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Re: H2O2



On 4/6/98 Matthew T. Mason wrote:

>So while we are on the topic of H2O2, what dosage have others found to be
>optimal for destroying BGA?  The latest post was 4 ounces/55g tank
>(probably 45 gallons of water= 1 ounce/~10 gallons of water) in which it
>was too much.  Any others who have had success with OTC H2O2?  Anyone tried
>H2O2 from a chemical supply storehouse that does _not_ contain stabilizers
>that OTC H2O2 does?  This would give the "pure" H2O2 a short half life and
>might not destroy the biological bacteria bed if the water was changed or
>filter was turned off as a preventative.
>
I posted some comments on hydrogen peroxide and algae around November 97/ 
January 98 (probably late December or early January) which will be easily 
found in the archives if you search under "silver" since the peroxide I 
referred to was stabilised with colloidal silver. There are doses in that 
posting but I don't have them readily available here at the moment.

The advice I received when I got the H2O2/colloidal silver preparation 
was to build to the recommended dose slowly over 3-4 days. Given the 
recent posting mentioning burnt scales, I would strongly repeat that 
recommendation to anyone who tries adding H2O2 to a functioning tank.

If you want to achieve a high ORP and need to do something to do so, 
there are at least three other suggestions worth considering. The first 
would be to simply increase the oxygen levels of your water through use 
of a trickle filter, increasing photosynthesis levels, or other normal 
approaches like that. These may also require you to increase CO2 doses if 
some CO2 outgassing occurs. The second option would be to use an 
ozoniser, borrowed for short term use if you can. The third would be to 
use something like Kent's PolyOx which seems to be simply a potassium 
permanganate solution. The doses Kent recommends should be safe for fish 
if not exceeded.

There was a thread some months ago on appropriate ORP levels for planted 
tanks but I don't remember anyone having any real info on desirable 
levels to achieve based on actual planted tank experience. Any actual 
recommendations I've seen have been for reef tanks. 

David Aiken