On Mon, 23 May 2011 12:06:46 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

On Mon, 23 May 2011 11:14:05 +0100, Moonraker wrote:

Hi, can anybody suggest a cheaper alternative to the rather
expensive
ones on the market please?

I have used redundant fruit juice barrels ...

Our neighbour has a huge plastic tank which was taken from a
building
...

Check if your local water company subsidises them, mine does, ...

How do either of those answer the question about treatments? Mind you
I don't know what a water butt treatment is either or the reasons for
wanting to use one.

Maybe something like this:
http://www.gardencentre.co.uk/produc...r=gbase&ad=860

I think the straight answer to the original question is that the
cheaper alternative is a bit of elbow grease - pick a time when it's
almost empty and give it a good clean if it needs it. A quick jet
clean with a Karcher a few times a year is all I ever do, mainly to
get rid of muck that washes down from the gutters.