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How to remove algae form the nickel plating tank ?

sir we are in electroplating of nickel and chrome for the past 11 years.
now for the past weak we are facing a problem of green algae in the nickel tank which is deposited on the walls of the tank and the anode bags. we have tried giving treatment of hydrogen peroxide 1 ml per liter and carbon 3 grams per liter. But still we are not able to remove the algae. please help . Thanking You.

Aboo Backer
Proprietor - Bangalore, Karnataka, India
February 23, 2009

You didn't mention what you did to remove the algae from the tank walls. You can treat the solution all you want, if you don't remove the algae from the tank itself it will continue to thrive. Pump the solution out into a auxiliary tank. Scrub the tank walls with a bleach [adv: bleach/sodium hypochlorite in bulk on eBay or Amazon] solution or Comet. Drain and rinse well. Leach the tank with 10% sulfuric acid for a few hours or until the solution cools. Drain and rinse well. Leach new anode bags in 5% sulfuric acid for a few hours rinse well, then replace. Make sure you are using DI water to bring Ni plating solution up to operating volume. Don't use recycled water for tank adds. You may also have to increase your solution agitation in the tank. If the tank is idle for days at a time, run the filter for a few hours daily to agitate solution. Make sure pre- plating rinse tanks are also free of algae. Good Luck to you.

Mark Baker
Fellow Plater - Syracuse, N.Y., USA
February 25, 2009