Lets see them.

Here are a couple I installed last weekend.







Even got a first time user.

You might want to cover the float area with something to keep critters from breaking your float and draining your tank. I used to put a 4"x4" panel cut to fit directly over the top of the trough. A deer could reach the water level with their pointed nose. A cow and a hog were SOL since they could not reach the water. If you have hogs they will destroy your setup once they get inside the trough. If you do the panel will help but you will still need to secure the trough so they can not flip it over or move around.

No Hogs in the area. No cattle. Javelina though but have never seen them in this pasture for some reason.

I would like a photo of the panel your talking about to get a better idea.

I don't have any pics of that setup anymore. But when I do put some new troughs out here I will do them that way and take some pics. Basically all you are doing is cutting the panel to a shape a bit larger than the top of the trough. Then attaching it to the top to keep it secure. I ran a wire around the trough about 4-5" below the top and then tied wires from the panel to the wire. You end up with a lid or cover made of panel over the top of the trough. It works really well for hogs for me. I was using a smaller concrete trough instead of the rubbermaid plastic ones like your are using. Also put you a couple of rocks or bricks in your trough for smaller critters to get on top of if they fall in. Nothing like having a stinky water trough when you get there.

Yeah, I have had very bad luck with rubbermaid trough's & coons. I have deleted so many game cam pics of coons bathing & crapping in the troughs. I think the next one I make is going to have something like a protein feeder that only deer can get into & definately have it in the feeder pen.

Man that Feeder looks like one I just sold

It ain't fun dipping an over ripe raccoon out of the water on a hot July afternoon.

A skunk is not a lot fun either,

I really have great luck with the water.
I do have to haul it about 10 miles but it's cheap and worth it.

Less surface area & evaporation. Package deal. Float is protected from varmits.
This is one they offer and there is another larger round one that has garden hose barb fittings.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/...mp;cm_vc=-10005


http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/little-giantreg%3B-duramate-hose--stock-waterer

little giant
This one could be put in hole with Tpost to anchor and support it.


Half bury them in ground and put sackcrete around the trough. to Keep it cooler and protects trough from damage. You Need about 1 foot of head to gravity feed these. Run freeze proof hose under ground and wrap screen wire at expose area to keep varmits from chewing hose fitting pipe into.

I have seen those used and hooked onto the drain on a very large water trough. Then they would fill the large trough with a tote or water trailer and cover it with tin or plywood. They would plumb it in with a galvanized nipple at the drain on the large trough and dig the little trough into the ground to make the little "trough" ground level for better support. Most did these inside a feedpen.

Even if they are protected those cheap floats don't last long before cattle or coons get hold of them to play with and tear up the float. Not a quality product (China).

For cattle we used to use a float valve mounted on heavy flat plate setting in bottom of tank with a brass flat float to keep it from shimmering. Hooked up with a cloth washer bib hose. If you are on a public water line you have to put a check vale in line to keep from contaminating (back flowing) water lines if they lose pressure. At least the coons could not wreck these and they held up good. Unscrew and Replace the float valve every year and your good. Armour your hose against coons

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/float-valves/valves/plumbing/ecatalog/N-ac7

Here is the floats we use: two years with zero issues and the value is completely covered from coons.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/little-giantreg%3B-duramate-hose--stock-waterer?cm_vc=-10005

I use a 55 gallon plastic drum cut in 1/2 longways for my troughs. Cheap and works great, but you have to dig them in a little so they don't rock.

Ive been using cheap floats for about 5 years now with no issues. I cover the float valve and about 1/3 of the top of the trough with a piece of plywood as described earlier and anchor a branch to the bottom with a brick so it hangs over the side for critters to get out. I also put some gravel in the bottom of the trough because I was told deer will use it better. Probably a crock but its in there.

I need is rain for mine... And it ain't looking to good from now till fall.

I made a small water trough out of concrete with the float valve protected. This way they coons can't mess with the valve and the hogs can't move it around. It is connected to a water tote that collects water off the roof of our cabin.

I wanted mine taller to make it harder for hogs to access.
So far I have not caught any hog in it on the game cam

Getting ready to set up one of these at my lease inside a feed pen and had a couple questions:

1. do you put a small tab of chlorine in the tank to keep algae growth down to a minimum?

2. What is the best way to keep the tank filled? I was thinking two similar sized IBC tanks. One for holding water at the lease and one for transporting water in the truck. Any better ideas? Lease is about 100 miles from home and will be going to the lease about every 2-3 weeks from now to deer season and then hopefully weekly.

3. Saw where someone was putting goldfish in the trough to keep mosquitos to a minimum...is that recommended or just overkill?

4. Am I stupid for wanting to do something like this? haha

1. Paint the tank black to reduce growth and I add about a cup of Bleach to the 330 gallon Tote.

2. I bought an extra 330 gallon tote to haul water to the site. I use a 2000 gallon per hour bilge pump with 25 foot leads to the battery on the truck with alligator clips.

3 Goldfish is a new one may try that for giggles but I think the coons would take care of those pretty quick.

4 I have started seeing the benefits holding doe closer to the feeder so the bucks will be along in due time.

Thanks. All that stuff makes sense to me and sounds about what I was thinking. Appreciate the help!

I have a Little Giant metal float mounted to a small tub. My question is: how high will the water fill up? I want to have an idea before I haul everything down the hill. And I want to put a panel in the tub so that the deer can drink but the coons won't make a huge mess as mentioned above.