Prevent Algae from Growing in Your Birdbath

Welcome to the Member Ideas area! This community feature is where our members can post their own ideas. These posts are unedited and not necessarily endorsed by the National Gardening Association.
Posted by @flaflwrgrl on
To keep algae growth from your bird bath drop some pre-1982 copper pennies in. I have what I would call a normal size bird bath & I use 7 pennies. The reason for the pennies being pre-1982 is that before that year, the pennies contained copper, a natural algicide. You could also use a small length of copper pipe or tubing, or any other copper coin. I have found this to work extremely well with the exception of those times when the temperatures stay above 90 for extended periods. Copper is not safe for fish so this would not be a good thing to use in a fish aquarium or a pond that has fish in it.

Thumb of 2011-10-12/imapigeon/44c5ad Thumb of 2012-10-31/dave/82550a

Thumb of 2012-10-31/dave/76e360 Thumb of 2012-10-31/dave/2a0f6a


 
Comments and Discussion
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
Copper coins by bearsbydi7 Nov 18, 2021 1:56 AM 0
Hello by rjones61252 May 11, 2021 12:13 PM 1
Preventing Algae Growth in Birdbaths by davidg2156 Jul 11, 2020 10:32 AM 0
Untitled by ginnyhardwic May 17, 2018 5:27 PM 0
I never thought of that! by mnmat Jan 21, 2017 1:29 PM 1
Super, I will try next summer by Ktarak10 Jan 15, 2017 9:05 PM 1
Untitled by Bobbie40 May 15, 2016 12:38 PM 0
copper in a birdbath to prevent algae by pilot724 Mar 26, 2015 12:38 PM 4
Never thought of that! by KyWoods Mar 26, 2015 8:59 AM 86
this is not safe for fish by flaflwrgrl Mar 22, 2015 8:50 PM 0
would it work in a pond by elizabethg8 Mar 22, 2015 6:28 PM 5
Copper in bird baths by crstruiz Jan 16, 2015 5:42 AM 5
pennys in birdbath by hbrewer44 Jul 15, 2014 5:31 PM 1
Penny's in birdbath by Dotti May 29, 2014 12:54 PM 2
copper in bird bath by gayel May 28, 2014 3:32 PM 2
Copper in bird baths by Welance May 25, 2014 1:32 PM 3
Untitled by kladybug42 May 25, 2014 12:50 PM 1
Untitled by rdmtrk May 25, 2014 12:44 PM 2
Pennies and stings by lisenbyacr May 25, 2014 11:43 AM 1
Untitled by joolsgardener May 25, 2014 5:13 AM 0

Explore More:

Member Login:

( No account? Join now! )