[TheForge] Nasty Slack Tub

[Bob Ehrenberger]

Dan,

When we first got our wine barrel slack tub we had the same problem.
Initially it has to leach the old wine out of the wood, so we had to change
the water two or three times at about week intervials.  After that I found
that I can keep the water clear by dropping in a couple chlorine tablets
like you would use in a swimming pool. The tablets take a couple weeks to
desolve.  If I notice that they are about gone I'll add another one. If I
forget, the water will get cloudy, but a day or two after adding tablets
it's clear again.

I had a container of chlorine tablets left over from when we used to have a
pool. I have used the same container for 4-5 years so it lasts a long time.

Robert Ehrenberger
Shelbyville, Mo.
eforge at centurytel.net

---original message-----
Date: Sun, 11 Sep 2005 21:42:23 -0500
From: "Daniel Kretchmar" <dan at irontreeworks.com>
Subject: [TheForge] Nasty Slack Tub

Hey all,
     I purchased a old oak red wine barrel, to be used as my slack tub.  How
do I keep the water from getting nasty?  The water develops a film and a
spoiled smell every few days.  I have dropped a little bleach in the water
to clean it up, but it keeps coming back every few days.
     I never had this problem with my 55 gallon oil drum.  I used to put 1
cup of borax in the water during the summer and change the water every two
months.  In winter, the tank would stay below between 32-40 degrees so it
never went bad.  I tried the borax in the wooden barrel but it didn't make a
difference.

Dan