Potassium permanganate: do you dare?

I would definitely mix up a stock solution indoors, under controlled conditions, not outdoors. It stains clothes and skin, and one grain blown into your eye would be painful.

A definite indoor thing. Even when pondkeepers use KMnO4, they mix it up in advance.
 
high pH cautions

Yeah, I know about how toxic it is, eye and lung protection essential. Stains the tub, hands. I'm not quite sure where I will be comfortable opening this stuff! By outside, I mean in the garage, not the yard.

In the info from Puregold.aquaria.net there are several cautions about high pH causing tiny manganese oxide salts which may plug the fishes gill and could kill them, and oxidation of "organics" will produce carbon monoxide and a number of carboxylic acids...I don't really understand this, but thought you might. How high is too high, I don't know, I wonder if my 8.2 tap water is too high.

Also, it says that dechlor will inactivate it, some water seems to inactivate it also, they suggest testing in a bucket to see that the treatment will hold pink for 8 hours. "For argulus, anchor worm, gill and body flukes, columnaris, other external parasites and bacteria but not ich, sterilizing tanks and filters, cleaning plants."

The stuff is a great favorite of some pond people.

I don't hear about it much with tropical fish, I don't know why.
 
Is the reaction of potassium permanganate in water pH dependent? Fishdoc also says it is:
http://www.fishdoc.co.uk/treatments/potassium permanganate.htm

I wasn't aware of that (in my soft acidic water) --and that's just the kind of question I was hoping to stir up.

As for manganese dioxide (MnO2) my understanding is that it's always a final result when the oxidizing power is spent .Not just at high pH values. Gill damage, though, is also a possibility from the oxidizing effect itself.

First the K dissociates, then the unstable manganic ion MnO4 starts oxidizing any organic molecule it meets: bacterial cell wall, algal cell wall, ciliate cell wall, dissolved organic carbon free in the water... and it can burn fish gills. 2ppm is quoted as a maximum dose.

The final product MnO2 precipitates out. The stock solution stains a glass container brown. Another reason not to overdose-- and I avoid buffing off the biofilm from the tank glass just before using KMnO4. Hydrogen peroxide hastens the clearing reaction: it neutralizes potassium permanganate at any point in the treatment. (i.e. always have some at hand).

You're right. potassium permanganate is more often a koi pool treatment. In the small volume of an aquarium, you have to be cautious not to over dose.
 
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H2S protection

One application that might be of interest, Puregold comments that when cleaning a nasty pond or tank where H2S is a concern, the use of PP can protect the fish.

But, wouldn't it also kill all the other microscopic life that make the planted tank so fine for fish?

I can see using it in the Q tank, but wonder if it is ever appropriate in the planted tank. I guess it would depend on how bad the condition was in the tank.


Puregold also states that light inactivates PP, you should observe for 15 mnutes for adverse reactions, then turn off lights and cover the tank. And have a bucket of untreated tank water handy in case there is an adverse reaction.

Puregold
 
More questions

I have been wondering about what sort of treatments new fsih ought to get upon arrival.

The goldfish site suggests a salt dip and possible PP dip. I recall Vickie on the AB board has said she does deworming, and something else routinely.

I read that PP is a very safe treatment (once you get the stuff mixed up!)

Now that my tanks are stable I want to be sure I do things correctly as I introduce any new fish.

Do you do any treatments, or just quarantine and observe?
 
Re: H2S protection

Originally posted by anonapersona
One application that might be of interest, Puregold comments that when cleaning a nasty pond or tank where H2S is a concern, the use of PP can protect the fish.

Its oxidizing action would convert the sulfide to harmless sulfate (SO4)

But, wouldn't it also kill all the other microscopic life that make the planted tank so fine for fish?

Yes, a major drawback. Unselective in its effects. While KMnO4 is pink and therefore active, you're supposed to keep all filter media out of harm's way.

I can see using it in the Q tank, but wonder if it is ever appropriate in the planted tank. I guess it would depend on how bad the condition was in the tank.

Well, it's used as an anti-snail dip for plants. It's harder on the algal coating than it is on the plants.
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