dish there that I can have as well. My uncle used his old solid satellite dish as a roof on a gazebo he built my aunt. I was thinking of using the mesh dish as a frame to hang martin gourd houses on.

I'm sure if we can't use it as a watering trough that I can come up with some other use!

Another option for those is to take them in for metal recycling. They either make those out of aluminum or steel. They bring in $$ depending on the size and if made of aluminum. Take a magnet and put it over the various pieces of it, magnets don't stick to aluminum or other higher end metals. If it's aluminum, dismantle it and take it in for recycling. The big mesh ones take in the most $$ Take off all the steel (what a magnet sticks to) to get best price. Aluminum pays about 30-55 cents a pound, depending where you take it, less if it's still got some steel stuck to it. It will give you $$ Use steel for those stands, it's dirt cheap, and steel doesnt pay to recycle lately. If you don't want the $$, then I have heard of those used for gourd stands. They are nice looking

[Sparticle]

I read an article in Countryside where someone used those to keep their hay bales dry.