What's the best way to keep a stock tank clean?

I scrub my stock tanks out with a long handled brush - I like to use brand new toilet brushes (old style) because they're cheap and shaped well for the job, but a good long handled brush of any sort works well.

I don't use cleaners on a daily or weekly basis. A little leftover dirt or algae, to my mind, is less of a hazard than leftover chemicals. I also don't like dumping soapy water or bleachy water on the ground in my pastures. You just never know what you're going to kill

When I do want to clean them out, I'll use plain table salt. It's abrasive, so it scrubs well, kills the algae etc., and doesn't poison the horses or wildlife. Considering the amount of road salt they use around here without destroying the grass, I don't think this small amount hurts the grass either.

Goldfish are actually very dirty fish. They poop a lot more than other fish. I'd try the algae eaters - I don't have problems with mosquito larvae. You have to make sure to keep the tank topped up, or the raccoons will fish them out. If you decide to clean the tank, you have to take the fish out. Then if you live in the north, you need a place for them to winter over. Too much effort for me. I also don't think it's a great life for them.

Just my thoughts.

I scrub the sides and bottom of our stock tanks ( they're made of hard rubber) with a long handled brush on a regular basis, and rinse them well afterwards. In summer, when it's warm outside and algae is a problem, I will sometimes use some Ajax or another commercial cleanser to kill the algae. As long as you remember to rinse the tank thoroughly after you scrub it, it's safe to do this and will not harm your horses.

I've seen the goldfish idea used too, but only in the South and in central and southern California, where it's warm year round. Goldfish are members of the carp family, which means that they feed on algae and on insect larve such as mosquito eggs. In order to keep the fish healthy, you have to ensure that they have an adequate supply of oxygen to breathe in the water, and that it doesn't become stagnant and overheat at any time. Stock tanks that have a float system for recharging the water are ideal candidates for goldfish, provided that the tanks are in a warm climate. You can't use goldfish in the winter up north, because cold temperatures will kill them.

I use an old mop! Once they've drank the water down a little I scrub it with the mop and then poor it out. And I never fill my tank more than 50% So I can keep the water real clean.

I think you just have to dive in and clean the darn things. I've heard of the fish thing, but I'm not keen on the idea. Fish do pee and poop after all, this puts ammonia in the water. So you'd have to change the water regularly anyway, so you might as well just clean the tank.

I dump mine when they get low and hose them out

You folks know that in the real world a horse will drink from a pond or puddle .

BtW "stock tank" is a man made pond in some parts of the word. For those of us with small tanks like troughs... They stay cleaner if the critters enjoy them on a regular basis

The average horse can drink close to 30 gallons a day in warm weather. 3 horses will just about force a fill up daily

100 gallons left out for one horse will tend to get stale and support more algae so size tanks to load

We are supposedly in the South, but the global warming or something gave us 6 F (minus 14 C) this winter for a while. I wish I understood this global temp stuff, but it's only for Scientists to know. My degree is physics, not climatism.

Clean it lol