diff --git a/backend/fpbase/forms.py b/backend/fpbase/forms.py
index b1dba3e5..2b933672 100644
--- a/backend/fpbase/forms.py
+++ b/backend/fpbase/forms.py
@@ -37,5 +37,7 @@ def send_email(self):
 
 
 class CustomSignupForm(SignupForm):
-    captcha = ReCaptchaField(label="", widget=ReCaptchaV3(attrs={"required_score": 0.85}))
+    # only if not in debug mode
+    if not settings.DEBUG:
+        captcha = ReCaptchaField(label="", widget=ReCaptchaV3(attrs={"required_score": 0.85}))
     field_order = ["username", "email", "password1", "password2", "captcha"]
diff --git a/backend/proteins/models/spectrum.py b/backend/proteins/models/spectrum.py
index 0abf2cb8..2e771169 100644
--- a/backend/proteins/models/spectrum.py
+++ b/backend/proteins/models/spectrum.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ def dye_slugs(self):
             self.get_queryset().filter(category=self.DYE).values_list("owner_dye__slug", "owner_dye__name").distinct()
         )
 
-    def sluglist(self):
+    def sluglist(self, filters: dict | None = None):
         """probably using this one going forward for spectra page"""
 
         owners = ["state", "dye", "filter", "light", "camera"]
@@ -107,7 +107,10 @@ def sluglist(self):
         for suffix in ["slug", "id", "name"]:
             for owner in owners:
                 vals.append(f"owner_{owner}__{suffix}")
-        Q = self.get_queryset().values(*vals)
+        Q = self.get_queryset()
+        if filters:
+            Q = Q.filter(**filters)
+        Q = Q.values(*vals)
 
         out = []
         for v in Q:
diff --git a/backend/proteins/schema/query.py b/backend/proteins/schema/query.py
index 0a9d3e48..cac3a209 100644
--- a/backend/proteins/schema/query.py
+++ b/backend/proteins/schema/query.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import graphene
 from django.core.cache import cache
+from django.utils.text import slugify
 from graphene_django.filter import DjangoFilterConnectionField
 from graphql import FieldNode, GraphQLError, GraphQLResolveInfo
 
@@ -91,14 +92,25 @@ def resolve_protein(self, info, **kwargs):
         return None
 
     # spectra = graphene.List(Spectrum)
-    spectra = graphene.List(types.SpectrumInfo)
+    spectra = graphene.List(types.SpectrumInfo, subtype=graphene.String(), category=graphene.String())
     spectrum = graphene.Field(types.Spectrum, id=graphene.Int())
 
     def resolve_spectra(self, info, **kwargs):
         requested_fields = get_requested_fields(info)
+
+        fkwargs = {}
+        if subtype := kwargs.get("subtype"):
+            fkwargs["subtype"] = str(subtype).lower()
+        if cat := kwargs.get("category"):
+            fkwargs["category"] = str(cat).lower()
+
         if "owner" in requested_fields:
-            return models.Spectrum.objects.sluglist()
-        return models.Spectrum.objects.all().values(*requested_fields)
+            # owner is complicated ... need to do our own thing
+            return models.Spectrum.objects.sluglist(filters=fkwargs)
+        elif fkwargs:
+            return models.Spectrum.objects.filter(**fkwargs).values(*requested_fields)
+        else:
+            return models.Spectrum.objects.all().values(*requested_fields)
 
     def resolve_spectrum(self, info, **kwargs):
         _id = kwargs.get("id")
@@ -129,3 +141,19 @@ def resolve_opticalConfig(self, info, **kwargs):
         if _id is not None:
             return gdo.query(models.OpticalConfig.objects.filter(id=_id), info).get()
         return None
+
+    dyes = graphene.List(types.Dye)
+    dye = graphene.Field(types.Dye, id=graphene.Int(), name=graphene.String())
+
+    def resolve_dyes(self, info, **kwargs):
+        return gdo.query(models.Dye.objects.all(), info)
+
+    def resolve_dye(self, info, **kwargs):
+        name = kwargs.get("name")
+        if name is not None:
+            slug = slugify(name)
+            return gdo.query(models.Dye.objects.filter(slug=slug), info).get()
+        _id = kwargs.get("id")
+        if _id is not None:
+            return gdo.query(models.Dye.objects.filter(id=_id), info).get()
+        return None