A friend in the UK sent me these for our water butts. The blurb doesn’t mention algae specifically but we haven’t had any problems with the water quality.
https://www.waterbuttsdirect.co.uk/water-butt-freshatank-microbial-disc
Please, just be sure that any stored water is not a breeding ground for Tiger Mosquitoes et al 
Very good point. I did some gardening yesterday and am nursing a dozen bites, I assume mozzie bites, today . . . . . .
Dutch lady called Marita. Look up Mol Frederika on Facebook. I had 4 brand new 1000 litre IBC delivered for €90 each plus €30 delivery. She also has connector pipes. They are new and food quality approved. Looks like there are cheaper options here but she delivered within 2 days.
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Having had large green waterbutts (from the local Agrial) in the past, I would actually recommend the smaller 650l ones. We have the ones shown on the top right of @Dawnt 's picture and they are a heck of a lot easier to manage than the big ones.They are more attractive to look at, opaque, don’t attract mozzies and can be daisy-chained.
When we were in the UK we had a pump in our water butts and it worked fine. We also had an automatic drip-feed system for the allotment which also worked well but you have to get one for a low-pressure feed as they are mainly sold to run off the mains.
We have two IBCs on the side of the house, openly visible to passing neighbours. Like others have said, the look of them 'isn’t a thing’ in rural France. Our immediate neighbour collects hers off a derelict shed into an old bath tub (mozzie heaven!).
We don’t use a pump but we’ve raised the IBCs on concrete blocks to assist the gravitational flow (make sure you cement the blocks in well - there’s a ton of water in there).
Also be aware that gravitational flow will decrease as the head of water above the tap decreases. This could affect any irrigation system you may use, if it requires a certain pressure.
We intend to add some screening once the major work in the garden is complete.
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By about 1.4 PSI
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It’s got to be very important these days with different species of mosquitoes being in France to have water butts covered. Any standing water not in a water butt need’s emptying out.
Or a light spray of washing up liquid to break the surface tension
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Will that last long, Sue? A friend of mine put a goldfish in one of her water butts. I felt sorry for it What a life! Don’t like seeing goldfish in round glass bowls either. Especially just one and with no distractions like appropriate weeds to provide oxygen.
Not very - need to do from time to time. I agree about the goldfish. Another suggestion is tea tree oil poured on top - but I fear that might be too strong.
Do I take it that you’ve no downpipes at all on your house/garage/barn/shed @selles?
If you are thinking about open containers to collect water, would a very fine mesh fabric work stretched across the top? (Rain in, mozzies out!)
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Hi Angela. Yes we do indeed have an abri which could be used on one side if I can talk my husband into putting in a drain pipe into some sort of butt.
The idea of the mesh is a good one it seems to me. He has just made an anti mosquito frame covered in mesh to put into our bedroom window at night so that we can sleep with the window open and not be bitten. There may be some excess mesh available. I shall enquire. Thanks for the idea
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There are IBC caps with mesh filters on amazon. There are also earlier threads here on SF on this and someone said they use an aquarium aerator on top of the water in their water butt to blow bubbles and keep the water moving so no mozzies. Part of my system is open, and I use 4 layers of mosquito net on that bit.
I think someone said they use a solar-powered goldfish-bowl type water aerator.
Someone else said they chuck half a capful of something in every x months, that keeps the water ok as well. So could be worth a few searches here on Survive France.
In any case after mozzies if it’s not a sealed system into the tank, then light on the tank is your biggest enemy. Either a black tank, seèn one for about 275 euros, and/ or a proper light-shielding full cover whuch right now are £16-£18 on Amazon (normally 2x that) or a tarp or two covering it properly.
Also beware cheaper pre used tanks that are even sold in bricos. Too much risk of full previous use not being disclosed.
Well, I bit the bullet and bought 4 IBC’s for my (future) rainwater collection system. It’ll be a project for either over the winter or early next Spring. The idea is I will have two interlinked IBC’s at each of two downpipes at the rear corners of my house. They will be side-by-side and raised off the ground on brickwork plinths. Side-by-side rather than stacked so as to fit under a (future) raised walkway I’m planning along the back wall of the house.
The chap I bought them from is based near Parthenay in Deux-Sevres (79). Having just looked at the map this evening, I only now realise that he travelled quite a distance to deliver them and as his trailer could accommodate only two IBC, he made two trips of it. I think it was the best part of an hour each way . . . twice . . . . to Chef-Boutonne. The cost to me was €75 per IBC with no additional charge for delivery and, with a little assistance from me, he put them in my garage for me.
The IBC’s I received are in perfect condition and food grade, having been used for apple juice and alcohol. To my eye they appeared as good as new. They may well have been used just once.
He’s a friendly chap, speaks good English too, but was happy for me to hold the conversation in my B1 French.
I have his contact details but will not post them publicly for all the usual reasons.
If you are within an hour’s drive of Parthenay (he may even deliver a little further afield) and are interested in buying one or more IBC’s, drop me a PM and I’ll let you have his contact details.
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