# potassium permanganate mix and disposal



## vee (May 13, 2011)

You need to "eyeball" the color for Potassium Permanganate. Light pink for fish treatment, medium pink for plants, and dark pink/purple for sterilizing equipment. It's perfectly safe to throw down the drain. Just use water to flush. My blog has a demo on PP:

http://www.manyhatsofme.com/2013/03/my-quarantine-process-for-new-aquarium.html

Skip to the end where it says "Potassium Permanganate". You will need to have your color looking like the second beaker. I would soak your plants at least an hour, then rinse with water.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Ideally, larger amounts of potassium permanganate should be collected bad brought to your local hazardous waste facility (it is a strong oxidizing agent, and should be disposed of properly).

However, small amounts can be flushed down the drain/toilet with copious amounts of water.

Please take the proper precautions when using potassium permanganate, as it will stain everything purple, including your skin!


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

PP is comonly used as mouth wash and vomit inducer. I still remember the taste...

via Droid DNA Tapatalk 2


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

I believe the typical warnings regarding disposing small amounts of PP in the sink, are due to the possibility that it might stain some sinks.

So that's why PP is better put in the toilet. :hihi:

If you want to fully neutralize it for whatever reason, and prevent possibility of stains, I seem to recall you can add 3% hydrogen peroxide to the solution until it becomes colorless.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

DarkCobra said:


> If you want to fully neutralize it for whatever reason, and prevent possibility of stains, I seem to recall you can add 3% hydrogen peroxide to the solution until it becomes colorless.


This is a good way to eliminate any permanganate ions that remain in solution.

The leftover manganese dioxide (brown/black sludge at the bottom) can be disposed of in normal household waste.


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## vee (May 13, 2011)

yes, hydrogen peroxide will neutralize the PP to colorless. Also, you can do a double/triple dose of dechlor to neutralize.


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## etane (May 14, 2012)

Wow tons of useful information! Thanks everyone!

So, I will use vee's blog to zone in on the optimal mixture.

After I am done, mix the PP solution with hydrogen peroxide (which I can get at Walgreen) until the pink color turns colorless (clear?). Then, I can pour it down the drain and don't have to worry about color tainting, killing the eco or inflicting injury.

Definitely will be wearing gloves and eye gear.

I intend to soak the anubias in PP for 20 mins. Let it heal up for a day or so then soak in alum for a day or so just to make double sure there's no snail eggs will survive. Oh, and a dechlorinated water soak in between and afterwards.


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## vee (May 13, 2011)

etane said:


> Wow tons of useful information! Thanks everyone!
> 
> So, I will use vee's blog to zone in on the optimal mixture.
> 
> ...


Plants can be the middle pink to even the darker pink. I would soak for an hour especially if you are thinking snails. It won't hurt the plants. If the water turns brown during treatment, add more PP. The only plant that I experienced PP burn, but recovered, was my java moss.


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## etane (May 14, 2012)

vee said:


> Plants can be the middle pink to even the darker pink. I would soak for an hour especially if you are thinking snails. It won't hurt the plants. If the water turns brown during treatment, add more PP. The only plant that I experienced PP burn, but recovered, was my java moss.


Thanks again!

I have a large clump of round pelia that I think is infested. I assume they are as fragile as java moss are. But, yours survived the PP treatment. Hence, I assume I can use both alum and PP on the pelia too.

I currently have anubias, ammania bonsai and round pelia in alum solution and will PP them tomorrow.


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