Using potassium permanganate and septic systems

[slapshot]

I have pretty bad Iron and Sulfur in my water. I'm looking at getting a Greensand filter to use in with my Whole House and Softener.
The greensand filter uses potassium permanganate for backflushing. Does this backflush pose a problem for my septic system? I realize that there is extra water, but rather the chemicals that would be flushed into it.

Thanks
dave

[GaryQWA]

A greensand filter is old technology and the water treatment industry is trying to get away from its use due to the use of potassium permanganate; a serious poison. But I've never heard of PP causing any septic system problems. I have seen and heard of it in 'your' water when the filter malfunctions though. It makes the water pink, and that is a serious problem and dangerous.

There are many other choices that are less expensive to purchase and maintain than greensand. They are an inline erosion pellet chlorinator followed by a special mixing tank and a Centaur carbon filter. An air pump system including a Centaur carbon filter. Or in some cases, a chlorine pellet dropper on the well casing.

If you have heavy iron, say over 2 ppm, you could have IRB (iron reducing bacteria) and that requires a disinfectant and will 'kill' any type filter without a disinfectant.

Gary
Quality Water Associates

[Pat]

GaryQWA, PP got hard for civilians to get in SOCAL. Although useful for such innocuous things as treating for ICK in aquaria it could be used for DIY abortions so got hard to get.

IF you have some make a small conical pile of the crystals (several spoonsful.) then make a small depression in the top so it looks like a volcanic crater. Now pour a few spoonsfull of glycerine into the depression and stand back. The PP begins to oxidize the glycerine and the heat builds up enough to ignite the glycerine, the whole while purple sparks will be flying and smoke will be generated simulating a small volcano erruption. Do this OUTSIDE and stay upwind.

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[BlueRidge]

I thought that chemical sounded familiar! It's my old friend from 7th grade science class! Only we used a 'wick' of magnesium ribbon to ignite it.

[Pat]

Sorry Blue, I think your old friend was "THERMITE" which is commonly ignited with a magnesium strip leading into some powdered magnesium atop the thermite mixture. Thermite is used for certain welding operations as well as to destroy stuff like guns and tanks and such.

The potassium permanganate and glycerine is self igniting and would not require a magnesium "fuse."

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[BlueRidge]

No, no no, Pat! Thermite would have burned right through the dish AND table and started on the concrete floor. We'd have made the 6 o'clock news... all across the country. This is NOT something you'd see in a school experiment!

But I guess it wasn't permanganate. I did a search and found this:

<font color="red">An exciting demonstration volcano can be made with a bit of ammonium dichromate. This is a fun science demonstration that takes almost no time at all to prepare. Place a small quantity (12 to 15 grams, or half an ounce) of Ammonium Dichromate powder on a clay tile. Form the powder into a cone shape. Dim the room lights, and light the top of the cone with a high heat source such as a propane torch. The ammonium dichromate will burn fiercely while producing large volumes of a grayish green ash. Small orange sparks will shoot upward a couple of inches. </font color>

This describes our experiment exactly, except for the use of the magnesium ribbon for the heat source. The ribbon was ignited by a Bunsen burner. I suppose this was to keep our hand away from those orange sparks...

[coxhw]

Hey guys what happened to the origonal question

[Pat]

Cox dude, I checked your STEALTH BIO and saw no reference to your being appointed a member in good standing of the THREAD POLICE!

It is typical in this and other friendly gathering places type forums that after all or most timely informatioin that is going to be elicited has been elicited that we just enjoy ourselves.

Hope that doesn't enrage your librarian instincts.

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[coxhw]

Sorry, It's just that I have one of those filters and did'nt know that much about it. Hey the info. you guys are putting out is great. I just wanted to know more about that filter. The way everone is talking I might be looking for another filter. The one I have was at the house when I bought it. It does a good job on the iron and H2S smell. Any way sorry that I came over that way. Keep up the info

[Pat]

IF you want to see something off topic... Look at the how you tell a watermelon is ripe thread. Bird and I "DID IT AGAIN!"

Regarding the filter. When you have a working professional water guy here telling you the down side of your equipement it is definitely time to rethink the solution. Is it worth the risk to stay with the old system and maybe save a couple bucks? What is your family's health worth?

So far our well has produced sufficient water of good quality but being as how we are in an old oil field that was heavily worked back in the unenlightened days of pure greed and no regulations or adherence to any there were, it is common for wells to suddenly go salty. We have had rural water available for a year or so now and that gives the area an insurance policy (until the lake supplying the system goes dry.)

Some climatoligist say we could have another 5 years of drought coming. If so, we are in for hard times in this cattle producing area. Half of my ponds are partially spring fed and not stressed yet but when the ground water feeding them is exhausted and not replenished by rainfall.... this place will be Patrick's Desert Estates.

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