Oxidized Developer

[naren]

I'm using Edwal FG7 developer at 1:15 dilution with 9% Sulfite. I mixed the chemistry last Saturday and want to know if it's okay and full strength a week later- give the bottle is only half full.

I ask this question because I had another half full bottle that was a little over a month old and a friend of mine told me it should be good, but then when he saw it was only half full he said that it would be weak because of oxidation and I should maybe add 10% development time.

Any input on this? Thanks.

 

[rlouzan]

Next time add Glass Marbels to keep the bottle full.
(You can't teach an old dog new tricks ...😀)

 

[naren]

Next time add Glass Marbels to keep the bottle full.
(You can't teach an old dog new tricks ...😀)

ha. 🙄

 

[naren]

oh, I guess that was serious?... a whole half bottle of glass marbles? aye.

 

[btgc]

Today I discovered that in print developer unused for some weeks there were something grown up, while liquid had turned brownish. Happily from now I have have chance to print more often.

Will go to toy shop to look for glass marbles, thanks for idea.

 

[Al Kaplan]

If you have a tray of print developer that isn't all used up and you want to save it overnight the best thing to do is use what's called a "floating lid" that covers the surface of the developer. You already have one sitting right next to the developer tray. It's called the stop bath tray. Just float it on top of the developer. You can leave the stop bath in it. Exposure to air doesn't hurt the stop bath.

The next day "freshen up" the developer with a few ounces of undiluted stock developer. The exact amount isn't critical. Add a bit of ascetic acid to your stop bath and you're good to go! I've been doing this for years! That's why I can afford Leicas...LOL

A freshly mixed gallon of developer should be divided up into a number of full smaller bottles.

It's a good idea to boil the water before mixing developer. A few minutes of boiling will drive off the disolved oxygen in the water. Then let it cool off before mixing in the powder. Usually there'll be a little bit of powder at the bottom that just doesn't seem to want to dissolve. Let it stand overnight and it'll be dissolved.

 

[Dwig]

My pet method, back in my wet darkroom days, was to have a collection of small bottles that just held what I would need for a single use. I used D-76 as my basic "house standard". I would mix a quart of stock and store it in four 8 oz bottle. Since my standard take was a 2 reel 16oz tank and I most often used D-76 1:1 a single 8oz bottle diluted to make a tank load. The other 3 bottles would remain full and sealed.

The glass marble method also works well, but you do need to be careful to not be too rough with the marbles. They can chip and you don't want little glass flakes floating around.