DIY water trough?

[secuono]

So, I'm tired of ice & tiny troughs.
Low, large troughs are hard to find, like pictured. There's a company in Nebraska that has them, but freight is a killer.
I'm thinking I'll have to DIY one instead and it may end up cheaper. Like I've made my pond bogs, pond liner and blocks. Probably use hardware cloth to line bottom to stop mice, voles & such from putting holes in it.
Has anyone else made their own?

 

[Mini Horses]

I see that holds 70 gal. I have some short, black, hold 40 gal. Get a few. Does that company ship to any stores/outlets closer? Then pickup or closer ship fees. I have full sized goats but, babes need these shorter ones. You have a lot of short adults

ETA...When I look up Behlen, it shows TSC supplies. Have it ordered to your local store...no shipping.

 

[secuono]

I see that holds 70 gal. I have some short, black, hold 40 gal. Get a few. Does that company ship to any stores/outlets closer? Then pickup or closer ship fees. I have full sized goats but, babes need these shorter ones. You have a lot of short adults

ETA...When I look up Behlen, it shows TSC supplies. Have it ordered to your local store...no shipping.

It's 70gal, only available to ship to home, not to store, for my area. And they are charging shipping to stores now on random items.

I would have to buy multiple heaters & extension cords for multi troughs, I want to use just one. This old house doesn't have the room to add several heaters without failures. I play musical troughs already with the one I have & the 150ft of extension cord.

 

[Mini Horses]

Wow, I didn't know TSC charged shipping like that! Boo!!

 

[Baymule]

I never tried making my own water tub. How long does your freezing temperatures usually last? All winter or just on cold spells? Your blocks and pond liner would probably work for short term. I say go for it.

 

[secuono]

Wow, I didn't know TSC charged shipping like that! Boo!!

They also randomly cancel paid orders or keep you waiting weeks and weeks for it to come in. Ugh.
But at least they price match.

 

[secuono]

I never tried making my own water tub. How long does your freezing temperatures usually last? All winter or just on cold spells? Your blocks and pond liner would probably work for short term. I say go for it.

This year is a cold one. My new pond froze over 4in thick, pumps had to be out. Only gets that cold every 3-4yrs or so.
This time, 3 days of below 32F days and 5-8F nights. Even the huge livestock mud pond froze over & I had to holes for the horses & ewes out there.
But it usually is just the once for super cold. Rest of winter tends to be around 32 or higher.
40F tomorrow, so, 37 or so in my area, always about 3 degrees lower. We call va bipolar, she just can't decide what season it is!


My new bog & pond. Bog is full block, 45ml epdm liner. There's 15×8 feet or so excess I could use.
Trough would made similarly, just much smaller.

 

[Baymule]

I clicked on a random FB video last night on keeping water troughs from freezing up. This guy had a galvanized water tank with a trolling motor in it. It was connected to a battery which was connected to a solar panel. The trolling motor kept the water churning and it didn’t freeze.

Just had a thought, if you build a concrete block and pond liner water trough, could you put a heating element under the pond liner to keep the water warm?

 

[secuono]

I clicked on a random FB video last night on keeping water troughs from freezing up. This guy had a galvanized water tank with a trolling motor in it. It was connected to a battery which was connected to a solar panel. The trolling motor kept the water churning and it didn’t freeze.

Just had a thought, if you build a concrete block and pond liner water trough, could you put a heating element under the pond liner to keep the water warm?

Heaters melt plastic/rubber. Even aquarium heaters can, some even burn fish if they get themselves somehow wedged against it.
A sprouting heater mat won't melt, but is no where hot enough to heat much of anything else.

 

[Show Sebright]

Could you use one of the live stock water nipples or the little bowl that fills up when bumped? The pigs only get the nipples water. Idk how ice works but it’s just a thought.