mixing up some Diafine

[FrankS]

Well I'm finally at the point where I'm ready to do this. Then I read the instructions. How bad would it be to use tap water instead of distilled water? I have no problem using tap water with my other (one shot) developers, but since this Diafine is supposed to last a year or more, I guess water quality is more important. Are there any other "bad" darkroom methodologists out there who just used tap water?

 

[rover]

pst....over here....


Don't tell anyone,...but I use the tap water.

I figure this ain't rocket science, so it should be ok.

Remember, don't tell anyone.....

 

[FrankS]

(whispers) Okay. Thanks.

 

[back alley]

i used the ol tap myself.

seems ok, but then again we have that great rocky mountain water here in the prairies...huh?

 

[T_om]

Tap water should be OK. The only person I ever heard of that had problems with tap water and developers lived in San Diego. Since I lived there myself for a short time, I could well believe it.

You should be fine.

Tom

 

[wlewisiii]

Well, I bought distilled water for mine, but that was because I wanted to use the one gallon jugs to hold the mixed developers afterwards... 😀 The next time it will be tap water.

William

 

[FrankS]

Thanks all, it's mixed with tapwater. Results LATE tonight or tomorrow night.

 

[Doug]

Did the powder all dissolve for you, Frank? Often I'm left with a swirl of white stuff at the bottom of the jug that's reluctant. Used to think it could be the tap water, but this last time I used distilled water and still got the stuff...

 

[FrankS]

Doug, there are some flecks in sol'n A and about 2 tablespoons full of undissolved powder in sol'n B. They're in dark brown glass gallon jugs though so I can barely notice it.

 

[back alley]

i used a coffee filter to go from mixing jug to container.

 

[FrankS]

You may have filtered out a vital ingredient!

 

[Todd.Hanz]

I get some stubborn particles swirling in the vortex when I mix up Xtol, first time I tried crushing them into submission, now I just leave 'em be.

Todd

 

[back alley]

You may have filtered out a vital ingredient!

you're kidding, right?

what's the diff if it just sits on the bottom of the jug?
i'd rather be rid of it and have no chance of it resting on my film as it developes.

joe

 

[FrankS]

Kidding? No way! I think it might be the "artisitic" ingredient.

My film is soaking in sol'n A right now and I don't care how long, and I'm just not going to bother to stir it! So there.

 

[back alley]

you givin me sass frank?!

😉joe

 

[Doug]

LOL, you guys... My darkroom funnel has a fine-mesh wire screen that can filter-out the undissolved flecks, and I'd filter and then keep pouring the solution through the funnel, stirring it with my finger trying to get it dissolved, and did eventually succeed. I think now I'll just mix it a few days in advance of using it in hopes time is the, err, solution.

 

[FrankS]

Yeah! I've got images on the film! Just hung all 5 and they're still wet but there are images on the film. I didn't even check any temperatures during development! Twice during the 3 minutes in sol'n B I gave teh film a gentle rotation (about 180 degrees). I sure hope I don't find any uneven development/bromide drag upon closer inspection.

 

[Doug]

Having visible images is a good sign! 🙂

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I get a gallon of distilled water for .79 (cents); I do it because that way I don't have to worry about hardness/softness/impurities and, it's already measured for me.

Tap water around where I live is sometimes a bit unpredictable, due to weather, literally. Tax dollars not much at work, gotta have to buy my own water. Deja Blue in England anyone?

 

[T_om]

Doug, there are some flecks in sol'n A and about 2 tablespoons full of undissolved powder in sol'n B. They're in dark brown glass gallon jugs though so I can barely notice it.

Get darker bottles. 😀

Tom