FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
BRIGHT DYES
Bright Dyes® are safe for the environment, non-toxic, biodegradable and meet EPA standards. They are the only full line of water tracer dye products certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Standard 60, for use in and around potable water at recommended levels.
The color of all dyes will disappear if the solution is mixed with chlorine. Add approximately 4 grams of 12% bleach for every gram of product in the solution. Adding water will also dilute dye concentration and reduce coloration, or even eliminate color all together depending on volume of water added.
Bright Dyes® act as a coloring label on each drop of water. As that water or liquid travels, it can be identified at each point on its travel, until it reaches extreme dilution.
Bright Dyes® fluorescent dye tracers are dyes that selectively absorb light in the visible range of the spectrum. They are fluorescent because, upon absorbing light, they instantly emit light at a longer wavelength than the light absorbed. This emitted (fluorescent) light goes out in all directions. Most common fluorescent tracers are compounds that absorb green light and emit red fluorescent light.
Below are some rough guidelines.
Tablets – As a general rule, 1 Bright Dyes® tablet will provide a strong visual in 60 gallons of water. I.e.: A 1,200 gallon septic system would require between 15- 20 tablets for a strong visual inspection.
Liquid concentrate – As a general rule, 1 Bright Dyes® pint will provide a strong visual in 10,000 gallons of water. I.e.: A collection line having 10,000 gallons of flow, would require 1 pint of liquid concentrate for a strong visual inspection.
Powder – As a general rule, 1-pound of Bright Dyes® powder will provide a strong visual in 120,000 gallons of water. I.e.: A cooling tower holding 240,000 gallons of water would require 2 pounds of Bright Dyes® powder for a strong visual.
Bright Dyes® Standard Blue and Bright Dyes® FLT Yellow/Green are a little less expensive per gallons treated in the powder and liquid concentrate, than Bright Dyes® FWT Red.
- 1 pound of Bright Dyes® Standard Blue or Bright Dyes® FLT Yellow/Green powder will create a strong visual in 120,000 gallons of water.
- 1 pound of Bright Dyes® FWT red powder will create a strong visual in 60,400 gallons of water.
- 1 gallon of Bright Dyes® Standard Blue or Bright Dyes® FLT Yellow/Green liquid will create a strong visual in 125,500 gallons of water.
- 1 gallon of Bright Dyes® FWT Red 50 will create a strong visual in 62,500 gallons of water.
The color of Bright Dyes® you use should be based on contrast to the background color of the water. Any color can be used in clear water.
Bright Dyes® Fluorescent FWT Red Dye and Bright Dyes® FLT Yellow/Green dye because of their fluorescent nature have a greater apparent contrast than non-fluorescent blue.
Bright Dyes® FLT Yellow/Green is our most popular color and provides a vivid visual contrast in turbid, murky or brown colored water. Its’ fluorescent properties allow use at visual, UV and fluorometric levels.
Bright Dyes® FWT Red is our second most popular color and provides an excellent visual contrast to bodies of water which have high algae content or are green in color. Its’ fluorescent properties also allow use at visual, UV and fluorometric levels.
Bright Dyes® Standard Blue dye is generally more acceptable to public view but usually is not as vivid as Bright Dyes® FLT Yellow/Green and Bright Dyes FWT Red when used in tracing situations.
PPM means parts per million. 1 PPM means the color of the product is visible in clear water at one part dye tracing product to a million parts water. 1 PPM in 10,000 gallons of water requires approximately 1 pint of Bright Dyes water tracing liquid concentrate. This is generally referred to as a strong visual concentration level.
The material will not adversely affect an individual’s health. Drink plenty of water and do not induce vomiting. The person’s perspiration and urine will be tinted the color of the tablet for a short period of time.
It is dependent on the application, water color and the volume of water involved.
SMALL VOLUMES OF WATER – 0 – 20,000 gallons – Use Bright Dyes® tablets
A. Septic system analysis
B. Leak detection
C. Plumbing and sewer tracing
D. Storm and sewer drains
MODERATE VOLUMES OF WATER – 20,000 to 50,000 gallons – Use Bright Dyes® tablets, Bright Dyes® liquid concentrate or Bright Dyes® wax products
A. Examine water movement, current, flows
B. Flow mapping and tracing
C. Flow time studies
D. Storm and sewer drains
LARGE VOLUMES OF WATER – 50,000 + gallons – Use Bright Dyes® liquid concentrate or Bright Dyes® powder.
A. Leak detection
B. Flow Studies
C. Pollution studies
D. Condenser tubes and coils
E. Power plant piping
F. Lakes, rivers, ponds
FOR PROJECTS WHERE METERING OF INPUT INTO SYSTEMS IS REQUIRED – Use Bright Dyes® liquid
concentrate
A. Flow studies
B. Dilution rates
C. Leak detection
D. Pollution detection, septic tanks, sewer lines
For small amounts of water, the Bright Dyes® tablets are clean and easy to use…no measuring is required. They may be dropped or flushed directly into a drain, sewer, septic system, etc., where they dissolve in about 3-5 minutes. Or, they may be dissolved in a small amount of water first.
For larger bodies of water, Bright Dyes® powder or Bright Dyes® liquid concentrate may be more suitable for your needs.
In the situation of a long-term flow study Bright Dyes® wax products such as cakes, cones, or donuts may be appropriate.
HARBOR BOSUN
No. The tablet should be flushed immediately to avoid staining.
Yes. Harbor Bosun™ is biodegradable and safe for the environment. Harbor Bosun™ has been certified by NSF International to the ANSI/NSF Standard 60 for use in drinking water.
Boaters that are concerned about clean water will support your efforts. In fact, the concerned boater will be as much an
enforcement tool as a subject to the process. The boater that gives you a negative reaction is the boater that is discharging.
You must approach the process as a way to help the boater help himself. If you and they are convinced that boats are not the source of the problems, then this is a way to prove your point. By implementing a Harbor Bosun™ tabbing program, you can assure the people in your area that the boats are not the problem. This will force them to concentrate their efforts on other areas of non-point source pollution.
Every time the boat leaves the marina or has the holding tank pumped.
The live aboard polices have to be determined for your location. Live aboards should be tabbed every week or so.
If the boat is canvassed, then don’t worry about tabbing it. If the weekend is coming up and you know the boat owner will be in, you may wish to catch them and tab the boat when they show up.
Harbor Bosun™ is concentrated and should last 7 days.
ANODIZING DYES
The amount of dye required will vary, depending on the tank size. Our home page has an easy to use calculator for all Bright Dyes® Anodizing Dyes, which will calculate the dye required based on either the tank�s dimensions or its capacity. Please note that the calculator is based upon a concentration of 10 g/L for black dyes and 2 g/L for non-black dyes.
Yes, but we generally use 2 g/L as a baseline for non-black colors. However, the user can vary the concentration to fit specific needs.
Dye is best kept in a closed container in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight.
When stored per the recommended method, the dye itself has a virtual indefinite shelf life.
Yes it can but deionized, reverse osmosis, or distilled water is strongly recommended. Regular tap water can be hard and contain high levels of calcium and chlorine, resulting in white spots after a part is sealed and has dried.
The recommended ranges may vary by color but are important in achieving consistent results across dyeing runs. The ranges have been determined as a result of laboratory tests to ensure repeatable quality performance.
Our 7000 Powder Sealer and 9000 Liquid Sealer are both compatible with all Bright Dyes® colors, are easy to use and maintain, and will meet current seal tests.
The part may not have been cleaned well prior to anodizing. Thoroughly cleaning and rinsing between steps are both critical to achieving a uniform color. Additionally, dye bath agitation is recommended to maintain a consistent bath temperature. If a very quick dye time is required, parts on the bottom of a rack may appear a different color than those on the top.
White spots are easy to spot on colored work. They are often caused by foreign contaminants attaching themselves to parts and preventing dye penetration. They can also be the result of sulfuric acid from the anodizing bath being carried into the dye bath which can be prevented by steps such as a neutralization rinse before dyeing.
BRIGHT DYES
Bright Dyes® are safe for the environment, non-toxic, biodegradable and meet EPA standards. They are the only full line of water tracer dye products certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Standard 60, for use in and around potable water at recommended levels.
The color of all dyes will disappear if the solution is mixed with chlorine. Add approximately 4 grams of 12% bleach for every gram of product in the solution. Adding water will also dilute dye concentration and reduce coloration, or even eliminate color all together depending on volume of water added.
Bright Dyes® act as a coloring label on each drop of water. As that water or liquid travels, it can be identified at each point on its travel, until it reaches extreme dilution.
Bright Dyes® fluorescent dye tracers are dyes that selectively absorb light in the visible range of the spectrum. They are fluorescent because, upon absorbing light, they instantly emit light at a longer wavelength than the light absorbed. This emitted (fluorescent) light goes out in all directions. Most common fluorescent tracers are compounds that absorb green light and emit red fluorescent light.
Below are some rough guidelines.
Tablets – As a general rule, 1 Bright Dyes® tablet will provide a strong visual in 60 gallons of water. I.e.: A 1,200 gallon septic system would require between 15- 20 tablets for a strong visual inspection.
Liquid concentrate – As a general rule, 1 Bright Dyes® pint will provide a strong visual in 10,000 gallons of water. I.e.: A collection line having 10,000 gallons of flow, would require 1 pint of liquid concentrate for a strong visual inspection.
Powder – As a general rule, 1-pound of Bright Dyes® powder will provide a strong visual in 120,000 gallons of water. I.e.: A cooling tower holding 240,000 gallons of water would require 2 pounds of Bright Dyes® powder for a strong visual.
Bright Dyes® Standard Blue and Bright Dyes® FLT Yellow/Green are a little less expensive per gallons treated in the powder and liquid concentrate, than Bright Dyes® FWT Red.
- 1 pound of Bright Dyes® Standard Blue or Bright Dyes® FLT Yellow/Green powder will create a strong visual in 120,000 gallons of water.
- 1 pound of Bright Dyes® FWT red powder will create a strong visual in 60,400 gallons of water.
- 1 gallon of Bright Dyes® Standard Blue or Bright Dyes® FLT Yellow/Green liquid will create a strong visual in 125,500 gallons of water.
- 1 gallon of Bright Dyes® FWT Red 50 will create a strong visual in 62,500 gallons of water.
The color of Bright Dyes® you use should be based on contrast to the background color of the water. Any color can be used in clear water.
Bright Dyes® Fluorescent FWT Red Dye and Bright Dyes® FLT Yellow/Green dye because of their fluorescent nature have a greater apparent contrast than non-fluorescent blue.
Bright Dyes® FLT Yellow/Green is our most popular color and provides a vivid visual contrast in turbid, murky or brown colored water. Its’ fluorescent properties allow use at visual, UV and fluorometric levels.
Bright Dyes® FWT Red is our second most popular color and provides an excellent visual contrast to bodies of water which have high algae content or are green in color. Its’ fluorescent properties also allow use at visual, UV and fluorometric levels.
Bright Dyes® Standard Blue dye is generally more acceptable to public view but usually is not as vivid as Bright Dyes® FLT Yellow/Green and Bright Dyes FWT Red when used in tracing situations.
PPM means parts per million. 1 PPM means the color of the product is visible in clear water at one part dye tracing product to a million parts water. 1 PPM in 10,000 gallons of water requires approximately 1 pint of Bright Dyes water tracing liquid concentrate. This is generally referred to as a strong visual concentration level.
The material will not adversely affect an individual’s health. Drink plenty of water and do not induce vomiting. The person’s perspiration and urine will be tinted the color of the tablet for a short period of time.
It is dependent on the application, water color and the volume of water involved.
SMALL VOLUMES OF WATER – 0 – 20,000 gallons – Use Bright Dyes® tablets
A. Septic system analysis
B. Leak detection
C. Plumbing and sewer tracing
D. Storm and sewer drains
MODERATE VOLUMES OF WATER – 20,000 to 50,000 gallons – Use Bright Dyes® tablets, Bright Dyes® liquid concentrate or Bright Dyes® wax products
A. Examine water movement, current, flows
B. Flow mapping and tracing
C. Flow time studies
D. Storm and sewer drains
LARGE VOLUMES OF WATER – 50,000 + gallons – Use Bright Dyes® liquid concentrate or Bright Dyes® powder.
A. Leak detection
B. Flow Studies
C. Pollution studies
D. Condenser tubes and coils
E. Power plant piping
F. Lakes, rivers, ponds
FOR PROJECTS WHERE METERING OF INPUT INTO SYSTEMS IS REQUIRED – Use Bright Dyes® liquid
concentrate
A. Flow studies
B. Dilution rates
C. Leak detection
D. Pollution detection, septic tanks, sewer lines
For small amounts of water, the Bright Dyes® tablets are clean and easy to use…no measuring is required. They may be dropped or flushed directly into a drain, sewer, septic system, etc., where they dissolve in about 3-5 minutes. Or, they may be dissolved in a small amount of water first.
For larger bodies of water, Bright Dyes® powder or Bright Dyes® liquid concentrate may be more suitable for your needs.
In the situation of a long-term flow study Bright Dyes® wax products such as cakes, cones, or donuts may be appropriate.
HARBOR BOSUN
No. The tablet should be flushed immediately to avoid staining.
Yes. Harbor Bosun™ is biodegradable and safe for the environment. Harbor Bosun™ has been certified by NSF International to the ANSI/NSF Standard 60 for use in drinking water.
Boaters that are concerned about clean water will support your efforts. In fact, the concerned boater will be as much an
enforcement tool as a subject to the process. The boater that gives you a negative reaction is the boater that is discharging.
You must approach the process as a way to help the boater help himself. If you and they are convinced that boats are not the source of the problems, then this is a way to prove your point. By implementing a Harbor Bosun™ tabbing program, you can assure the people in your area that the boats are not the problem. This will force them to concentrate their efforts on other areas of non-point source pollution.
Every time the boat leaves the marina or has the holding tank pumped.
The live aboard polices have to be determined for your location. Live aboards should be tabbed every week or so.
If the boat is canvassed, then don’t worry about tabbing it. If the weekend is coming up and you know the boat owner will be in, you may wish to catch them and tab the boat when they show up.
Harbor Bosun™ is concentrated and should last 7 days.
AQUA MOLE
Yes! Since we are drilling each nozzle to order, customer requests for a special or non-standard pattern can be accommodated without a problem. We do reserve the right to charge more for especially difficult or complex patterns.
Not a problem. As long as you know the pump’s flow and pressure specifications we can set up a nozzle that will work great on your equipment. We will also need to know the thread size. If you’re not sure about that, refer to the thread selection chart at the bottom of the page by clicking HERE!
Surprisingly not. We stock our nozzle bodies in an undrilled condition and have a very efficient system for drilling. We are located in the Richfield OH (Eastern time zone), and most orders that are placed by noon local time will ship that day. Occasionally, we will have to ship on the next business day.
The hose diameter cannot be used as an indicator of the thread size on the
hose connector fitting. If you are not certain, click HERE and scroll down to find the thread measurement table at the bottom of the page. Measure the outside diameter (O.D.) of the fitting’s thread then round to the closest reference measurement and note the corresponding NPT size.
We are a manufacturer, and you save by buying direct. Prices are listed on each product detail page and include drilling with the pattern of your choice. We offer quantity discounts which start with six nozzles. We also welcome inquiries from distributors or resellers, and have a special discount plan for those who qualify. Please call us toll free for details.
ANODIZING DYES
The amount of dye required will vary, depending on the tank size. Our home page has an easy to use calculator for all Bright Dyes® Anodizing Dyes, which will calculate the dye required based on either the tank�s dimensions or its capacity. Please note that the calculator is based upon a concentration of 10 g/L for black dyes and 2 g/L for non-black dyes.
Yes, but we generally use 2 g/L as a baseline for non-black colors. However, the user can vary the concentration to fit specific needs.
Dye is best kept in a closed container in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight.
When stored per the recommended method, the dye itself has a virtual indefinite shelf life.
Yes it can but deionized, reverse osmosis, or distilled water is strongly recommended. Regular tap water can be hard and contain high levels of calcium and chlorine, resulting in white spots after a part is sealed and has dried.
The recommended ranges may vary by color but are important in achieving consistent results across dyeing runs. The ranges have been determined as a result of laboratory tests to ensure repeatable quality performance.
Our 7000 Powder Sealer and 9000 Liquid Sealer are both compatible with all Bright Dyes® colors, are easy to use and maintain, and will meet current seal tests.
The part may not have been cleaned well prior to anodizing. Thoroughly cleaning and rinsing between steps are both critical to achieving a uniform color. Additionally, dye bath agitation is recommended to maintain a consistent bath temperature. If a very quick dye time is required, parts on the bottom of a rack may appear a different color than those on the top.
White spots are easy to spot on colored work. They are often caused by foreign contaminants attaching themselves to parts and preventing dye penetration. They can also be the result of sulfuric acid from the anodizing bath being carried into the dye bath which can be prevented by steps such as a neutralization rinse before dyeing.
BRANDS
PRODUCTS
RESOURCES
CONTACT US