WARRENRN1 wrote:
i like to feed the birds in my area.... and would also like to provide
water
for them.... to drink and bathe.... but my cement bird bath grows
algae at an
incredible rate.... short of cleaning it every day.... which is not
something
i am thinking about.... is there any additives that i can put in the
water to
prevent algae formation?


That reminds me... I need to clean and fill the birdbath yet today.

It's not much different than leaving water out for a dog or cat. The
more (and deeper) the water, the more shade, and you might be able to
get a couple of days out of the water. But chances are if you are
serious about this, you will need to maintain it every day.

You don't have to scrub it down every day. Emptying the dirty water, and
a quick rinse is often all that's needed, depending on other conditions.
But even under ideal conditions, a concrete bird bath should be cleaned
(as in scrubbing and rinsing with plain water) at least once a week. A
non-porous resin birdbath may be able to go longer without a real
cleaning, but I'd still suggest a dump, rinse and fill every day.

Would you want to drink water that sat outside for more than a day?

--
Warren H.

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