A quick question about dev tanks

[defconfunk]

Just an FYI Once I mix a working batches of Stop and fixer I generally use it for 10 tanks (1 roll of 120 each) or a month which ever comes first, before mixing new batches. Based what I've seen others post here on RFF that's pretty conservative.

I did not realize I could resize the plastic reels, that will make life much easier.

I had thought I could only keep the stop/fix mixes for a few days. I know I can test my fixer, but I never realized it might last that long. I've got another roll I'll be developing tonight. I'm a good week or three from developing any more film, so I had planned to toss the mixes when I was done tonight. But I guess I'll hold onto them.

Does Kodak Indicator stop bath change colour if it 'wears out' due to time instead of uses?

 

[pschauss]

When I started, I had an old Kinderman 120-size pastic tank and one stainless 35mm reel. Not knowing any better, I filled the tank and let the reel flop around when I inverted it. I never noticed any ill effects from this technique.

 

[Terry Christian]

defconfunk, you can safely use stop and fix for months and months with no ill effects, as long as they're not exhausted due to use. They're quite stable chemicals and don't break down easily.

Developers, however, are volatile. Concentrates can last indefinitely, but when mixed with water to make a working solution, they can't be trusted beyond the developing session usually. Powdered developers that have been mixed into a working solution (D-76, ID-11, XTOL, etc.) are reliably good for at least six months if stored properly in airtight bottles. But mix the whole thing -- never mix partial bags of developer powder!

 

[KenR]

I agree that there is no reason to leave extra room at the top of the Patterson tanks. The funnel top has lots of extra room, so by adding the correct amount of chemistry to the tank (20ml for the 2 reel tank) there is plenty of room for aggitation to occur when the tank is inverted. I have never had problems with underdevelopment except when using short developer times (<5 minutes), so IMHO, there is plenty of aggitation occurring in the tank.

 

[Vics]

I use stainless steel tanks and I have a one-roll tank, and two- and four-roll tanks. I bought them at the local camera swhop for almost nothing. I mostly use the two-roll one, but...

 

[Mcary]

defconfunk, you can safely use stop and fix for months and months with no ill effects, as long as they're not exhausted due to use. They're quite stable chemicals and don't break down easily.

Developers, however, are volatile. Concentrates can last indefinitely, but when mixed with water to make a working solution, they can't be trusted beyond the developing session usually. Powdered developers that have been mixed into a working solution (D-76, ID-11, XTOL, etc.) are reliably good for at least six months if stored properly in airtight bottles. But mix the whole thing -- never mix partial bags of developer powder!

+1 once mixed you can always store the working solution in a number of smaller containers rather then a single large container.

 

[defconfunk]

I've got a 1 gallon accordian style jug for my D-76. Not the easiest thing to pour out of, but I make do.

This is all good news though. With my used kit I got a 1 gallon jug of Kodak Indicator Stop (I use 5ml in my 350ml bath, and reuse the bath), a galon of fixer (which had sedimented out and was no longer good), and four packets of D-76. I figure I'm set for most my developing needs for a long time. The biggest worry (if you could call it that) was the fixer I picked up (1L of ilford rapid fix). I use 75ml of that per bath, so I wasn't looking forward to only getting a few days (and thus only a few rolls) out of each mixing of that.