Tri-x turning the fixer purple.

[ibcrewin]

I developed 4 rolls of tri-x 400 in a 4 roll tank. I fixed for 5 minutes, (twice the clearing time). When I poured the fixer back in the beaker it looked purple. I wasn't getting this with old tmax 400, I assume it's just the anti-halation layer coming off. 😕 I didn't know what to do with it so I poured it back into fixer container.

I use the ilford method of washing my film plus and extra set of inversions, then I let the film sit in the photoflow solution while I get ready to hang my film. By the time I had gotten to the fourth reel in the tank. The water was a light purple. 😱

Here are a few questions..
1.Did I not fix for long enough?
2.Does processing a 4 roll tank require slightly different times?
3.Should I not leave my films in the photoflow solution for more than a couple of minutes?
4. Can I still use the purple fixer on future films?

Thanks for you help.. I've been on a film dev. tear!😀

Thanks!

 

[like2fiddle]

What is your developer? This happens when I use Rodinal and tri-x, but usually it disappears after stop.

 

[skahde]

Works as designed. No need not worry.

1. No as long as you have a look at the clearing time and double or triple that.
2. Yes, but not for the fix
3. Don't let the film sit longer than neccessary but no need to become obsessive about it.
4. Yes as long as you don't overuse it.
5. Just ignore the purple colour or give the film an alkaline bath (eg. hypo cleraring, alkaline fixer) and wash it out.

Stefan

 

[FrankS]

I've found that Tri-X requires longer fixing times than HP5+.
Also, are you giving the film a 30 sec wash between developing and fixing?

 

[like2fiddle]

Sorry, I forgot to comment on Photoflo: 30 seconds works fine for me, but it might depend on the hardness of your water. I don't think it will hurt anything to let it sit in there for two minutes, but I don't know that for sure. If it's been working for you why change?

 

[FrankS]

When you look at the negatives, is here still a purple tint to the base? This indicates that it wasn't fixed enough. Properly fixed negs are a neutral grey.

 

[Silva Lining]

I have had this problem, but have found it goes away if I pre-wash the film in water or Ilfotol or another wetting agent.

 

[sirius]

Now that we've talked about chemicals for the developing, is there anything you're taking which would make it look purple? 😉 I use tmax rs on my tri-x and it never has a purple colour. If I reuse my developer it gradually turns a little black, but that's it.

 

[skahde]

When you look at the negatives, is here still a purple tint to the base? This indicates that it wasn't fixed enough. Properly fixed negs are a neutral grey.

Matthias Schneege from ILFORD Imaging GmbH, Germany offered some deeper insight into this topic some years ago. Following his notion, a purple cast on the negatives is not a sign of underfixing and will not affect the keeping properties of the neg.

As his writing is in german I will only cite the last sentence about what not to do to remove the colour: "Verlängertes Fixieren, über die empfohlene Zeit hinaus, sollte vermieden werden." (Prolonged fixing for more than the recommended time should be avoided).

Stefan

 

[ibcrewin]

I prewet the film. Develop. Indicator stop for 30 seconds, Fix, wash, photoflow. hang to dry.

Thanks for all the insight!

 

[oscroft]

It does seem to be the case that with some dev/fix combinations more of the purple colour remains in Tri-X - I've had more of it with Rodinal/Tetenal than with HC-110/Tetenal, for example. And it is nothing to do with insufficient fixing.

Even though the purple does no harm to the negs, I still like to get rid of it. And the way I do that is to increase my washing - I do it the Ilford way, but add a 5 minute soak and rinse in between each of the inversion sessions. (In the old days, when we were a bit more profligate with water, I used to wash in running water for an hour).

 

[Pherdinand]

You can fix it till the whole image is etched off the base, but it will still be purple. Been there, done that.
Longer washing helps a bit, as well as natural (UV) light on the sun for a day or two. But there's no reason of really trying to get it out of the film.
Or so I was told on photo.net.

 

[ibcrewin]

natural (UV) light on the sun for a day or two. But there's no reason of really trying to get it out of the film.
Or so I was told on photo.net.

I read that too.

 

[FrankS]

Well live and learn! I've been under the (possibly) erroneous assumption that purple tint in negs indicated insufficient fixing!

 

[WoolenMammoth]

the only time I get grey negatives with trix or 5222 is with diafine, the rest of the time there is *always* a purple base with a wide variety of developers. I too thought the purple was underfixing until I got a tank that I underfixed with exhausted fixer by accident. THAT was purple, and you'll know instantly that you need to fix longer. I use Ilford rapid fix for negs.

It would be nice if the purple did clear, just for no other reason beyond indication that the fix was thorough. Life's insificant complaints 🙂

 

[oscroft]

I really do find it strange to hear people talk of the impossibility of getting the purple out of Tri-X, because I always pretty much get it out of mine - there may be a slight hint of purple left, but you have to look through a few strips on top of each other to really see it.

 

[drewbarb]

The new base they've been putting Tri-X on for the last few years is indeed very purple. I use a two minute pre-wet, developer, vinegar stop (with some developers) for 45 seconds or so, 5 minute fix, 5 minute first wash, then a Perma- wash clearing agent for 3 minutes, then a final wash similar to the Ilford method. The pre-wet, acid stop, and Perma-wash steps all help to flush the purple, but some amount of it always remains. I have noticed that by and large it is gone a couple of weeks later, especially if the negatives get exposed to UV light.

I've used Heico NH5 fixer and Perma-Wash for 15 years, for film and prints. I log all the film through it, and recycle it after 100 rolls have been fixed in a gallon of working strength solution. The manufacturer recommends 120 films, but I err on the side of caution. Both the fix and the Perma-wash take on a purple tinge to them after a few runs, regardless of what films I put through it. I ignore this, as it has no effect at all.

Purple negatives can mean under-fixing, but as WoolenMammoth notes, there is a marked difference between this and the regular Kodak purple base. If you've ever seen it, you can tell the difference immediately.

I miss the old Tri-X from years ago- the base was absolutely clear, and the emulsion was slightly different- it responded to exposure and development a little differently. You could build up more silver and get outrageous tonality out of it with the right dev. It was just a different film.

 

[Bob Michaels]

When I poured the fixer back in the beaker it looked purple. I wasn't getting this with old tmax 400, I assume it's just the anti-halation layer coming off. 😕 I didn't know what to do with it so I poured it back into fixer container.

As everyone else seems to be addressing a different question of the film and not your question about the fixer looking purple.........

Yes, this is a result of the anti=halation layer being removed. Check your fixer now and I bet all traces of the purple tint are now gone. It oxidizes or bleaches away or something. I see this all time with Neopan 400, more so with 120 than equivalent amount of 35mm film. It's normal and not a problem.