Quicksand Fans

Hi, folks

Over the years, I've maintained a couple of rather small, shallow clay pits from time to time, for recreational purposes. After a month or so of use, I find that deep underneath the surface, where the clay loses moisture quicker, a dark green growth (algae? mold? bacteria?) that has an unpleasant odor tends to develop. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to prevent this from happening?

I suppose small amounts of chemicals, like bleach, would do the trick, but bleach is certainly not good for your skin! Note that I make the clay from bags of dry powder, so it starts out "sterile", and I make my pits in places where bugs and animals are unlikely to encounter them.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

He's probably busy right now but email Fred if he doesn't respond to this post in a day or two. I promise he will give you an answer you can use.

1) prevent contamination to the extent possible by covering the pit.

2) keep it well-mixed.

3) You can add chlorine bleech from time to time. The chlorine wll evaporte fairly quickly so skin irritation is not an issue unless you add the bleech too close to when the pit will be used.

4) The algae is harmless.

5) The larger the pit the less the issue.

Just mix the bleach with water to dilute it to where it won't burn your skin, then add it to the pit. If it were mine, I would add an appropriate amount of bleach every time I added water.

Have you considered chlorine shock packs, like what they use in swimming pools? The benefits of a strong cleaning, without the harsh burn of cleaners. Use one every three months (more often if the mold continues to grow) and regular, low-dose chlorine treatments between shocks. Just check with your local hardware store or pool supply depot.

Also, if your pit is losing moisture below the surface before it loses it above the surface, check your seals for leaks. A leak may be draining the moisture from below and exposing the mud to bacterial growth. In addition, try running an alternate water delivery system below the surface. Easiest one that worked for me: a soak-through hose.

Wow, thanks for the advice, everyone! I'll try the bleach and the chlorine shock-packs and see how they work. You guys are the best!