Scope of this guide
Junior version: what you will see, what you record, and what you never touch. Recognise early, escalate fast.
Series: finishing.com recurring questions answered with platingclub line practice. Parameters are industry-standard starting ranges — confirm against your supplier TDS.
Triage: symptom → confirm → first move
| Symptom | Likely root | Confirm by | First move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uniform haze all over | Metallic contamination (Cu, Zn) | Hull cell: dull low-CD band | Dummy plate at low CD |
| Cloudy streaks that follow rack | Wetter shortage / surface tension | Stalgmometer reading | Titrate to 35–45 dyn/cm |
| Cloud with pinprick pits | Organics + gas | Hull cell banding | Carbon trial before dosing |
| Haze on castings only | Base metal drag-in (Zn) | By-alloy pattern | Segregate alloys; check strike |
| Haze after maintenance day | Work done: filter change, make-up | Revert one change | Restore and re-verify |
Recognise, record, escalate
| You see | You do | You never do |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudy parts | Run Hull cell sample, label it, report | Add brightener from the bottle |
| Haze on one rack family | Note the alloy of those parts | Mix alloys to 'balance' the load |
| Haze after weekend | Record Friday's last additions | Double Monday's dose |
| Anything unusual | Photo + tank card entry | Adjust two things at once |
Engineer notes
- One variable per corrective action; verify with the confirm-by column.
- Records beat memory: log every trial on the tank card.
- Two failed actions in a row is a senior call — escalate with your log.
Safety: nickel baths are skin sensitisers and dummy plating runs live tanks unattended overnight — check flood, ventilation and lock-out before leaving.
FAQ
What does cloudy nickel mean?
Something in the bath or on the surface is off — chemistry, wetting or contamination. Your Hull cell sample starts the diagnosis.
Why not just add brightener?
Overdosing clouds worse and masks the cause. One change at a time, on the senior's call.
What is the tank card for?
It is the bath's diary: additions, readings, odd loads. Claims and fixes both read it.