No passwords, no registration, no paywalls, no popups, no AI

As an Amazon Associate & eBay Partner we earn from affil links

finishing.com -- The Home Page of the Finishing Industry

Search our quarter-million Q&As

Home of the finishing HOTLINE since 1989

-----

Fun guys in the bath!

I have a boric/sulfuric anodize bath that has turned green. I am pretty sure it is fungus so I added Sodium Benzoate to the bath. I just seemed to get greener and now it is producing a bubbly foam. I have it tested once a week for H2SO4, Al, and H3BO3 levels and twice a week for Cu, Cl and Cr. It has all came out great. What can it be and what can I do?

Orlena Puckett
Chemist - Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
June 6, 2011

A. www.finishing.com/21/07.shtml

Jeffrey Holmes, CEF
Spartanburg, South Carolina
June 8, 2011

A. Good day Orlena.
I have no idea. Perhaps you can help me with letter #57199 as I have not received a response as yet.By the way, there is an EXCELLENT book authored by R.H. Probert "Aluminum How To" which gives a brilliant insight regarding anodizing.

Eric Bogner
- Toronto Ontario Canada
June 9, 2011

A. Carbon filtration will fix you right up. I have used a portable set up with hoses, so that I could do the filtration on a batch basis as needed. It doesn't need it very often.

Jon Barrows, MSF, EHSSC
Independence MO
June 9, 2011

Q. Will the dead algae affect the bath or the anodizing process? Also, I've tried many filters but no luck on getting the bath clear again. It is staying a murky green color. Any suggestions?

Orlena Puckett [returning]
- Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
July 19, 2011

Sorry! Finishing.com is temporarily Read-Only.
Ted Mooney is retiring but I have several offers to take it over.
We're working hard to make sure we find it the best new home.

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: