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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
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for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Anodizing dye tank has a scum on it
Q. I have been searching for an answer to a question pertaining to red anodizing dye. I had noticed a scum has formed on the top of my dye. Is this still good to use? Finding the scum tells me my container is not air tight, so I am wondering if this will affect the dye in any way.
Thank you
- Bassano, Alberta, Canada
October 16, 2012
A. Tanya
The 'scum' could be algae. Check with your supplier for recommendations on how to prevent it from occurring. Some dyes require an elevated minimum temperature to prevent the formation of such.
I would think it would still be good for most uses, although I would filter and/or skim first. You could always send a sample to your supplier for analysis.
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
October 17, 2012
A. Some dye baths will grow mold which can be picked up by the anodized aluminium where it will act as a resist and prevent build-up of dyestuff on the affected areas. You can skim the mold off of the top and some dyes will allow you to raise the temperature around 90 °C to kill most of the mold spores.
Scott Merritt- Eastman, Georgia, USA
October 24, 2012
Fungus in brown dye
Q. I work in an anodizing shop and our brown dye, Sanodure aluminum olive brown r2, is constantly foaming. It's the worst of all the dyes. I've been told it's due to a fungal growth in the tank. But even after draining, cleaning, and rebuilding, it has remained foamy. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Justin PerryAnodizer - Jackson, Michigan
May 31, 2017
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