ADOX MQ Borax question

[haempe]

I switched early this year from D-76 to Adox MQ.
It seems, I get that little bit more "punch" (acutance) I had wished.

Tom, I post this here, because your photos brought me to this.
Hope to benefit from others long time experience, having some practical questions:

How to keep the working solution clean? I presoak now, what works well with Efke.
But APX100 (and others) gives away the dye still in the Developer.
Should I take Willi Beutlers filtration-proscription for serious?
And keeps frequent decanting the risk of oxydation?
How long lasts the working solution (in films or time) if I use 20ml regenerator per roll?
Are there visible indices for a diminishing activity?

Any help/wisdom will be appreciated. 🙂

 

[Tom A]

The Adox MQ is a D76 derivative. Works the same, but with a bit of an "edge" to it.
You need to filter it quite frequently (every 10-15 rolls) to keep it clean. It will discolor slightly with time, but no effect on development.
As to pre-soaking - I dont do it as if you do volumes of film, you slightly dilute the stock. Each roll absorbs about 5-7 ml of water and if you do 50 rolls - you have have now added 350 ml of water to the stock!
The replenishing with 20 ml/roll works well for me - and as I mix 2000 ml of stock Adox MQ and 1 liter of replenisher I do 50 rolls in it (use up the replenisher) and then dump it all and remake it.
As for Agfa films - I haven't really tested it on those - most of my Adox MQ has been with XX and TriX. You might want to extend the times a bit with the Agfa films.
I often add and extra minute to the times after 20-25 rolls has gone through - just to compensate for "age".
Decanting does introduce a bit of oxygen to the stock - so I tend to avoid it.
It is a good developer - but like all "soups" you have to "shoot" yourself in with it and learn its foibles.
Tom

 

[Nokton48]

I'm also a Borax MQ user, and like it. I have used it out to nine months after mixing without ill effects, although, Like TomA, I add a minute after about twenty rolls.

I filter the developer with a circle of laboratory filter paper, you can also use a coffee filter, rolled inside a large plastic funnel. It accumlates alot of grey crud in the bottom of the bottle, hence, I filter -before- using it. I also use 20 ml of replenisher per 36 exposures.

I don't presoak my films. Replenisher adds volume and keeps it topped off.

I have some Agfa400 (long expired a friend gave me 100') and although it has some base density, I develop it along with TX and XX, in the same tank, and it comes out fine.

I toss it and mix fresh after about nine months. It's cheap enough to make.

 

[haempe]

Thanks for the reply, Tom. This helps much.
If filtration is ok, easy to get the solution clean.
Making new solution if regenerator is depleted is easy to remind.

Nokton48, thank you as well.
Your 9 months experience ended my fear of a surprising developer-death. 🙂