HC-110 brown spots in bottle?

[rbiemer]

Is this normal?
Been using this bottle of HC-110, bought earlier in the summer, haven't put anything into the bottle, only poured out the small amount required for each development session, capped the bottle immediately after measuring, and it's been stored in the dark.

Thanks!
Rob

 

[ruby.monkey]

That's normal. It'll still keep working pretty much forever.

 

[rbiemer]

That's normal. It'll still keep working pretty much forever.

OK, thanks! It's been a very long time since I last processed my own film--in highschool before 1978 and we probably were using D-76--and I'm a chef by trade so any food stuff that starts to look like this is really not a good sign. 🙂

Rob

 

[rfaspen]

I have some of that look in my bottle as well. I'm still using it with no impact.

I'm told that HC-110 and Rodinal are nearly indestructible. I had a quite old (> 10 years) bottle of Rodinal that looked awful with chunks in the bottom. Tried it on a test roll because folks insisted it was still good. It was. Wow!

Similar properties for HC-110? I haven't had a chance to do the experiments yet. Get back to me in a decade or so. 🙂

 

[Timmyjoe]

Mine does that all the time. No worries.

 

[Ted Striker]

HC-110 forms huge pieces of sludge in the bottle over time. The fluid becomes very dark and red. Regardless, it still develops film just as good as the day you bought it. It's an indestructible developer and what I use 99% of the time.

Does the Ilford equivalent do the same? Anyone know?

 

[rfaspen]

Is there an Ilford equivalent? What would it be?

 

[mike rosenlof]

Ilfotec-hc is very similar. or so "they" say.

and +1 more to the "use it, it's fine" group

 

[rbiemer]

Since I originally posted this question, I have taken the consensus her and gone with it.
So, one more in the "use it, it's fine" group. 🙂

One more tank load to finish developing the last four sheets of the first box of 4x5 film I've ever shot. And then time to start on the second.
Been happy with the HC-110 and HP 5+ combination and that is going to be what I'll be using for the foreseeable future while I try to get better at LF.

Rob

 

[x-ray]

Don't worry, its of no concern.

The Ilford equivalent is HC and the same dilutions and times work for both. HC is colorless where as HC-110 is more yellow. Both have about the same viscosity. Freestyle make a similar product L110 that's a very good product and much lower viscosity. It's much easier to measure but I've found once the bottle is opened it oxidizes snd goes bad in a month or so.