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Hi Grant, I think what you need to think about and get your head around is the definition of clean water. There is healthy water that appears clean and there is sterile swimming pool water that also appears 'clean'. But they are really very different. Clean pond water has some small level of bacteria in it. It may also have harmless protozoa in it. It certainly has clear algae cells in it. And it does have some slight level of 'undesirables' in it. But if these undesirables are not in large quantities, they are harmless. It is only when organics get out of hand and they encourage undesirable species of bacteria and algae that there is an issue. And they only get out of hand when something si fundamentally worng with pond design, stocking levels or maintenance programs. So good healthy pond water can be crystal clear. But you will notice at some points in the day it is tinted or has some particulate matter in it- this is NOT a bad thing, this is a good thing and the sign of a very healthy system, especially if the pond changes to a very clean condition after the sun moves lower in the sky. You will notice that the fish's skin stays very shiny in this type of water.
PP is very valuable when you need an oxidizing agent that can cut back living species that are not part of a healthy system- I.E., a parasite infestation. This is typically the result of an imbalance in water quality and microbe species. PP becomes more 'necessary' than 'desirable' but also creates a situation of dependency.
If you look at PP that way, you will never tend to overuse it.
If you find you need to use it often, look to the cause or reason that you need so much intervention. If you fix the fundamental problem once you will never need to us PP over and over. JR
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