Proper method to electroplate aluminum?
No ! There are no method for plating aluminum. Thousands of people have tried. In vain. It is impossible to prevent the formation of a thin layer of aluminum oxide which is waterproof at the surface of the metal. The only way of preventing it is to dip a piece of aluminum in a solution of mercuric chloride. This produces a reaction $$\ce{2 Al + 3 HgCl2 -&gt;  3 Hg + 2 AlCl_3}$$ and the mercury makes an alloy (or amalgam) with not yet oxidized aluminum, and this prevents the formation of the continuous oxide layer. But this alloy does not prevent the oxidation of Al in contact with air. The oxidation of the amalgamated aluminum proceeds with such a speed that the growth of the aluminum oxide filaments can be seen by the naked eye. In a couple of minutes, white filaments of oxide grow to become one or two centimeters long. This extraordinary phenomena stops when the mercury has been removed from the surface by the growing oxide filaments. Of course, today, it is forbidden to carry out such experiments, because of the mercury toxicity. Fifty years ago, it was allowed. I do remember.