Q's About Reusing Fixer

[Spleenrippa]

Hey all,

I've read that it is okay to reuse fixer, but I'm wondering how exactly one employs it knowing that it will be kept rather than dumped.
1) dilute as per bottle instructions, then keep the solution afterwards
2) dump the fixer in straight and then just pour back into the bottle (almost like Diafine)

Just curious, as I've emptied my (first ever!!!) bottle of Arista fixer after only a few rolls, doing exactly what the bottle says- diluting 1:4 in water. I don't really want to have to buy a new bottle twice a month 🙄

 

[dazedgonebye]

Keep it till it won't do its job anymore.

Drop a strip of undeveloped film into the fixer and time how long it takes to go clear. Fix at twice that time. That's what I've heard and it seems to work well.

 

[bmattock]

Hey all,

I've read that it is okay to reuse fixer, but I'm wondering how exactly one employs it knowing that it will be kept rather than dumped.
1) dilute as per bottle instructions, then keep the solution afterwards
2) dump the fixer in straight and then just pour back into the bottle (almost like Diafine)

Just curious, as I've emptied my (first ever!!!) bottle of Arista fixer after only a few rolls, doing exactly what the bottle says- diluting 1:4 in water. I don't really want to have to buy a new bottle twice a month 🙄

I don't know what Arista's fixer is. I use Kodak's Rapid-Fixer, which I dilute according to instructions and put it into a brown plastic bottle, labeled with the date and what's in it. Lasts a long time. As you said, I just use it straight after that and pour it back into the bottle. You'll know when it is going bad, it will take longer and longer to clear your negs and eventually it won't anymore. A regular clip test will keep you from ruining any important film. That's it. Pretty cheap.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Towards the end of this piece it illustrates and describes how to do it:

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/photoschool/ps how process 35-120.html

Tashi delek,

R.

 

[Al Kaplan]

Clearing time will vary with film type. If a given film clears in say 2 minutes in fresh fixer then fix for 4 minutes. When the clearing time gets to double what it was with fresh fixer it's time to change fixer.

 

[Tom A]

For film I use Kodafix. It is diluted !:4 and I too pour it into a brown gallon jug. A piece of tape down the side, date mixed at the top and then simply write how many rolls you have done. When it gets close to 60 rolls or 6 weeks - just dump it and mix a new batch. Kodak claims that it will do 20 rolls/liter so I err on the cautious side and do 15 instead.
Some films take longer to fix - or need fresh fix - Tmax 2-400/Tmax 100 and Acros 100 will give a pinkish cast if the fix is getting old. It is a good idea to do a "clip" test with a piece of film after 4-5 weeks - just in case.

 

[Chris101]

I have made a bottle of 10 percent potassium iodide. Put a drop of that solution into a small bit of the fixer. If a think, brown precipitate forms, then dump (or better yet, recycle) the fixer. If the solution stays clear, then keep using it.

 

[Spleenrippa]

Thanks a bunch, guys! For the next bottle, I'll make sure to just mix a bunch up and test it periodically.