Crystalized Rodinal

T

Tijmendal

Young photog
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My Rodinal has gotten chunky. When I turned it upside down there was just some crystalized stuff stuck on the bottom. When I shook it, it fragmented. I don't trust it anymore, so I bought a new bottle, but I was wondering what could have caused it. Any leads?
 
I guess it's caused by evaporation or something. Been using Rodinal for over twenty years, have had that happen numerous times with different bottles. I just shake the bottle up to see if they dissolve, and if it gets too bad I will pour from one bottle to another through a strainer & coffee filter.
 
Timmyjoe said:
I guess it's caused by evaporation or something. Been using Rodinal for over twenty years, have had that happen numerous times with different bottles. I just shake the bottle up to see if they dissolve, and if it gets too bad I will pour from one bottle to another through a strainer & coffee filter.
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Thanks. But wouldn't it make the solution less strong?
 
Had the same thing happen to my last bottle but just kept using it ... it was fine.
 
Tijmendal said:
I'm a little afraid that the crystals will end up touching the negative and leaving some kind of mark (like gross overdeveloping or something).
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I would just let the stuff settle after giving it a shake then draw off what I needed with a syringe, making sure not to draw from the bottom.
 
This topic was discussed some time ago in another thread and I learned that the crystals come from recrystallisation of the p-aminophenol. It was also said that the recrystaliation does not exhaust enough p-aminophenol to influence the activity of the developer.

I regulary use paRodinal, and the crystals are also there. I never saw a problem with it, I just ignore them until the concentrate level is very close to the bottom of the bottle.

Regards

Joao
 
Are we talking about the original Rodinal?

I have been using Fomadol R09 and heard that it is more sensitive and does expire. I kept it outside in hot summer and I am worried if it is done now. It has been 2.5 years since I bought it.
 
Tijmendal said:
My Rodinal has gotten chunky. When I turned it upside down there was just some crystalized stuff stuck on the bottom. When I shook it, it fragmented. I don't trust it anymore, so I bought a new bottle, but I was wondering what could have caused it. Any leads?
Click to expand...

Do not worry. In most cases, darkening of the solution and crystals do not influence the developing capacity. Dab a bit of the concentrate on a piece of unexposed film.The film will become black in some seconds, if your Rodinal is healthy.

You can filter your developer through cotton wool. Put some cotton wool into a funnel and pour the Rodinal through it.
 
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