ColColt
Established
I've always reused Kodak's Rapid Fixer for film. Lately I've notice my two month old solution I keep in a dark brown container looks milky when put into a graduate for fixing purposes. There's only been right at 10 rolls of 24 exposure Tri-X or HP-5 through that batch and already it looks cloudy.
I've rad on the forum some years ago you should get up to 25 rolls in a liter before it needs dumping and I got less than half that. I mixed half of the recommended gallon so i should have gotten about 50 rolls instead of the ten before exhausted.
I poured some into a container and took a film leader and added to see how long it took for it to clear...about ta minute so, why the cloudy look? I was getting ready to mix a new batch but would like to hear comments on why it's cloudy looking.
I've rad on the forum some years ago you should get up to 25 rolls in a liter before it needs dumping and I got less than half that. I mixed half of the recommended gallon so i should have gotten about 50 rolls instead of the ten before exhausted.
I poured some into a container and took a film leader and added to see how long it took for it to clear...about ta minute so, why the cloudy look? I was getting ready to mix a new batch but would like to hear comments on why it's cloudy looking.
Mablo
Well-known
I had a relatively fresh fixer batch that turned almost dark in a few weeks. No idea what caused it. I have a habit of sniffing the fixer (very slightly!) before use. In case I smell rotten egg I toss the batch and make a new one.
jschrader
Well-known
As far as I understood one cannot recognize exhaustion of fixer by its color. Actually, it is exhausted when too much undeveloped ( = light sensitive silver halogenide) remains in the film. This will later (in years) turn into brown spots and spoil the film.
Never overuse fixer. It is not that expensive
Never overuse fixer. It is not that expensive
ColColt
Established
It wasn't just the cloudy, milky color but the smell as well...didn't smell like fresh fixer-more like mild sulfur. I wold have thought out of two quarts of fixer I could get much more than ten rolls.
Instead of the gallon it makes I cut it in half and make just half a gallon.
Instead of the gallon it makes I cut it in half and make just half a gallon.
ChrisPlatt
Thread Killer
Not sure if this applies but fixer capacity is reduced with tabular grain films.
Chris
Chris
ColColt
Established
I don't shoot the T-grain films...mostly Tri-X, HP-5 and FP-4. Occasionally I'll use RPX-400.
Terry Christian
Established
Just yesterday I used some fixer I've had for a while but not exhausted, and it was also a bit cloudy in appearance; but it worked just fine and fixer test solution didn't come up with any precipitate, so I just fixed for a bit longer than usual.
I won't count on its still being viable for much longer.
I won't count on its still being viable for much longer.
ColColt
Established
What was puzzling to me was the fixer wasn't that old and testing a piece of film with it it cleared it in under a minute. I just didn't like the looks of it and the smell was somewhat suspect so, I ditched it.