Proper way to reuse fixer TF-4?

[Jhausler]

I'm looking to start processing B&W film so I stopped by a local store to buy some chemistry. I bought a bottle of Ilfosol 3 developer and TF-4 fixer.

On the fixer...
Say I mix it up 1+3 and I have a 4 liters of working fixer. When I go to fill the tank I set aside let's say 500ml of the working fixer. I fix the film. Now what? Do I pour that back into the gallon jug?

The paperwork says that 1 liter of working fixer is good for 15-20 rolls of film. Does that mean going this method I'm good to keep pouring back fixer into the gallon for somewhere between 60-80 rolls of film? Or should I put the fixer into four, 1 liter bottles and just work on 1 liter at a time and dispose properly after 15 rolls or so?

Thanks,
Jesse

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Yeah, pour it back in the jug. If you have 4 liters in a jug, you keep using till you have reached the capacity of 4 liters of it (60-80). I would personally not fix that many films; for archival work, I'd do half what's recommended, and if you're using Tmax or Delta films, go on the low end. I have used TF-4 for years. I do 30 rolls per gallon.

 

[Jhausler]

Thanks Chris,

So no difference with molarity or anything like that if i just pour back into the gallon jug or work on 1 liter at a time.. sounds good to me. I never did do well in chemistry class.

Jesse

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Fixer exhausts when it becomes too saturated with silver that it removes from film. Once it reaches a certain weight of silver for a given volume of fixer, the fixer should be replaced.

The number of rolls recommended are really averages since the amount of silver a film will leave in the fix depends on the type of film and the tonality of the images (a roll of photos of white objects will leave less silver in the fix than a roll of dark subjects will).

Anyway, if you pour your used fix from the dev. tank to the storage jug then the silver will disperse through the whole volume in the jug, so a gallon can do more films than a liter.

 

[gb hill]

I use Ilford Rapid Fixer & notice after several fixes gray particles form in the fixer & I have to strain it out. Doesn't seem to affect the strength but I don't want any of the particles clinging to my film either. Is this stuff silver or something else? I thought about starting a thread but see if I get an answer here.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I've noticed that with Ilford Rapid Fixer too, usually after it has sat unused for a long time. Its probably silver, but I don't know for sure.