Honestly, algae won't hurt anything and will actually filter the water the same way other water plants draw nutrients out of the water. So while that whole mess is not attractive, it is a common occurrence that most likely will not hurt anything as long as nothing poops in it.
Best option is to make a waterer out of an old 5 gallon pail, pvc pipe, or some other leftover materials. Dad probably won't complain much if it doesn't cost him anything. There are several different plans that I've seen on here. The better designs will prevent your ducks from making a mess, and wasting water at the same time.
Edit, Just fyi I would look at inexpensive ways to eliminate the mosquitoes using it to breed in. Those little buggers are annoying and can spread disease.
Best option is to make a waterer out of an old 5 gallon pail, pvc pipe, or some other leftover materials. Dad probably won't complain much if it doesn't cost him anything. There are several different plans that I've seen on here. The better designs will prevent your ducks from making a mess, and wasting water at the same time.
Edit, Just fyi I would look at inexpensive ways to eliminate the mosquitoes using it to breed in. Those little buggers are annoying and can spread disease.
and good on you seeking advice for the wellbeing of your birds! I can't tell the size of your stock tank from the picture but presume it wouldn't be much bigger than a bathtub, in which case I personally wouldn't stock it with fish as a solution to improve water quality and reduce mosquitos. I agree with the idea of using PVC pipe or a food-grade bucket to create a fresh water source for your chickens (I'm not.familiar with ducks). You can get poultry nipples very very cheaply and attach them to a food-grade large lidded bucket (maybe ask at a local cake shop if they'll give you an old icing bucket). This means your water source can be relatively closed off and the birds can't poop in it, keeping your water nice and clean. Have a look for instructions on this forum or the internet generally - there's lots of easy ways to make a cheap waterer. Dependingflock size you may need to create multiple water buckets, but I think the cost would be less than buying fish/weeds and would guarantee a good clean water source as long as you top it up regularly with fresh water. Good luck!
