Potassium Permanganate purification

[koiguy1969]

Anybody else do potassium Permanganate water treatments?
Not familiar?
PP is an oxidizer that does an excellent job of cleaning up organics in pond water.
I do 250-300 gallon PP treatments once a week. 1/4 tsp of PP in My 300 gal stocktank, and pump the water in. Let it sit for 3-4 hours. And neutralize the treatment with a 1/3 cup Hydrogen peroxide. Pump it back into pond.
This is what the treatment looks like. Cranberry colored (purple).

The more organics in the water, the quicker the PP will lose this color. It turns brown as it becomes depleted, and inactive. So you may want to add a bit more PP if you have a high level of organics..my water stays purple.3-4 hours.
Takes 10-15 minutes for Hydrogen peroxide to neutralize the PP to crystal clear.
2 mins

Not even 10 mins

 

[koiguy1969]

A good read...
http://www.jackmcneary.com/html/potassium_permanganate_.htm

 

[audioenvy]

I haven't done weekly low-dose PP treatments for maintenance (which supposedly can be done in lieu of water changes) but I have done anti-bacterial medium-dose PP treatments on an as needed basis for ulcers and/or parasites.

 

[Tula]

I've never used PP, it kind of makes me nervous. I've read a lot about it and know it's helpful when needed, I'm just not sure I've ever needed it?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

PP treatments, if used at all, should be limited to only dedicated Koi ponds as it will have severely harmful effects on any eco-pond. It is the 'Nature of the Beast'.

 

[audioenvy]

PP treatments, if used at all, should be limited to only dedicated Koi ponds as it will have severely harmful effects on any eco-pond. It is the 'Nature of the Beast'.

My understanding is that PP will indiscriminately eat/remove all organics in the water--which I take to mean it could literally eat away at plants. Yet I've also read about using PP for treating pond plants.

Even if it's relatively safe for plants I would be concerned that many eco-ponds do have enough added oxygen to counteract the oxygen removed by the PP. From everything I've read, a rolling boil is recommended during treatment.

 

[Faebinder]

PP treatments, if used at all, should be limited to only dedicated Koi ponds as it will have severely harmful effects on any eco-pond. It is the 'Nature of the Beast'.

Yeah would love to use it but I have Dojo Loaches and Darters in the pond.

 

[koiguy1969]

I use on my basement koi pond. But it's fine for use on any pond. Just so long as you pump the water into a separate basin, treat, neutralize, then return to pond.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

My understanding is that PP will indiscriminately eat/remove all organics in the water--which I take to mean it could literally eat away at plants. Yet I've also read about using PP for treating pond plants.

Even if it's relatively safe for plants I would be concerned that many eco-ponds do have enough added oxygen to counteract the oxygen removed by the PP. From everything I've read, a rolling boil is recommended during treatment.

Any discussion or report that I have read concerning the use of PP always includes the admonition to turn off or bypass any and all supplemental biofiltration because PP will wreak havoc on the bacterial population housed on these units. What is not mentioned (and certainly should be) is that PP will have the same deleterious effects on the bacterial population of the pond's own biofilm which is truly the primary source of nitrification in most ponds, especially eco-ponds.
PP can be used on aquatic plants safely as a quick dip. Prolonged exposure of the plant to PP, especially the roots, may be harmful based on solution level and duration of exposure.
Keep in mind that treatments such as PP are only a temporary fix. Once the treatment is completed, the water will begin to be re-colonized with those organisms, good and bad, that the treatment reduced.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I use in my basement koi pond. But it's fine for use on any pond. Just so long as you pump the water into a separate basin, treat, neutralize, then return to pond.

This is somewhat misleading as what you describe is the treatment of the pond water in a separate container, not the pond itself. PP should not be used IN any pond other than a DKP.

 

[koiguy1969]

This is somewhat misleading as what you describe is the treatment of the pond water in a separate container, not the pond itself. PP should not be used IN any pond other than a DKP.

That was a misstype... Should have been "on" my basement pond.. but I explained I pump into a separate tank in post... Duely corrected now.
Either way.. treatment in separate container makes it fine for any pond.

 

[CometKeith]

The local Koi club here recommends it once a year in the spring to clear up organics, but then they are talking about dedicated Koi ponds only.

 

[audioenvy]

The two different use cases for it are: (1) cleaning water and (2) removing parasites/healing ulcers. The first one obviously can end up being a bandaid for other issues. The second one is how I've used it. It's potentially dangerous but aside from capturing, sedating, and treating each fish individually it might be the most effective way to treat existing ulcers. Obviously removing the cause of the ulcers is key to them not coming back.