Cleaning dev tanks, reels etc

[cambolt]

I just bought a brand spanking new paterson super system 4 tank. Of course, being so new and beautiful :angel: I am afraid to dirty it (I know it will get dirty anyway) but I'm just wondering how you are meant to be cleaning these out after developing? I have just been rinsing with warm water up til now, but new stuff calls for new measures. What do you do?

 

[mwooten]

I just rinse in hot water.

 

[user237428934]

I clean the parts with normal cleaning detergent from time to time.

 

[maddoc]

Warm clean water does the trick for me, the small gap between the tank and the red ring started leaking after some rolls however. A good habit is to not use any wetting agent together with the tank or worse reels but just drop the developed and washed film into some small container (for example the cut-off bottom part of a 1.5 l plastic bottle) filled with the wetting agent bath. Reason is that the wetting agent will build up a film on the reels with time and make loading difficult.

 

[daninjc]

I use warm water, and make sure it's dry before storing it. Has worked perfectly so far.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Gabor, thanks for the tip! I'll unspool my film and leave it in Photoflo from now on.

BTW, I wash my developing gear in warm soapy water, then rinse it in warm water. Half of my stuff was used, so it does have a little buildup and I want to prevent it from getting worse.

Again, thanks for the information on the wetting agent!

 

[julio1fer]

Warm water with household detergent and a toothbrush in the grooves.

 

[sniki]

Warm (pretty hot) water and rinse it's enought for me too, but a maniac friend of mine - every once in a while - bleaches reels with sodium hypochlorite: who knows...?

 

[MartinP]

A nailbrush and warm water, after a bit of a soak, will get rid of most crud. For discoloration you could soak overnight in a dilute household bleach - then wash/rinse well afterwards of course. A bit of a stain isn't a problem in itself, but it makes it harder to see any lumps or bumps that interfere with loading.

Alternatively I will do you a dev-tank CLA each eighteen months for a very reasonable 180 euros plus postage.

 

[nikon_sam]

Warm to hot water to rinse everything off...sometimes I'll also use a small hand brush to clean off the reels...towel dry everything, place the reels and tube back in the tank, round clip thingy in the lid, then place the top piece upside down on top of the tank to it can allow air to get it and dry anything I've missed...
I've never had any problem with the reels being placed in the tank with Photo-Flo...just make sure you rinse them off...
Paterson also made/makes an attachment hose for rinsing your film while still in the tank...the end piece fits snug in the filler hole forcing the water down the tube up and over the reels then out the top of the tank...once you've done this for 5 minutes the tank and reels are pretty clean already...

 

[reuno]

I just make sure to clean it with clean water after each processing... just to be sure to get off all the photoflo. I just clean them with tooth brush when i buy old tanks