Developer volume recommendations

[brothernature]

I'm reading The Film Developing Cookbook by Bill Troop and Steve Anchell. For undilute developers they recommend using 300 to 350 mL of developer, or at least a minimum of 250 mL, per 8x10 inches of film (or 1 35mm, 36 exposures, roll), for optimum development and consistency.

If I'm using Xtol 1:1 in a 4 reel steel tank that takes 1000mL, does this mean I have to mix 1000mL of Xtol stock solution (250 x 4) with 1000mL of water, and fill the tank with that mixture and dump the rest? I'm confused by the phrasing.

Thanks.

Edit: Reading further it seems that they intend for you to leave out two reels, so you have at least 250mL of solution per reel. Is this really necessary? It would be a bummer to have to reduce my capacity to two reels in a tank at a time.

 

[Rob-F]

If you have four reels in a 1000ml tank, then you do have 250ml per reel. So if you are supposed to use 250ml of stock solution per reel, and you fill the tank with stock solution, then you can develop four reels. But when you dilute 1:1, then you only really have 500ml of stock solution in the tank. So you only get to develop 2 reels. If it's important to develop four, then use the stock developer full strength.

There's no point in mixing 1000ml of stock with 1000ml of water, if you are only going to develop 2 reels in a 1000 ml tank. You could set half the diluted solution aside and develop 2 more reels a few minutes later. Or else mix 500ml stock with 500ml water to just do 2 reels.

 

[brothernature]

If you have four reels in a 1000ml tank, then you do have 250ml per reel. So if you are supposed to use 250ml of stock solution per reel, and you fill the tank with stock solution, then you can develop four reels. But when you dilute 1:1, then you only really have 500ml of stock solution in the tank. So you only get to develop 2 reels. If it's important to develop four, then use the stock developer full strength.

There's no point in mixing 1000ml of stock with 1000ml of water, if you are only going to develop 2 reels in a 1000 ml tank. You could set half the diluted solution aside and develop 2 more reels a few minutes later. Or else mix 500ml stock with 500ml water to just do 2 reels.

I see, I understand now.

The volume of diluted XTOL Developer needed to cover the film will depend on the size of your tank or tray or the design of your rotary-tube processor. However, the minimum amount of diluted developer needed to cover the film may not contain enough active ingredients to develop the film fully in the recommended time. We recommend always starting with at least 100 mL (3.5 fluidounces) of full-strength developer to prepare the diluted solution for each 135-36 or 120 roll (or the equivalent of 80 square inches [516 square centimetres]). For example, when processing 4 rolls of film with developer diluted 1:1, use at least 800 mL even if the processing equipment will allow the use of less solution.

This is what Kodak says, so it sounds like I'm fine to use 500mL stock solution + 500mL water for 4 rolls in a 1000mL tank?

 

[Freakscene]

You seem to be confusing minimum volume of developer and minimum volume of stock per roll.

The total volume of developer that you need for tank development is enough to completely cover the film plus a little. You can find out how much this is from the instructions for your tanks, or putting everything into your tank like reels and lifter etc etc, filling it up with plain water, then measuring how much you have in there. The film will take up a little space.

The minimum amount of stock per roll depends on the developer. For Xtol, Kodak says “ We recommend always starting with at least 100 mL (3.5 fluidounces) of full-strength developer to prepare the diluted solution for each 135-36 or 120 roll (or the equivalent of 80 square inches [516 square centimetres]). For example, when processing 4 rolls of film with developer diluted 1:1, use at least 800 mL even if the processing equipment will allow the use of less solution.”

So developing 4 rolls in 1L of Xtol 1+1 is fine, because you will have 125mL of stock per roll. This minimum amount varies greatly between developers. But there is a thread that discusses this for Xtol here: https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164722&highlight=%93Innocent+bystander%94

Marty