Re-using fixer.

[forsakenrider]

Ok so I've read on the instructions or my fixer that its good for multiple rolls of film, and can also be replenished. I'm using Ilford Rapid fixer. The thing is, It says it only keeps 7 days after being diluted with water. Does that mean that after 7 days I need to "replenish" it? or is it totally finished.

Sorry if this is obvious, but I'm totally new to all this and I want to get the biggest bang for my buck.

 

[benlees]

It lasts quite awhile. I use working solutions of fixer for around 20 rolls- depends on what film I've been using- which certainly spans weeks or even months. You can test your fixer with left over film leaders. Double the clearing time is what you would use.

 

[Fawley]

Ok so I've read on the instructions or my fixer that its good for multiple rolls of film, and can also be replenished. I'm using Ilford Rapid fixer. The thing is, It says it only keeps 7 days after being diluted with water. Does that mean that after 7 days I need to "replenish" it? or is it totally finished.

The 7 days your are referring to is what Ilford states for an open dish or tray. In a full bottle they say 6 months. This life can be extended by replenishment. Ilford gives several pages of very good information on their website.

 

[ChrisN]

To test your fixer, take a short length of 35mm film (about 50mm long is good) that has not been developed (exposed to light is ok, and just about impossible to avoid ): ).

Place a drop of the fixer onto the emulsion side and let it sit for two minutes. You'll probably see that the film starts to go clear where the fixer is sitting.

Then place the whole strip into the fixer so it is submerged, and agitate it a bit. Start your stopwatch.

Check how long it takes for the whole strip to become as clear as the spot where the drop of fixer was placed earlier. That is your "clearing time".

For certainty, after developing, film should be fixed for double the clearing time.

I stick with Ilford's recommendation of 10 rolls of film per litre of fresh fixer, and keep a tally. (Edit: that should be 24 rolls - see Sig's post below.)

 

[sig]

According to ilford the capacity of 1 litre working strength rapid fixer is 24 135 films

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/2011427111531653.pdf

 

[Ljós]

Forsakenrider,
as the others have said, assuming you keep your film-fixer in a bottle, it will last a long time in the diluted, ready-to-use form. Unless you have very long breaks between developing film (many months) it is unlikely that your diluted fixer will go bad before you have reached its capacity of fixing film.

Greetings,
Ljós

 

[ChrisN]

According to ilford the capacity of 1 litre working strength rapid fixer is 24 135 films

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/2011427111531653.pdf

Sig - thanks for that. Where did I get 10 rolls from? 😛

 

[forsakenrider]

Excellent. I got confused because when you peel back the label on the bottle it says "24 months full airtight, 6 months half full tightly capped bottles, 7 days (1+3)" I didnt realize those were commas meaning the (1+3) pertained to the whole sentence. Thanks for clarifying that!

And great info on the testing fixer! thanks a lot everyone!

 

[newtorf]

I've been using Ilford rapid fixer for a while. I bought the 1L bottle. Usually I diluted 100 ml to 500ml and stored it in a regular drinking water bottle. I use the fixer about 6 times to fix 12 rolls of 35mm films. The first 5 times I fix for 4 minutes, and the last time I fix for 5 minutes. After that I abandon the fixer and start over. The fixer can last for months without any problems.