I have got something similar to WWW.towergarden.com what’s different is mine does not have a cover at the bottom and the water source would be open to the bees. My question is with the organic plant nutrients I add to the water, is this going to be harmful to the bees? I was planning on having it near the hive as a water source. The one I’ve got/made actually sprays a mist of water on to the plants the water would have the organic plant nutrients mixed in.
Any thoughts?
If the ingredients are found in nature then there should be nominally no problem - adding chemicals and concentrated engineered substance probably will cause problems - bees have been know to drink sewage waster after all
Thank You, I will make sure it is as Natural as possible. It is likely concentrated before adding it to the water reservoir, But I’m sure it’s well diluted after that but again I will do some checking thank you for the encouragement I was a little concerned
If it is too concentrated the water will dilute it - if it is what water/ponds/lakes/swamps normally contain (not the pollutants) then it should be fine
Yah Marty,
If the nutrition additive is truely organic it will not be an issue like Valli already mentioned. Bees do get water at some very nasty sources if better water is not available.
They seem to like a little off taste too. That’s why my gold fish pond should be great. I add water as it evaporates n as I water the collection of plants that grow around it. The combo of small pond fountain n background wasterfall keep it ariated n water healthy n not smell like a dead swamp ! My 6 to 8 feeder goldfish have wintered over alright. I had to clean out leaves last fall they fell. This way I have water feature to sit n sip tea or beverage at this summer n my bees shouldn’t have to fly off the the local marsh n swamps.
Let us know what you find out about the organic valve of your (?) nutrients. Good luck … Gerald
You might need to give them some way to climb out, like a ramp of hardware cloth, or some twigs. Drowned bees are not a happy sight!
My bee waterer at home is a poultry waterer with pebbles in the trough:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HHHCG6/ref=sr_ph_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456766780&sr=sr-1&keywords=poultry+waterer
http://www.amazon.com/Exotic-PMS1030-Polished-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B006MKZI0O/ref=sr_1_7?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1456766816&sr=1-7&keywords=pebbles
My only concern for my bee waterer is mosquitoes. We are not allowed to have standing water in the Community Garden where we are keeping a hive, so I am trying an inverted pail feeder on cinder blocks there. I have seen a nicer setup, but don’t want to spend on it at this point…
https://www.kelleybees.com/Shop/22/Queens-Bees/Feed/4236/Community-Feeders
I wouldn’t use it for syrup, just water.
Dawn
I will send you a photo of what I’ve got set up. Basically it is a window water garden using an air left system. The bottom pale, is what contains the water for the plants nutrients, it drips all the way down through. The bottom pale, top of the bucket has lava rock so the bees are never able to get in standing water.
I have a cycling pump in mine n goldfish. Goldfish love eating mosquitoes ! That how I control those skeeters !
Not too close, it looks perfect. Nice looking hive, Randy, but you need another brood box! 
Looks nice - love the way you used the breeze blocks, just hope it is high enough not to give you back ache
If you can get moss to fill the tray that would be even better. It sucks up the water with no danger of the bees drowning. It warms in the sun which the bees love and if it gets dry it doesn’t die, you just revive it.
Before I moved the apiary to where there is a large natural pond I used to fill one of those wide horse buckets with moss and just keep topping it up with water. The bees were always on it.
Cannot remember where I read this I will look, but I thought something stated it should be about 20 feet away from the hive. Why 20 feet I don’t know
http://outdoorplace.org/beekeeping/citybees.htm
found it. this was one of the posting I found before, I will Continue to look
Also found this interesting adding salt? http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/downloadDocument.cfm?id=742
It’s to stop bees defecating into the water. Nonsense really. Just don’t put a water source just in front of the entrance. In the winter they don’t fly far and need a close source of water. In the summer they will probably be on the local farm slurry.
I use this for the dogs when they are outdoors - don’t see why one with some rocks in the dish wouldn’t work.
I suppose some algae could grow in there though (as with any other standing water source).
How long does it last in summer for your dogs? I got a 5 gallon waterer because refilling it requires rolling out a heavy hose, and I didn’t want to do it every day.
Mine get fresh every day. Otherwise dog slobber soon makes it slimey
Yumm-ohh… Hmm, sounds like bee heaven! 
what about the Salt in the other link?? just wondering
Mine is actually larger than a gallon but is the same brand - just got it three weeks ago so I don’t know how long it will last in Summer. It lasts about 4 days right now. 1 large mutt and a Jack Russell.
