Re: exhausted fixer: what risks?



Gianni Rondinini wrote:

On Mon, 06 Feb 2006 15:20:00 -0700, Tom Phillips <nospam777@xxxxxxx>
wrote:
snip..

i've never used hypo clearing wash agent: i'm just using a wetting
agent (agepon 1+200).

not refix. As far as refixing already washed and
[...]
thiosulfate complexes by using a hypo clear before
washing. Should also wash a good 10 minutes.

i'm beginning to think that i should consider starting using a hypo
clearing...

i think that adding some more info will help you understanding what
may be my problem.
1. i develop
2. a couple of rinses with fresh water (no stop bath)
3. fixing (see later for times)
4. inford simplified washing (2 rinses with water, 1 rinse with 5
agitations, 1 rinse with 10 agitations, 1 rinse with 20 agitations);
water is very expensive and limited here, this is why i chose this way
of washing my films.
5. a couple of minutes in wetting agent, while i wash tank cap and i
prepare the developer for next rolls.


You should use a stop bath. Using a stop bath
for 30-60 seconds (30 seconds minimum to allow
the acid solution to soak completely into the
emulsion) will prevent any developer carry over
which will weaken the fix and shorten it's
life/capacity. I also would never use a fixer to
exhaustion. And as others have commented fixer
isn't particularly toxic to the environment so
long as the effluent is treated by your local
Sewer/Sanitation District. Most photo chemicals
are easily handled by sewage treatment. A good
practice is to mix your used developer (alkaline)
and fixer (acid) together to neutralize them
before dumping.

Also, using a hypo clearing agent will shorten
wash times and improve washing efficaciousness.
I generally give a 10 minute wash with t-grained
films after 2-3 minutes in hypo clear. Your fill
and dump w/agitation rinse method is fine, so
long as you use enough rinses. But I would test
the results using the HT-2 wash/fixer residue test.

maximum capacity. IOW if you fix the first few rolls
for 6-7 minutes you would need to fix the remaining

kodak declares 2-5 minutes for tmax fix,

Not long enough...

then i usually fix the first
films about 3 minutes, the next ones 4 minutes, the following ones 5
minutes. i have seen that after 6 120 rolls of delta's, tmax fix seems
to be exhausted, then i'm not going any further than this.
*but*, last two rolls already seem to be a little bit violet-ish,
sometimes, so i was worried about damages my negatives could get by
this.

Like I say you can simply refix. The effect unremoved
silver halides will have on negatives that are improperly
fixed will be more pronounced the longer the time (i.e.,
days or weeks.)

you do or not its a good idea to fix these films
for 3 times the clearing time instead of the normal
recommended 2 times the clearing time for non
t-grain films.

i'll have a look at their clearing time: i had trusted in fixer
sticker instead of checking it by hand.

thanks for your reply.
--
Gianni Rondinini (30, tanti, RA)
Nikon user - Bmw driver
http://bugbarbeq.deviantart.com
.

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